Board Games the Whole Family Can Play

Siblings can be vastly different from one another in their looks, personality, likes and dislikes. And when there’s also an age difference, it can be challenging to find activities that brothers and sisters can happily participate in together. In my own family, my four year old daughter’s interests are vastly different to my eight year old son or my 10 year old daughter. Sometimes the three of them just can’t get a game5 going that they all agree on, or they argue about what to watch on television. Sound familiar? To help, we’ve compiled some play ideas for fostering sibling harmony… You may like to keep them on hand for when you next need some inspiration.

Board Games the whole family can play

Board Games are great for filling in time in rainy weather, when travelling, or anytime the kids are bored. But finding a game that the youngest can understand and will keep the oldest engaged, is not so easy. Here’s five games that pass the test:

1. Monopoly Junior – ages 5 and up

Monopoly Junior is just like the classic game that has entertained children for decades, but it’s designed for younger players. Kids will learn how to pass go, buy properties (such as the ice cream parlour) and collect rent. The money is simpler to handle and the game moves faster. Despite the simplifications of the game, it is still great fun for older players too.

2. Trouble – ages 4 and up

Using the pop-o-matic die roller, this games involves racing your pegs around the Trouble board to beat your opponents. There is enough strategy required to keep older players interested in the game, while younger players can simply count the number rolled on the die and move their coloured pegs around the board accordingly.

3. Hungry Hungry Hippos – ages 4 and up

Who doesn’t love this fun and frantic game? Even adults will want to thrash their lever to ensure that their hippo eats the most marbles and wins the game. It’s simple and guaranteed to elicit plenty of laughs.

4. Bingo – ages 3 and up

This retro game is making a comeback and there’s many different versions of the game available. Kids of all ages will love shouting out BINGO when they complete their game board. You can even make your own educational Bingo game based on what your kids are learning at school – e.g. sight words, mathematics, animals etc.

5. Card games – ages 3 and up

Next time you need some family bonding time, crack open a pack of cards. A simple deck of cards can provide hours of fun for everyone in the family. It’s also a great game to pack for camping trips and holidays. Here’s some suggestions to get you started:

• Uno or Uno Junior
• Snap
• Memory/Concentration
• Old Maid
• Scumbags and Warlords
• Go Fish
• Spoons/Donkey

 

Which games do your children enjoy playing together?