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Chutes Ladders

Family Game Night—Still a Winner!

Asking your kids a question is often a losing proposition—it's not a win-win solution when you get the blank black hole type of communication like "nothing", I don't remember". No matter how cool you try to attempt to connect with your kids and  the rest of the  family it may not be working as well as you'd like…but, there's an antidote. Games, the word today usually means gadgets, gizmos…or gambling—but you don't have to be a grandpa or a grandma to rediscover the lure and love for family game night—or start making every other Friday night board game night. Even if it's between the dog walking and the online social networking! But if you think classic board games are classic bore games, or that board games for kids are out of touch, there's more to that story, as they say.

Games. It is the word on the tip of any kid's tongue. Even in this day of texts and tweets, when two "BFF's" meet, the first words most likely exchanged are "Wanna play a game?" And games are win win all the way around. We all know what we taught the kids early on-- the best way to do anything, make any chore a breeze is to make a game out of it. The famous board games of the past

The Game's The Thing

Games are the antidote to running, multitasking, and the hit and miss family occasions—dinner table where having to eat the broccoli puts a damper on pleasantness, and breakfast nooks with homemade pancakes often lose out to walking the dog and flying to the meeting, in-betweeners often off to the spa, each person's special TV program, and the individual chats online.

Games are goodness, great, groovy, and more and more families are making game night a happening thing. Setting out for just ½ hour together, or a fabulous hour—the families are actually doing something face to face, hearing what the comments are, seeing the facial expressions. True, we're not all game lovers, but letting yourself get inspired by the game groove brings out the best in kids and parents alike. This is a chance for face to face that's not just pick up your clothes, why didn't you finish your homework, but to let your guard down and not be too serious. Kids get the chance to learn about gracious winning, good losing, learning from mistakes what works and doesn't work, sharing, feeling success, and just laughing. Maybe you've never been a game lover, but games can set a tone for good time spirits. Better than a baseball game or even a family movie.

The Games Afoot

Just set out the game—with the tots and kids, you've got a tradition in the making. The selections of board games for kids or specifically for those first timers,  preschool board games have expanded to many with names hard to remember or pronounce. Now don't "oh, chute"…because for the youngest and their ups and downs, Chutes and Ladders and Candy Land are still tops on their list of favorite games. These classic board games are even updated with versions  featuring the beloved timeless Dora the explorer. When it comes to Chutes and Ladders with Dora, you all can enjoy a good natured spill down the chute…"oh chute", and a proud access up the ladder. And both just happen enough times in a game so that game mirrors life, as they say. Chutes and Ladders is probably the most famous board game to make chores and deeds a good time. And as for Candy Land with Dora the Explorer, unless you are a dentist, it's hard to resist the lure of those treats. Okay, everyone gets one as a reward for a good game together. These preschool board games find their way into all of our impish and kidlike delights--and are pulled out for play by even 8 year olds.

It's a tireless hilarity, but passing around the Hot Potato, or the "healthier" alternative sold at Kimmieshop – the Hot Tomato, that sings and plays until the last one gets caught is a quickie hilarity.

Yes, games don't have to be serious and complicated like brain operation, and even Operation is a winner for all ages. Kids can be better at the fine tuning motion to take out the offending and sick body part without buzzing, going for the "toxic gas" especially always raises a stink of hilarity in our house! Do check out the truly outrageous Toy Story 3 Operation to save Buzz Lightyear's innards from the galactic maladies.

Toy Story 3 is loved by both girls and boys and you can pick up an easy Toy Story Flip and Match or have a game handy right in your bag with the Toy Story 3  Four card games in the tin box. These handy card games are not reaching too far for quick an easy board game ideas--and as you're passing and handing the cards (the boards) back and forth, there's a bit of personal expression that gets passed along--instead of the "OMG's" in the texting!

Fun for All Ages

One of the most adorable and silly fun board game for preschoolers and even kindergarteners is Alphabet Circus-- this one knows some creative ways with beloved bean bags. Toss and hop onto learning alphabets and words. And doing it on one leg, when Mom and Dad has to do it, is truly a memorable family gem.

Storytelling is not usually considered a game, but storytelling has mesmerized audiences since cave man and woman. Amazing without even props, and when you think about it, who doesn't like to tell a whopper. Have a blast in making up stories with the Toy Story 3 Storytime Board Game—whether you are 4 or 40 or even 80, all can partake in this one. 7 year old Lailee still laughs to remember what 87 year old grandma Silva said, and boy did the usually quiet "Pa" go on and on!

"Guess Who" with hands behind the head never goes out of style, and neither does the game, now in Disney's specialty, Disney's Guess Who? This game is great for even a  twosome sharing with mom or dad and child. If you find memory games a favorite winner, you can add some language learning to it  for younger  kids, with the Sesame Street Memory Match in Spanish and English.

The Domino Effect

Criss crossing paths is like a natural doodle everyone does it…building up or down, keeping your eyes peeled on the matching pieces, or it's a trip to the boneyard! That's dominoes for you. Dominoes come in every favorite character…no joke, chose the favorites, or introduce new ones with Elmo, Spiderman, Toy Story, Tinkerbelle, Princes, Sesame Street, Cars, Mickey Mouse, and the precocious molded Alien Cylinder cases of dominoes--!

Unlocking Treasure With  Board Games

Cranium board games,  the brain pictured on the box,  begins at the beginning stage for 2 ½ year old preschoolers in a version just for the tots in Cranium Cariboo. Every child loves, loves, loves to use the key to unlock the doors to get to the treasure. That is magic every time and we can be there and enjoy and participate in all that magic that passes as quickly as the door opens and closes.

As the kids get older, Cranium Kids Games grows and has always been and still is a hit with family groups, the relatives coming or just family party. Cranium Caddo is best for kids 7 and up—and gives kids and parents alike the opportunity to show their stuff!

As kids get into school age, they love to strategize, and tic tac toe, or checkers that can be pulled out while waiting in a restaurant or office or anytime are great.

You Can Zap the Video Games

School age kids, glued to the screens of one sort or another, can be hard to ply away, but here's the truth. Believe it or not a recent global study showed that 73% kids would prefer to choose to play with parents rather than TV. The thrill today seems to be bringing out the sillies And in many games, there's the opportunity to be silly, goofy, and fun. Set it out, take a floor seat, try it out.. School aged kids get a kick out of the updated Sorry Revenge game. Silly and fun if you let your silly bone be tickled a little.

Monopoly is a family game night classic,  and Monopoly board games have 2 wonderful modernized versions. Monopoly City is updated with tall buildings, and for the "know it all" kids of 9 and up there's Monopoly Here and Now World Edition that spreads out in a global way that older kids can get into. Monopoly in 2009, was still the best selling game in the world. What is the lure to buy a Monopoly board game? Money and building those little buildings have a real draw, whether or not the kids can understand the monetary considerations, there is still learning and strategizing, involved in every purchase. Taking an ownership, holding and planting down a building, a property, managing a bank, dealing with money--these are opportunities that lets kids feel in charge, like a boss, and they learn from it too.  And speaking of strategy, Battleship, a game that has lasted through the years with love, is not just for boys. This one really uses spatial reasoning and encourages kids to visualize and imagine patterns.   Risk is another game for the challenge of conquering the world. This one is for the long stretch of miserable weather indoors. With the need for strategy and brain power, this game is intense as it gets on a paper board.

Word games are the perfect board games for the combined ages—from 8 to 80. Scategories is simple without a lot of rules, Scrabble Apple a faster paced word game, or the coolest quickest 3 minute word game that uses 3 or 4 letters so kids have a fair chance is Boggle.

Board Games and Blackouts

Now here's another way you can you pull your kids away from the allure of the video game or computer console, and get them to see the magic of board games. One "sneaky" father had this suggestion. Hit the switch on the fuse box, and pretend there is a black-out. With all the digital devices dead, there's no choice but to get out the flashlights and the board games! And once you do, you'll see them hooked even when the "power returns".

Get Your Head in the Game

Get Your Head in the Game is one of the songs so popular from High School Musical. Sure, it refers to basketball, but whether you're teens like them, two, or 82, getting into the game is best enjoyed face to face, passing the ball or passing the pieces of the game board. It's an interaction that means everybody wins.

 

 

 

 

About the Author

Cynthia Lechan-Goodman is a seasoned educator/counselor/writer/artist. Although she holds a Master's Degree in Education and Counseling from Columbia, she finds the highest levels of learning (and most amazing and complex) are both marriage and being a parent. Both of these stations happened to her late in life—proving dreams can always come true.  She loves juggling her writing and painting with seeing the world-- full of discovery-- through the eyes of an insightful child. For this particular article, Cynthia collaborated with KimmyShop.com - an online toy store featuring popular TV and movie characters.

If we introduce the board game Chutes and Ladders to the Senate Meetings would that be more productive to them?

They'd come up with 1200 pages of new instructions.

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