A few months ago Jeff suggested that we start having a regular family game night. Usually on Thursdays, we’d have pizza for dinner and then play a game. Board game, outdoor game, Wii game–all’s fair and we take turns choosing, even the grown-ups.
Frankly I thought it was a little dopey. We are fairly good at eating dinner together most nights, and after dinner we often spend more time together, just doing whatever (pause to say that even during the school year, there’s very little homework to deal with. Montessori FTW!). So, like, what would be the point of formalizing Family Game Night?
Well. The kids loooove it. They know that it happens on Thursday. They remind us that it’s coming. They remind us that it’s TONIGHT!!! Whoooo! Family Game Night!! They discuss whose turn it is to pick the next game (they keep track when I cannot). They sometimes even play the game without being sore losers.
So, ritual. Ritual and routine. Perhaps you’ve heard that children like them, even crave them? Family Game Night says yep, they do. You can bet on it.
Games we love:
- Uno
- Curious George Hide & Seek at the Zoo
- Monopoly Jr.
- Wii Fit Plus; now have Sports Resort on our wish list
- 10-4 Good Buddy: Awesome for teaching kids how to avoid speeding tickets
- The Tea Party Game (eeBoo)
- Charades
Jo wants to play Scrabble tonight. Attagirl!
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Really good suggestion. I wish Captain Obvious lived near me so that I could benefit more regularly. My 5.5 yo is really into what day it is and what activity they do at school that day. I bet he’d love some of that for family fun things.
My SIL does *everything* with her kids on a weekly cycle. For example, Mondays they all go to the gym from 5-7 and eat at the cafe there, Tuesdays is Mexican at home, Wednesdays the boys go to their dad’s house, Thursdays is chili, Friday is Pizza night, etc. They do this for breakfast, too. Pancakes, eggs, french toast. Chocolate milk only on x day. Those boys always know what to expect. It strikes me as crazy boring on one hand, but the upside of never running out of milk because you do everything so habitually is really enticing.
Really excited for you about your speaking gig! See you there.
Good idea!
Q-ster and his same-age cousin played a number of Wii games together while we were on vacation and it was excellent practice for them to say “good game” afterwards. No one even burst out crying after losing . . . including the adults.
I don’t know why we don’t play more games together – we always have fun when we do. Great idea to put it on the calendar!
Tonight we played Dominoes – a la “chicken-foot”.
I think game night is a great idea!
Have the kids been having problems with the cops lately?
we used to do this as well…so fun! We actually played Quiddler with the girls last night – so nice that at 19 and 21 they’ll sit and play a game with us (though I admit I ditched the game halfway through for the season premiere of Mad Men!)