How many weeks have we been in quarantine now? 6, 8, 1 million? I really can’t keep up anymore.
The one sure thing that has helped us get through this time is playing games. Board games, card games, online games, we like them all! Sometimes my husband and I play with the kids, and sometimes (thankfully) they play by themselves.
When my kids were a little younger, I thought there was no chance we could be a “family game night” family. As soon as one of the kids lost or felt they had been shorted somehow, the next thing I know, game boards were being flipped and someone was stomping out of the room. I can’t say our game nights are perfect these days, but after many, many rounds of playing, they are greatly improved. Thankfully!
If you are a family game night family too and looking for a new game to play or if you are just looking for something new to do in quarantine, I thought it would be fun to share a few of our favorites.
See below for our 9 favorite games to play. I would love to hear what your family’s favorites are too!
Ticket to Ride
Create train tracks across the country, connecting cities and racking up points. Complete routes, block your opponent, create the longest cross country route, and you have a chance to win. This game can take a little while and is a fun way to fill up a lazy afternoon or your next family game night. The version we play takes you across North America, but you can also purchase versions for Europe, Japan, Germany, and more. This game is designed for 2-5 players and recommended for ages 8 and up. There is also a First Journey version for the younger crowd. The game can be purchased from Target for $44.99.
Exploding Kittens
I randomly picked up this card game at Target one cold winter day. We just needed something to do and this game included a card called “Ralfing Rainbow Cat”. It sounded equal parts weird and quirky which made it right up my kid’s alley. Ha! To be knocked out of the game, you pick up an Exploding Kitten card without having a Diffuse card to offset the attack. Be the last player standing and you win! The game is designed for 2-5 players and recommended for ages 7 and up. Purchase it from Amazon for $19.99.
Gravity Maze
I think my favorite thing about this game is that it is single player — sometimes you just need to keep one kid entertained for a little while. Right? In this game, you select a card (they are levels beginner to advance) and then you work to build a maze that matches the card and allows the ball to travel from beginning to end. This one keeps my kids very entertained. It is for ages 7 and up and you can purchase it from Amazon for $29.95.
Monopoly
Everyone knows this board game, but we’ve discovered during quarantine that it might be one of our family favorites. When my kids were a little bit younger, they started with Monopoly Junior (which I highly recommend for ages 4 and up!) but recently they moved onto Monopoly and love it. They convinced me to buy the “cheaters addition” but most of the time we just play regular old Monopoly. I love that you can also buy it in a variety of versions like Avengers, Toy Story, Star Wars, and more. The game is designed for ages 8 and up. It was sold out at a lot of stores but I found it for $19.95 at Barnes and Noble.
No Stress Chess
Ever wanted to learn how to play chess? Well, this is a great way to learn. My sister gave this game to my son for Christmas several years ago and he got so hooked, he joined the chess club at school. I even learned to play too! The game board has two sides: one side is regular chess and the other is for when you are learning to play. It shows exactly where all the pieces go and then players take turns drawing from a pile of cards. The card you select tells you which piece to move and where it can go. It doesn’t really develop strategy, but players learn how to move the pieces. Once that is perfected, flip the board over and begin playing for real! This game is recommended for ages 7 and up and you can get it for $13.49 at Amazon.
Sequence
This game has been around since the 1970s and now I understand why it has stood the test of time. The game is played by 2-3 players or 2-3 teams. The teams cannot talk to each other so they must strategize in silence — and quite a bit of strategy is required for this game. Your goal is to build a sequence of your game pieces (5 in a row) before the other players do. And you not only make your game plan, but you also must keep a close eye on what your opponents are doing! The directions for this game made my head spin, so I preferred to watch a video tutorial instead. It is recommended for ages 7 and up and can be found for $17.97 at Walmart.
Yahtzee
As a kid, I played this game for hours during the summer. It is such a simple game and so easy to take with you wherever you go. It makes me so happy that my kids enjoy it as much as I did. Oh and if you are homeschooling right now, I would definitely count this as math. Lots of adding needed in this game! It is designed for 2 or more players, ages 8 and up. Younger kids can also play, they just might need a little extra help with adding. You can purchase it for $7.88 at Walmart.
Uno Attack
Most everyone knows the game of Uno, but if you have been playing that for a while and want to take your Uno game to the next level, Uno Attack is for you! Basically, instead of drawing from the pile, you press the button on the machine. Maybe no cards will fly out, maybe 10 cards will. You never know! And it makes this game quite fun (or infuriating! Ha!). It is designed for 2-10 players, ages 7 and up. Purchase it from Target for $15.99.
Skip Bo
And I had to include this one because it is new to us and lots of fun. I didn’t love the instructions for this game, so once again I headed to the internet for a video explanation. I’m definitely more of a visual person for sure. The game is designed for 2-6 players, ages 7 and up. You can purchase it from Amazon for $7.99.
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