10 Family Board Games to Fight Boredom
Drop the electronics for bit and play a family game Board games are fun and the kids can get competitive and there is some bonding time! Here are some one you can play with the kids! You probably have some of these in the back of the closet!!
1. Settlers of Catan
A strategy game for four players, Catan is all about building the biggest settlement in the land by gathering resources and trading smartly. There are also several expansion packs if you want to take your adventure to the next level.
LEARNING CURVE: This game is extraordinarily simple and straightforward to learn. Played once through, it makes plenty of sense and opens doors to more complex rules and gameplay.
GAME SPEED: 1-2 hours for 4 players. Game moves briskly but with obvious early-, mid-, and end-game stages that each have their own strategies and approaches. Game easily resumed from a paused state if you take a break.
GAMEPLAY OVERALL: Catan is satisfying to play, even more satisfying to win. As a game best played with a poker face and a good set of bluffing skills, Catan rewards long-term foresight and strategies more than rushed or brute-forced gameplay techniques. Catan can become repetitive IF and ONLY IF you refuse to play randomly. I highly recommend players who have a few games under their belt learn to completely randomize the map, starting positions, and resource entitlement for more satisfying experiences.
APPROPRIATE FOR KIDS? Depends on your child. Children with a knack for puzzles and strategy games will find playing Catan with adults to be very rewarding. Probably a bit too complex for children to play with each other, however; too many “honor system” concepts in play, too easy to cheat each other.
APPROPRIATE FOR SPECIAL NEEDS? Gameplay can easily be catered for adults or children with special needs. Game rules are insanely simple and easily modified for those wanting additional assistance. Communities online for adapting Catan gameplay are prevalent and easily found.
CONCLUSION: Catan is a fantastically easy game to pick up and learn, but complex and difficult to master. Catan is a game best suited to be expanded and enhanced, as the base game is truly just the first step into the world of Catan.
2. Ticket to Ride
If you love a good train ride, this is the game for you! Connect cities and compete for the longest continuous route in this strategy game for up to five players. Many different versions of the game!
3. Otrio
With a beautiful wooden game board, this is a fun and colorful strategy game with its roots in Tic-Tac-Toe. Stack or line-up rings with 2-4 players.
4. Connect 4
Hopefully most people have heard of Connect 4, but if not, the name pretty much sums it up. Take turns dropping pieces until you get 4 in a row of your color. Easy!
5. Life
Your classic board game that you probably played as a child! players can make their own exciting choices as they move through the twists and turns of life. Move the car token around the gameboard from Start to Retirement, and experience unexpected surprises related to family, car
6. Trivial Pursuit Family Edition
Fun for the whole family, choose to play individually (up to 6) or in teams to work through over 2,000 tough questions on a variety of topics. Great time to test your knowledge and bond with the kiddos.
7. Jenga
Build a big tower out of 3×3 blocks. Take turns pulling out a block one at a time. Don’t knock the tower over. Boom! also check out Giant Jenga which is 5 feet tall!!
8. Rock Me Archimedes
Archimedes was a Greek mathematician, scientist and all-around uber-genius who discovered the laws of the lever. This game is all about balance. To win, be the first player to get four marbles to your end of the board without reaching the tipping point, causing it to touch the table.
9. Uno Dare
Just like standard Uno, try to get rid of your hand by matching the color or numbers on the card pile. BUT instead of the usual +1 or +2 cars you can give to another player, they can choose to do a dare, some silly and some challenging.
10. Timeline
fun educational trivia game for the entire family There are plenty of different categories: U.S. History, Inventions, or Elections. It’s a fun way to play and learn.
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