With the weather getting colder and the nights getting longer, it’s time to bring out the family games! There’s no better way to spend time as a family than by having some silly fun over a family-friendly game like a family board game or card game. Your younger kids may even pick up some important life skills as you play.
If you have kids of different ages, it can be tricky finding a game that everyone is excited about. Here are 9 game ideas that you can play with your family on your next family game night (or day!).
Scavenger Hunt
Who doesn’t love a good scavenger hunt? On Caribu, there are 10 different scavenger hunt pages to choose from! Our scavenger hunts are for indoor fun, so you can pull one up whenever you are looking for a fun way to pass the time with classic games that will keep your toddler or tweens entertained.
You can even set up a video-call with one of your little ones’ cousins for them to be involved. With Caribu, you don’t have to be in the same room to have playtime together!
Spot The Difference
If you’re looking for a game that’s a little more relaxed, or maybe an activity to wind down before bedtime, Spot the Difference is an interactive activity you can play together. Pull up one of the many Spot the Difference pages on Caribu, and take turns looking for the differences.
If your kids want to put more of a competitive spin on things, set a timer and see who can find the most differences in that time. You can also see who can find all the differences the fastest!
I Spy
Sometimes you just have to go back to the classics, especially for kids in a younger age group. I Spy is a super engaging game to play as a family. In this game, one person picks a secret item and then gives the other players a clue. That item must be in a place everyone can see. Once they pick it, let’s say it’s a blueberry, they say “I spy with my little eyes something blue!” The other players then take turns guessing what the item is. The best part about I Spy is that it doesn’t matter where you are; as long as you are together, you can play this game.
I Spy teaches about the importance of waiting your turn and it also helps reinforce colors. For older kids or older siblings, you can use shapes, numbers, or letters as a clue instead of color. This game recommendation is super easy to adjust in order to fit your needs as a family.
Board Games
We all have that closet full of the best family board games. It’s time to take them out, dust them off, and have a family game night! There are classic board games out there for all ages, like Candy Land, Yahtzee, Scrabble, and Monopoly.
Board games may take some time to get into a groove with, but they can improve hand-eye coordination and can keep even inattentive teens involved. For little kids, understanding the rules, how to play, and keeping focused can be tricky, but starting out with easy, age-appropriate games can help with this.
Board games also help teach the art of losing. No one wants to lose, and when kids are little, they may have some pretty big feelings about that. Understanding the importance of losing gracefully and celebrating with the winner is an important life skill. Playing board games, especially with loved ones, can help little ones learn this lesson.
The Memory Game
The memory game has been a family classic for decades. The concept of the memory game is easy: flip over two cards and see if they’re a match. But, using your memory to remember where the cards are, and paying attention can make it more challenging. Games like memory can be played through all generations of your family, bringing connection and building relationships.
Video-call grandma and grandpa on Caribu and they can join in on the memory game. Family game time doesn’t even have to be with the people in the same house as you! We live in the 21st century, and technology is turning family time upside down in a good way.
Cooperative Games
Not every game needs to be a competition. In cooperative games, instead of working against each other, you work together to beat the game. Playing cooperative games like puzzles, Jenga, or Twister as a family can teach important life skills about how to work as a team.
It has been shown that when preschoolers play cooperative games, they’re more likely to share. If you’ve found yourself playing referee to your kids’ squabbles, you may want to bust out a cooperative game. These games can help bring a little more harmony to your home.
The Balloon Game
If you’re looking to get a little energy out, try the balloon game. To play this game, you need one thing: a balloon! The goal of this game is to keep bouncing the balloon in the air without letting it touch the ground. This game can get super silly with all your family members doing everything they can to not be the one to let it touch the ground.
Pictionary
How well does your family draw? Play Pictionary, and you’ll soon find out! Pictionary can be an entertaining game to play together in the same room or, with Caribu, anywhere in the world. You and your family can take turns drawing a secret word, and the other players have to guess what you are drawing.
Remember: no talking! You can use our Pictionary sheet that includes a word list to draw from. You can also use our blank drawing sheet and create your own word list.
Charades
If your family prefers acting overdrawing, you can take those same words from Pictionary, and use them for charades! It’s adorable to see how your little ones will act out the word they’re given, and they may even improve their fine motor skills.
If you have super young kids, you can bend the rules a little for them to make the game fun. Give them animals that they can act out with sound. During family games, it’s about everyone enjoying themselves together, and less about following the rules perfectly.
Don’t worry; Aunt Mary can join in the party too! Just video-call her, and she can start acting out her words no matter where she is. This is an easy way to help your kids bond with their aunt and other relatives, even if they don’t get to see them very often.
Conclusion
Family-friendly games, including card games like UNO or Go-Fish, can bring your whole family together, from the kids to the grandparents. When it comes to game recommendations, the only goal is to have fun! You can bend the rules a little bit to fit the game to the needs of your family.
Playing games as a family not only helps you strengthen your relationships and bond with each other but they also teach life skills. Taking turns, waiting your turn, and following the rules (even if they are family rules) are all skills that can be taught while playing together. Playing cooperative games like puzzle games can take that one step further and help kids learn to share and work together for one common goal.
With the joys of technology, gone are the days where a family game night only includes the people in your home. You can now bring in someone from miles away to also join in on the fun with Caribu!
Sources:
Teaching children to lose gracefully so they can lose with dignity as adults | Oregon State
Bonding with Board Games | K-StatePlaying a cooperative game promotes preschoolers’ sharing with third-parties, but not social inclusion | NCBI