This game is so much fun for both children and adults that it’s well worth the amount of time, and possibly the minimal amount of money needed to get it together. Number of players: 4+ Ages: 5+ (although all participants should be roughly the same size) Space: fairly large room To begin, the players line up in even numbered relay teams at one end of the room. A couple of yards in front of each team is a basket of clothes. Women’s clothes are a lot more fun, because men feel sillier putting these on. The more outlandish and ugly … Continue reading →

Marbles looks like an inocuous kids game. The rules are simple. You put a bunch of marbles in the center of a ring, and tried to blast them all out. When I was a kid, I learned an important lesson about life that perhaps all of the grown-ups in the world could use. Most marble games are for keepsies; The winner of the game keeps all the marbles. The stakes ran high. Desperate times called for desparate measures. My friend Stevie found some ball bearings in his dad’s shop, and painted them black to look like shooters. He ruled the … Continue reading →

Number of players: 5+ Ages: 6+ Photographer is a GREAT party game for kids and adults. It involves a lot of imagination and improvisation, but at the same time it’s very easy for young children to pick up on. The success of the game is really up to the crowd. It’s a great icebreaker, and can get very funny, very quickly. To begin, two players take the roles of photographer and guesser. The guesser leaves the room, and the photographer takes a picture of someone in the room. It’s an imaginary picture, which leaves the players free to use whatever … Continue reading →

In my last post about tag variations, I came across a version of tag called French tag, and I’m still trying to figure out why it’s called French tag. In the course of my research though, I’ve found some very interesting information about this history of tag and its historical roots. Because it’s such a simple game, it has variations played all over the world. In Romania, it’s called “leapsa” and in Greece it’s called “kynigito.” What I find particularly fascinating are the different historical and cultural reasons for the variations. In a lot of countries, the implication is that … Continue reading →

This is a fun game to play at either a pre-teen, early teen or adult party. It’s got a lot of the same elements as the popular “mad-libs” but allows for a bit more random creativity. Number of players: 4+ Age level: 10+ Materials needed: regular sized paper, small pads of paper, or post it notes. To begin, give one player a sheet of regular sized paper, and the others a post it note. The player who has the regular sized paper must draw a picture of an object, animal, person, landscape or whatever they like, but they only have … Continue reading →

Here are a few more ideas to help you plan cool birthday parties as your kids get older: -Have the party at a park or ball field and have a game of basketball, softball, or soccer instead of playing “kiddy” games. Remember that even big kids like prizes, so provide prizes for the winning team. Make sure the prizes are cool. Temporary tattoos for boys and lip-gloss for girls are a couple of good ideas. -Instead of a regular party, let your child choose a place to take a couple of friends, such as the bowling alley. Check with one … Continue reading →

It is all about you–you and your family. Here you’ll find tips for exercising together, checklists for family camping trips, great craft and party ideas, and even the best family read-aloud books on the market today. Don’t know how to occupy the kids on the 12-hour road trip to Grandma’s house? We do! Unsure of whether that new movie is appropriate for your ten year old? Check out our opinions to help you form your own. The Family Fun Blog is designed to help you make memories with those you love most, and to build a home that’s safe and … Continue reading →

My name is Rob Coats, and I’m very excited to join the Families.Com community. It’s an honor and a privilege to be part of the internet’s best resource for family information. I’m even more honored to be launching this new blog with my partners Shauna and Laura. With our combined expertise, we’ll be providing you with hundreds of great family fun ideas. I thought I’d share with the community a little information about myself that will help explain my special interest and passion for family fun. I grew up all over the world as an “army brat.” I was born … Continue reading →