Board Games Popular at Home

Board/card/word games are a staple at home, some more fun than others depending on our moods. As I was sorting through the Games Cupboard, hoping to get rid of some old ones that kids have outgrown or not played at all in ages, I realized that I am not ready to part with any of them. So, I decided to list some of them here in case kids (and I) want to look back some day and feel a pang of nostalgia...

Apples to Apples is always popular, but needs all four of us to play to maximize fun. This was a gift for the older child from a friend a couple of years ago, and we stuck with it, even though Apples to Apples Junior might have been more fun for the younger one. The best memory of playing this so far is when we had a power outage due to storms last winter and we played this by candle light at the dining table, wrapped up in layers of coats and blankets.

Clue is the older child's favorite, and invariably she wins most of the time. I must admit, I don't pay close enough attention and never win.

Qwirkle and Qwirkle Cubes are not the favorite for the younger child, so he opts out, which makes it easier for the rest of us to play by the rules.

What's Gnu? was a casual purchase a long time ago, and has been a favorite with the kids when they were a bit younger. I am always the caller, and it is fun to see kids scramble to make the 3-letter word first.

Taboo can be a bit frustrating for the youngest in the house, but, he likes to keep up and play along as he has a team-mate, usually Papa. We do play from a smaller set of cards that have fairly recognizable words for the kids.

Good luck getting a favorite game out of this pile!

Risk and PVZ Risk are always popular with the younger child. He tries to rope in his friends to play PVZ Risk when they visit for play dates.

Word Yahtzee, Triple Yahtzee are classic no-fuss games we enjoy after dinner some weeknights to mellow down and transition to bedtime.

Mastermind and Battleship are perfect for the kids to play against each other. Some days, it goes quite smoothly; other days, it ends in a disaster. C'est la vie.

Monopoly is more of a weekend game, where we can set it aside and come back to it rather than going endlessly, especially with tempers flaring from having to pay high rents.

Scrabble, Scrabble Slam, and Upwords never stale, of course.

Boggle and Scattergories go in and out of favor depending on how each game goes and how frustrating it can get for the youngest in residence.

No Stress Chess has been a favorite with the younger child. While he knows the rules and the moves each piece can make, he gets overwhelmed by trying to evaluate the possibilities a few steps ahead, and that's where No Stress Chess makes it easier by having cards to help decide the next move.

Tapple is another fast fun game that is a fantastic ice-breaker game, equally fun to play with adults in the mix.

Chinese Checkers, Guess Who?, Snakes & Ladders, Candy Land,  and the classic staple Ludo all get their turn as and when we are in the mood for it.

Würfel-Zwerge was the older child's top favorite when she was a toddler and pre-schooler and I thought I can safely give it away because, surely, she must have outgrown it by now, right? Wrong! It is ever-so-pleasing to see these little elves in colorful outfits and fanciful poses. The older child still wins this game every single time.

[image source: amazon.com]