The Games We Play {and LOVE}

Here's hoping your weekend was top-notch.

Mine was filled with a tummy ache (enough already. Ugh.) and a Parenthood marathon. I've officially watched every episode available on Netflix. Welcome to my life, Parenthood withdrawals.

OK, so today I want to talk to you about games.

We are big game people, partly because for so long it was hard for Libby to play outside for long periods of time due to her skin, so inside games became our thing.

But, finding good games is not easily done.

Some are too hard, some are confusing, and some are just plain ole' not fun.

Here a few we play over and over:

Bananagrams

 This one happens to be my favorite. It's kind of like Scrabble but on an individual level. It's a GREAT way to practice spelling words or to make spelling fun. This game is also great because it's easy to adapt. For example, when I play with Libby, I usually take twice as many tiles as she does. It's a great game to take on trips because it's small and doesn't require a big, bulky box for storage.

I've seen this one at Target, but you can also order it by clicking on the link above.

Battleship

I loved Battleship when I was little, so we gave it to the girls for Christmas.

It took a bit to explain the rules to Libby, but once she got the hang of it, she LOVES it. And I love the fact that it works her problem-solving skills while not being violent or loud. It does have a lot of small pieces though, so be wary if you have toddlers in your house. Libby is actually not old enough for this game according to the label on the box, but she does really well with it. I love this one because it appeals equally to boys at girls...at least to my girl, anyway.

Pictureka

Libby just got this game, and it's addicting. I love it because it comes with several variations on the rules. This means you can play it many times and still maintain the 'new' factor. My favorite thing about this game is it really pushes Libby's upper level thinking skills. This game is ideal for gifted learners, and I love that the game board has two sides, so there really is no way to just memorize where the items are on the board, seeing as how the board is most likely going to be different each time you play.

I-Spy Go Fish

Santa stuck this in Libby's stocking this year, and I am so glad. While I love Go Fish, it was getting a little old. This version does a great job at changing things up a bit. Each card has several different items on it, so the game is different each time. It's a great spin on the original, and I actually look forward to playing this one with her...not so much for the old one.

Guess Who

We've been playing this one for the past few years, and it's a time-tested favorite at our house.

As a mom and teacher, I like this one because it helps Libby learn to categorize or group things. It also helps her pay attention to details and work on her elimination skills. Again, it's another gender friendly game that I played when I was little. In my opinion, if it's good enough to still be on shelves after twenty plus years, it's worth a try.

What are some of YOUR favorite games to play with your kids? We are always looking for new ones to add to our {massive} collection.

Here's hoping your Monday feels like a Wednesday, and please feel free to send some Parenthood replacement ideas my way.

 P.S.) Please do not judge me based on the semi-poor quality of these pictures. Sometimes the internet is way too limited.....