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12 Games to Play with Kids this Summer
Are you looking for some fun games to play with your kids? In a world filled with technology and disconnection, family game night is a way to get everyone re-connected as a family. Whether your kids feel like playing a classic game or something new, here are 12 game ideas to inspire you.
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Heads Up! (Ellen’s DeGeneres’s Game)
If you’ve seen Ellen lately, you’ve probably seen her play this with her celebrity guests. It’s played with an iPhone held up to one player’s head. The other player must give clues until the person holding the iPhone guesses what the word on the screen is.
Based on the classic children’s book, this matching game is a hit with two and three year old kids. It’s a great introduction to game night that helps toddlers learn to match pictures from the book with a playing board.
All the colorful dots force everyone to get twisted up. It’s like a game and yoga, all at once. Kids will find it funny when you try to contort yourself in this game, trust me.
This sweet game, created in 1949 is a perennial favorite. It’s swell for kids ages three and up. I like it because everyone already knows how to play.
We play this in the backyard with plastic clubs and balls. It is an outdoor game, but in the summer, the sun sets late and we like to take our game night outdoors.
Hide and Seek
This is a free game that pleases the little ones for hours. In my house, a little boy hides, tells you where he is and you pretend to be surprised when you find him.
This is the only sport I can get excited about. It’s cheap and you can set it up in the backyard. The birdies are also not likely to cause harm for those players who are just learning how to volley.
This game brings back fond memories of when I played this with my grandmother. Now my son is finally old enough to play. It’s a great way to encourage reading and word making for younger kids. They can even practice math if they tally the scores. It’s also fun for competitive grown-ups as well.
Charades
This game is fun for a larger family. Watching players act out movie or book titles is entertaining and also free!
Their greeting card line is a hoot. Now there is a game based on Awkward Family Photos for ages 13 and up. It’s a board game with wild card questions about the pictures. It’s sure to make your family smile.
While not technically a game, puzzles are a super choice for game night. The whole family can pitch in and see how fast the whole puzzle will come together. Large floor puzzles are a hit in our family.
Hasbro’s Moods is for three to eight players age 10 and up. Players must speak a phrase in a particular “mood” based on a card they choose. If your brood is full of budding performers, this game is the perfect choice.
These games will help pack your summer full of fond family memories.
What games do your kids like to play? We’d love to hear about them in the comments.
P.S. Why not Invite over another kid and have them play one of these games while you get some writing done this summer?
We can help you kickstart some ideas!
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