See for article Family game night: board games for all ages
A key to getting everyone to look forward to family nights is variety. But there certainly is a place for board games from time to time.
What games do I choose?
Avoid longer games like Monopoly or Risk. A quick turnover gives everyone a better chance to win (losing is almost never fun). Also, two-person games like Chess, Checkers, or Othello are clearly not geared toward family participation. However, if you have several Checker sets, a mini-tournament could be exciting.
In good weather, outside activities may be preferred. But rain or snow may be an ideal time to have a board game evening. Choose games that are fast-moving or ones that encourage communication. Old favorites like Sorry or Parcheesi are worth a few rounds. A set of Dominoes is good for the basic game, but there are other games that can be played with them as well. Another perennial favorite is Chinese Checkers.
Consider card games like Uno (there are several versions, but the original one is still fun). Perhaps your family would enjoy Mille Bornes or Dutch Blitz. Parker Brothers’ Rook used to have an instructional manual with many games that could be played with the deck. You may be able to get an older version on Amazon.com. Pit, a card game based on stock market trading, is exciting. You might also try Spoons. And for die-hard Monopoly fans, there is a quicker-moving card game called Monopoly Deal. Many of these games can be obtained at Wal-Mart for around $5.00 each.
Try this one!
One of our family’s favorites is a lively word-building game called Squabble that uses Scrabble pieces. First, place the letter tiles face-down in the center of the table. This forms a “Draw Pile”. Each player takes seven letters. Someone says “Go!”, and everyone tries to form words in crossword-fashion with their first seven tiles. As soon as one of the players uses all of his letters, he calls “Draw!”, and everyone must draw two more tiles. You may re-arrange your letters and words as needed to use the new letters, as long as all your words are valid ones (use the “honor system” or allow players to challenge each other).
