Writing from my own personal experience, life can get so extremely busy, and before you know it, a week has sped by. Dan and I are constantly trying to find ways to spend quality time with the boys, though I’ll be the first to admit that by the time Friday night comes, we resort to movie nights much of the time. Family game night is something that we are trying to incorporate more because the boys love it so much. As Jaden starts to get a little older, it’s starting to get easier to find games that he can enjoy right along with us too.Quick tips for a family game night:

• Pick out 2-3 games, tops. Too many games can be overwhelming and maybe even  make you want to rush through the best part….the playtime. If possible, each week take turns picking out games so that everybody gets a turn to choose the games they’d most like to play.
• Mix it up a little. Play both board games and video games. Wii games, especially, can get everyone on their feet, laughing, and having a good time.
• Have snacks and drinks ready to go….special snacks and drinks that you usually don’t have through the week.
• If you have little kids, and you’re trying to play a game with characters or cards, let them have a few just to pretend play with. They’ll feel like they’re right in on the action, playing along with you.
• Don’t just play….find ways to converse with your kids while you’re playing. Maybe even find games that incorporate conversation.

So, what are some suggestions for games that the whole family can enjoy? Take a look at the following games from Gamewright. Gamewright has games for young and old, games that’ll force the brain out of its comfort zone and games that’ll twist at every turn. This company was founded in 1994 by four parents just like you….they just wanted to give their kids a few great games to play. One thing I absolutely love about their website is that if you lose your actual paper rules for the game, you can just go onto the Gamewright website and download the pdf and print. So easy! Take a look at some of the games they have to offer for a well-rounded family game night….

Gubs- This is a card game designed for 2-6 players, ages 10 and up. This is one game we can play with Jacob, and it’s really a game that forces the brain to think. The object of the game is to build one’s own colony, but that involves a lot of probability, which is one thing Jacob’s been learning in school this year. You want to have the most Gubs in play at the end of the game, and they can’t be trapped Gubs or Gubs in your hand either, making it quite a challenge to win the game.

Mermaid Beach- This game reminds me of a vamped up Old Maid card game, in a way. It is totally different, though, and was actually created by an 8 year old little girl named Emily Ehlers. She designed the game, along with her brothers, while spending a year traveling the world by sea in a sailboat. The game is geared for 2-5 players, ages 6 and up. The rules crack me up on this one, for example, “The player with the waviest hair goes first and play continues to the left.” At the end of the game, you don’t want to be the one left holding the Sea Monster, plus you want to be the one with the most shell points.

Splish Splash!- This has been my favorite game so far because we can all play this one together, even Jaden. Geared for 2-4 players, preschool ages and up, this game is just plain fun. Basically, you just roll the die, and then you drop the wooden pebble into the pond, according to the number you rolled on the die. If any droplets “splash” out, you take them and add them to your character board. Whoever fills up their character board the quickest, wins the game. It’s such a simple game but so imaginative and colorful, plus it helps to reinforce colors, matching, and more with Jaden.FlipOut- This game is geared for 2-5 players, ages 8 and up. There are 90 double-sided playing cards included with this game. The goal of this game is to keep making sets of 4 matched cards. It gets a bit complicated, though, because your cards are in a card holder, and everyone can see the other side of your cards. So, if they want a certain card, all they have to do is swap you. You can switch, swap, and flip cards to make sets. So, no matter what kind of set you’re trying to make from your side, they may be planning to take one of the cards away from you, causing you to formulate a new plan. This game is fun, but I found the rules to be a bit overwhelming to read, just to figure out all the ways we could play this game. It is definitely a brain teaser, though, and not only can we play it like normal, according to the rules, but with Jaden, I can actually just sit down and work on colors/matching, using the cards. The game says that it requires “strategic thinking,” and that is completely true.

Joe Name It- Geared for 2 or more players, ages 12 and up, this game is a great party game or even a game to throw in your bag if you’re on the go. In this game, you draw a card and roll the die. Whatever number the die lands on is the number of answers you have to give for the question. For example, “Name __ nocturnal animal(s)” or “Name a __ syllable country.” The best part is that with “Any Joe” cards, everyone has opportunity to shout out the answer to that particular card, so it can get interesting figuring out who answered first. We love to laugh, so this game is a lot of fun and provides plenty of opportunity for that. With “Just Joe” cards, only you get to answer. Sometimes there may not be a correct answer, so the first person to shout out “No Joe!” wins that round. Whoever collects ten cards first, wins the game.

Who Would Win- This is another great travel game, geared toward 3 or more players, ages 12 and up. It also would make a great party game. In this game, you and your opponent each select a Character card (character cards are celebrities). An Event card is turned face up in the center. Each of you gets 20 seconds (with a sand timer) to make your case as to why your celebrity would win this event. For example, the event is hurdles, and the celebrities are SpongeBob Squarepants and Barbie. Need I say more as to how hilarious this game can get? If you have enough people, you can even play teams, making it even more interesting.

You can find out where to buy all of the above games on Gamewright’s website. They’re available online on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.

Now that you’ve gathered a few tips and ideas for games, why not start planning your own family game night? Especially with these cold winter nights, it’s a great way to keep the family entertained, curbing boredom through the holiday break from school. Plus, a few of these games are awesome for your next holiday party/family get-together.

So, what are your best tips for an awesome family game night?

(Disclosure: We received all of the above games, free of charge, from Gamewright, for the purposes of review. All views/opinions remain solely my own.)