5 Kid's Games Parents Will Want to Play Too!

When I was growing up I loved to play games with my younger sister.  I remember lazy afternoons filled with games of Sorry!, The Game of Life, and Uno.  Some days we would even make up our own version of a game and try to teach it to our parents.  Thinking back, we were definitely lucky to have each other because we always had someone to play with.

Besides playing with each other, we also enjoyed watching our parents played games of Trivial Pursuit, Rummy or Monopoly at our holiday gatherings.  Sometimes they would even let us join in as the special dice roller or question asker.  All of these past experiences have helped shaped my love for gaming, which I fully plan to pass down to my children.

Logan's first game night.

Wait!  Who am I kidding, it's in my kids' blood!  Since day 1, my oldest son has been fascinated with our game nights.  Whenever we pulled out a game, he'd sit and watch every move.  Now at age 4, he is a force to be reckoned with at the game table.  In fact, as soon as he gets up most mornings the first thing he'll ask to do is play a game.

Over the last year, his board game collection has grown tremendously.  It has gotten so big, that his collection now rivals ours!  Now let's face it, his (or any kid's) passion to play can sometimes get a little tiring.  Children's games tend to be lacking in the strategy department and rely heavily on a spinner or have a roll and move mechanic.  Not the most exciting games to play over, and over, and OVER again.  Luckily, board games, both adult and kids, have changed a lot since I was young and I wanted to share 5 great games for kids that you'll want to play too!

Hey, That's My Fish!
  This adorable little game features cute little penguin figures and lots of nice sturdy hexagonal tiles. You play as a determined penguin who is hungry for his next meal.  players compete for their next meal atop a shrinking Antarctic ice flow.  You see, each time a penguin moves, the tile they were on is collected.  Will you be the one to collect the most fish before the ice flow has you trapped?  Quick learning time, an ever changing game board, and simple mechanics make this a great game for any age, but the ability to make the game as casual or strategic as you need makes it the perfect game for a family of growing gamers.

Catan Junior
  If you are a true gamer, you have probably played Settler's of Catan.  Catan Junior is a new spin on the classic game with simplified building rules, child-oriented trading, and a more forgiving robber equivalent know as the "Ghost Captain."  Now I know that sounds like it might be too simplified, but trust me it's not.  There are still plenty of strategic moves to be made throughout the game and without the ability for the game to be bogged down by trade negotiations, I find it much more enjoyable.  Plus its themed out with pirates.  You just can't go wrong!

Castle Panic
   This one is great for a family that wants to play as a team.  While there is an option to have an ultimate winner, the game itself is completely cooperative.  Monsters are invading from the nearby forest and you must work together to protect your castle.  Through trading cards, rebuilding walls and working together to hit and slay monsters, you can keep your tower intact.  There is some reading needed for this game, but due to it's cooperative nature, other players can easily help younger ones who may not yet be able to read.

Enchanted Forest
  Who doesn't love story tales?  Enchanted forest is a game of hidden treasures.  During the game each player must search the forest for the treasures needed at the king's castle.  You might need to find the glass slipper, or maybe its a dwarves hat.  Each turn you search the forest by rolling 2 dice and moving that number of spaces.  There are many roads throughout the forest and a quick-thinking player will know the best paths to take to reach the trees.  Once you've discovered the treasure requested by the king you must make your way to the castle and announce it's secret location.  The first player to find three treasures for the kings is the victor!  I love to play this game with my son.  It has been wonderful to watch him learn different strategies and see how concentrated and focused he gets.  Memory is key in this game and the variable board keeps the game fresh play after play.

Whoowasit?
  This is another great cooperative game.  By taking turns and gathering clues found in various rooms in a castle players work as a group to solve the mystery of who stole the magical ring from the king. The ring protects the kingdom from the evil wizard. The castle animals witnessed the act of thievery in the night and can give the children clues (cause only children can understand animals). If all players together can solve the mystery before time runs out, everyone wins. If the players can't, everyone loses.  The game comes with an electronic treasure chest that gives you clues throughout the game.  The game also has a time limit which prevents it from dragging on and offers some suspense each time the fairy announces the time.  Several game level options add more variety to the game as well.  Of all the games listed here, this probably has the most difficult rules.  The first game may be a bit slow, but after your initial play the kids should be able to play on their own.

All of these games have had a dedicated spot on our game shelf and I can see them lasting there for several years to come.  What games do you not mind playing over and over with the kids?  I'd love to hear the games you find fun and challenging with your kids.

Catan Junior i.e., Pirate Catan!

PAX East Cosplay Mini Gallery and My Convention experience with a Toddler

This year I was lucky enough to make it to all 3 days of PAX East!  Trouble is, I was pretty much glued to our hopping Game Salute booth.  Amongst managing the volunteers, teaching demos, and getting photos of our team there was not much time to see the halls.  I did manage to get a few nice shots of some of this year's Cosplayers, though.  Enjoy!

A Very Busy Game Salute Booth!!

Also, since this year we celebrated PAX Easter, I had the unique experience of bringing my 2 year old son to the show. (no one wants to babysit on Easter!) He was an angel the entire day! Spending a large amount of time in the ergo and the rest of the time running around the wide open space of the food court next to us, he never really complained.  Why would he?  There's so much to see and observe.  Needless to say, I got a great work out and he got to experience his first real Con! :0) He even spent some time playing his own version of BEARS! by Fireside Games.  Can't wait till he is old enough to really experience the true spectacle of gaming conventions.

Logan, tired after a LONG day at PAX East.

Martians and Zombies and Bears, Oh My!

If your looking for a fun and fast way to pass the time between the Turkey and Pumpkin Pie this Thanksgiving, then look no further.  Dan, Brian and I took a look at three quick and easy dice games that are sure to make you giggle with delight.  Whether you are a fan of the Wild Outdoors, Martians, or Zombies, all three of these compact dice games offer simple game play, easy set up, and great flavor.  Just open one up and your ready to play!

Each of these three games offers slightly different game play.  Zombies and Martian dice both offer a turn based game that is risk and reward.  These games are great for engaging in conversations while playing the game.


In Zombie Dice you play as the zombie trying to eat as many brains as possible without getting shot.  The game offers three colors of dice, Green, Yellow, and Red, that represent the risk involved when rolling.  If on your turn you grab a yellow and two green dice, then you have a good chance of surviving the roll and getting brains.  If you grabbed a yellow and two red dice then you may not be so luck.  Each die has footsteps, brains, and gun blasts.  Brains are good, Blasts are bad, and footsteps mean you have to roll it again.


In Martian Dice you play as the Martians trying to collect data from Earth.  You are particularly interested in the Human, Chicken, and Cow species.  On your turn you roll the dice to try and collect each of the three species and avoid being destroyed by tanks.  Unlike Zombie Dice, each of the dice in this game is equal and you roll all dice at the same time.



Bears! is a very different experience.  Though it is packaged very much the same way as the other two, this dice game is much more a group affair.  In Bears! everyone rolls simultaneously and tries to collect sets of dice from the center of the table.  Each player has a set of 5 white dice, and the center of the table has 5 black dice for each player in the game.  Once person roles the black dice (which contain images of bears and tents), then everyone rolls their white dice and races to make sets of black and white dice.  As soon as all the bears or tents have been taken from the middle of the table someone yells BEARS! and you score your sets.  Its fast and fun, and it gets everyone involved!

Personally, I'm a huge fan of having everyone involved and think that Bears! has a slight edge over the others, but that's just me.  Still, all three have a place in our game closet, and I would never say no if someone asked me to play.  So, take your pick, toss it in your bag, and get rolling this Thanksgiving!

Hear which dice game Brian and Dan enjoyed most here...Martians and Zombies and Bears, Oh My!