What Makes a Good Family Game Night
Ideas to Bring Families Together to De-stress and Have Fun
Oct 1, 2009
September 23 is National Family Game Night, but there's no reason families can't create their own weekly family game night without a special day dedicated to it. In fact, there are plenty of prizes earned when each member comes together for some fun, and they can be even better than simply winning.
Board Games or Video Games?
Most family game nights center around board games, but as video game technologies become more interactive, there are more and more viable electronic options as well. The goal of a good family game night is to bring family members together, and this is most easily done without electronics.
Classic game nights consist of board games that the entire family can play. Examples of popular board games, many of which are made by board-game giant Hasbro, include:
- The Game of Life
- Monopoly
- Cranium
- Uno
- Skip Bo
- Scrabble
- Candy Land
- Boggle
- Apples to Apples
Still, games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero, which can make for an outrageous karaoke-style evening, and many Nintendo Wii games provide enough interactivity to be used. Just make sure the game can accommodate the size of the family so that no one has to sit out. Other nontraditional options include DVD hybrid trivia games, such as Scene it?, which comes in movie and music themes, and electronic versions of board games like Clue and Trivial Pursuit.
Why Family Game Night is Important
In addition to bringing the family closer together, board games and other strategy games provide learning experiences on a variety of levels. Family members learn how to interact with one another and come together to solve problems or answer questions. Positive teamwork is also tested and reinforced. Losing gracefully and good sportsmanship can also develop from game night experiences.
The Rules of Game Night
In order to foster the right environment, implement the following rules:
- Take turns.
- Don't be mean and help someone if they do not know the answer.
- Let everyone be involved in choosing the week's game.
- Allow family members to invite friends from time to time.
- Start early so that no one gets too tired before a game ends.
- Be patient, especially with a new game, if not everyone knows the rules.
- Follow the rules of the game unless the entire family agrees to change them.
For a family game night to be successful, it must be consistent. Each week, set aside the same time for the family to get together and have some fun. Provide snacks that won't damage game pieces, like pretzels or M&Ms, and keep drinks on their own separate table.
Game nights are inexpensive ways for families to take a break from the stresses of normal day-to-day life. They might even provide some memorable moments and traditions that can be passed from generation to generation.
Sources:
Game Night (or Game Afternoon), Kansas State University
Get Ready to Celebrate National Family Game Night, Hasbro (press release)
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