Tag Archives: board games

Activities for a Happy Baby: Your Face

As parents, we live for those moment when our babies are experiencing pure happiness. We look forward to those moments when there is no hungry cry or wet cry or fussy cry, but just that happy lopsided smile that tells you that everything is okay. One of the main things that makes your baby happy doesn’t cost a thing or require much effort. You carry it wherever you go, and you can’t easily lose it. It is your face. As humans, we are hardwired to recognize an appreciate faces. In fact, research shows that a good portion of a baby’s … Continue reading →

Board Games for Toddlers and Preschoolers

By the age of two, most children are ready to play simple board games. Here are some of the ones I recommend for toddlers and preschoolers. Yesterday, after a long day running around the house (my oldest son said it was exhausting work), and a quick dinner, I decided to settle things down for my own kids and one of their friends who spent the day with us. I suggested that we bring out a board game. “What’s a board game?” the little girl asked. In all of her six years of age, she had never played, let alone heard, … Continue reading →

Thanksgiving Boredom Busters for Kids

Thanksgiving is not exactly the most kid-friendly of holidays. There’s no gift exchange, no candy to pass out, and no chocolate covered eggs to find. This, of course, means that parents need to be particularly creative to keep their gaggle of little turkeys under control until the real bird hits the table. If you are on the hunt for fun ways to keep boredom at bay, consider the following Thanksgiving-themed games. DANCING WITH THE TURKEYS This is basically a knock-off of the hit ABC reality TV show where celebs and dance pros compete in the ballroom together. In this version … Continue reading →

Do You Play Games with Your Spouse?

I seem to have developed an affinity for coming up with potentially misleading titles this week. A couple of days ago I wrote Change Your Bedding, Change Your Sex Life, which could have been construed to mean I was implying something more simple than what I really was. Now this title could be taken to mean I wonder if you play mind games with your spouse. That might make for an interesting topic one day, but today’s not that day. I’m actually talking about real games. Fun games. Board games, card games, video games, etc. Games Couples Play I’m more … Continue reading →

Fun Ways to Keep Your Kids Entertained on Thanksgiving

With a turkey to baste, gravy to stir, and pies to bake, the last thing you need in your kitchen on Thanksgiving is a gaggle of children constantly asking when dinner will be served. To help keep kids entertained while you are putting the final touches on your Turkey Day feast, consider placing one of your teenage (or tweenage) guests in charge of game time with these Thanksgiving-themed activities: TURKEY HUNT/CORN HUNT Last year we used the plastic turkeys from my daughter’s farm set and hid them around the house. Next, we set a 3-minute timer and sent the kids … Continue reading →

Election Night Party

Why not throw together an election-day party for your family? If you have extended family or friends who can join you, so much the better. (Use judgment in selecting guests who can watch and discuss election results with each other in a civil manner.) Invitations: Have these ready when your crew comes home from work or school: Folded cardstock: on front, paste a clip art image of Uncle Sam and write“I WANT YOU…” On the inside write “… to join me for an election party.” Then lower on the page put the headline: “Proposition One” and following that this text: … Continue reading →

Unleash the Sleuth in You at 5MinuteMystery.com

If you’re a mystery buff or the type who loves playing Clue, have I got a neat new site for you: 5MinuteMystery.com. It’s a place where you can solve a new mystery every day, earn points, and compete against other people in the process. Even better, the content on this site is family-friendly so everyone from little Billy to Aunt Zelda can enjoy solving the mysteries together –or against each other, which makes it even more fun. Getting Started 5MinuteMystery.com is a pay-to-play site, so when you sign up you also have to fork over $19.95. However, that’s for a … Continue reading →

The Newlywed and Not-So-Newlywed Game

When Wayne and I took our cruise, one of the activities was the Newlywed and Not-So-Newlywed game. Three lucky couples got to play. (The rest of us in the audience got to play along in our seats.) Picking Couples The first to be chosen were the newlyweds. They looked for the most recently married couple on the ship. Of those in the audience to pick from, it came down to two who were married the weekend before the ship set sail. Since they were both married on the same day, it then came down to the hour they were married. … Continue reading →

Family Home Evening Game: The Liahona and the Holy Ghost

Object: to show family members how the Liahona led Lehi’s family according to faith and obedience, and how the Holy Ghost guides us today as we follow the commandments. Preparation: make or buy a treat and put it in a box, then hide the box somewhere in or near your home. Frozen treats not recommended. Choose where you want to conduct this activity. For some, their yard would work the best. Others would prefer to remain in the house. We used our neighborhood, as we live in a quiet area. Take your family out to the center of an open … Continue reading →

Maintaining Integrity

Most of us played games as children or played them as parents with our children. In a recent families.com forum, one of the games that kept cropping up was ‘The Game of Life.’ I remember it was my son’s favorite game when he was young. You can tell a lot about a person by the way the play a game. Years ago we had a friend who was a godly Christian man. But play a game of cards or a board game like Monopoly with him and a while other side of him emerged. He became fiercely competitive. It was … Continue reading →