It’s International TableTop Day, an event organized to promote playing games. TableTopDay.com explains that tabletop gaming promotes many positive social and cognitive benefits like increased communication, team work, planning, and is an excellent stress relieving activity for all ages. All of those are reasons that we love family game night in our house.
I’m delighted that my daughter has always liked to play games and family game night still happens. even as she approaches her teens. It’s a great time to unplug from our devices and connect with each other. I love how much we laugh, and a lot of that comes from playing fun games. Here are 5 of our favorite games that can be played on a table top. (I also really love Hedbanz but that’s more of a forehead game than a table top or board game.)
The tag line is “the game of hilarious comparisons” and it really is a ton of fun. It’s also a great game to play with a wide variety of people and works for a lot of different ages. We love playing when my family is all together and we once had four generations in one game, which was a blast. I love that there isn’t a lot of set up and the rules are simple, so you can get started right away.
There are several different versions of Apples to Apples available, including Disney, Junior, Big Picture, Trendy, On the Go and more. Age recommendations vary based on version of the game that you’re playing.
We played Spot It last weekend and I enjoyed that there are several mini-games that can be played with the same deck, so it stays fresh. I feared that my aging eyes would struggle but it was better than I thought it would be, and more fun, too. There is always one, and only one, matching symbol between any two cards. Sometimes, you see it right away, other time you want to swear that there is no match, but you know that it’s there – somewhere!
There’s no strategy and you can get started really quickly. It’s also small and light, making it perfect for travel. It is equally fun for 2 players or 8 players.
Recommended for ages 7 and older. For younger kids, consider Spot It Jr. Animal, designed for ages 4 to 7.
This is an oldie but goodie. It debuted in the 1980’s but I didn’t discover it until my daughter started playing it 20 years later.I love that it teaches logical reasoning skills and helps kids learn to ask good questions.
I have to say that it wasn’t the most gender equal game we had but in the past years it has come a long way from the version that we had (which I believe is still out there, so something to watch for.) There are fun Disney Guess Who? and Disney Jr. Guess Who? versions of the game. Where was Doc McStuffins when I needed her?
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
I admit that I’m not very good at this game – it’s a bit more conceptual than these others – but it’s fun even if I lack the tactical approach and strategy to win. That said, the premise is pretty simple in terms of matching shapes and colors, so it’s not hard to pick up.
This game works with up to 4 players, making it a good option for a smaller family or if you are wanting the kids to play on their own. Recommended for ages 6 and up.
This classic board game is one of my daughter’s favorites, and I liked it when I was little. Parker Brothers started selling it in the US in 1934, so I guess it really does have timeless appeal.
Recommended for ages 5 and up.
What are your favorite games to play as a family? We’re always looking for new ones.
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