In all transparency, this post did not start out as a holiday gift guide. I started this post at the beginning of summer but life has been happening a lot and I kept pushing it forward. I assumed that it would become a Back To School Game Night post because back to school game nights are a wonderful way to bond with littles as they get back to their school routines. That didn’t happen either, so here we are. You are looking for things to add to your holiday shopping lists, and I want you to know about these really fun games.
JustaBXgirl and her friends regularly turn homeschool hang outs into park board game or card game events. I think they have played Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza in about half of the Bronx’s playgrounds by now! Seriously, it’s gotten to the point that I think they now each have their own set of the game. This post will share games that our homeschool crew brings for meetups and games we have been playing over family game nights. If you need more info, feel free to reach out and ask me about them.
Cheers to the Governor – Our homeschool crew has been playing this since we brought it home from Toy Fair! They enjoy it so much. You can hear them laughing across the playground tower they set up as their homebase. This is really fun for intergenerational game play too. As long as you can count to 21, you can play!
Piles – This is one that you have to be swift to play. It is all about being strategic but in a flexible way. Since there is no reading involved you can play this with all ages. You will have to adjust your speed for the littles, and maybe the grandparents! No mercy on the tweens and teens.
Plunder – This might be my new favorite game! This game is for 10+ and if you’ve ever dreamed of being a pirate, it is made for you! Each time you play, you can set the board up differently. Let’s set our sails and go on a pirating adventure!
Super Decoder Giiker – This game is the perfect travel size game. It easily fits in a bag for fun on the go. It is a great way to pass time while waiting places. You can play by yourself or with a friend. I thought about keeping this for my Homeschool Gift Guide but didn’t want anyone to miss out on the fun. This is perfect for anyone interested in codebreaking.
Good Guy Bad Guy Not So Smart Guy (GGBGNSSG) – This game is fun because it never plays the same way twice. Your goal is to get five consecutive numbers in a row to win. Who will help and who will hinder? How close will you get before someone wipes out your table deck? Or will you be the one to wipe away someone’s deck before they get their final number?
Cross Spin – I love word games. I might love them even more than I love strategy games. It’s a close call. I had a very dear friend that was a queen at word games. She made me better at them. She would have loved this one. It has quickly become a new favorite on mine. This game combines words, strategy, and the pressure of a timer! It is not for the weak of heart. It is so much fun for anyone that has mastered crosswords and is looking for a challenge. I’ve used this as a fun brain break for homeschool turning it into a cooperative play game rather than a competitive one.
Match N Sniff – Does your nose know? This one will lead to lots of giggles as you search by the scent for recipe ingredients. Littles will love this as much as you do. It’s a wonderful change to matching games adding a new sense to the play. I love that they include extra scent tokens to save for when the first set wears off. Don’t worry, as long as you store them properly you will get lots of play out of these.
