Board games a low-tech amusement on snow days
So school’s been canceled, the white stuff is piling up against your front door and you have a houseful of kids of varying ages who need to be occupied, lest they drive you crazy. And then the power goes out.
It’s one of those cases where something old is new again and ready to come to your rescue: board games.
Old-school, low-tech board games are seeing something of a resurgence.
Millenials are driving much of the uptick in interest. Board games provide face-to-face interaction and a chance for family time, something electronic games can’t do. They’re also highly varied, with some games putting a premium on competition and others on cooperation.
They’ve even become trendy, with board-game cafes popping up in major cities and some people expressing concern about “board game addiction.”
You may have a pile of old board games in the closet, but a lot of them might be missing pieces. If you’re looking to stock up, here, in no particular order, are some suggestions.
Monopoly
Of course; the queen mother of board games. While older kids are more likely to understand the game, some versions are structured to appeal to the younger set (Disney Princess Monopoly, for example). There are versions geared to specific interests — Chihuahua-opoly, anyone? — or geographical areas (yes, there is a University of Nebraska version).
Of course, games can get long and contentious. And you’re also subtly teaching your kids to break federal law, which breaks up monopolies. But hey, it also teaches that life can be tough.
Risk
A game more for older kids — a lot of the pieces are too small for little hands and easily lost — and that can get long; if a snow day stretches into a snow week you still might be playing the same game.
But like Monopoly, it can give you a chance to work out your aggressions, in this case by conquering territory instead of buying property. It also offers the opportunity for shifting alliances and subtle treachery, which always make for family fun.
And like Monopoly, there are editions of the game that are aimed at special interests, primarily fans of science fiction. If you’ve ever wanted to pretend you’re Luke Skywalker or Captain Kirk, here’s your chance.
Kingdomino
If you’re looking for a less contentious way to spend the day, you’ll want to look for so-called “Eurogame,” an increasingly popular genre that puts more of a premium on cooperation than competition.
Among those is Kingdomino, a kingdom-building game similar to regular dominos. It’s aimed at ages 8 and up, but simpler enough so that younger kids can play. And each game lasts only 15 to 20 minutes, a bonus if your kids haven’t quite built up an attention span yet.
Bears vs. Babies
A newer game which, if you have younger kids, has great potential for gales of giggles. It’s a card game that requires you to build fanciful animals and pit them against other baby animals.
The whimsical art on the cards is sure to spur your kids’ imaginations, the game play is simple and builds arithmetic skills, and there’s a really cute tutorial on Youtube about how to play it.
Go Nuts for Donuts
Another card game aimed at ages 8 and up, players vie to create the tastiest donuts.
This game also has the virtue of being short, with a 20-minute playing time.
The only precaution is that when you’re stocking up on supplies for an approaching snowstorm, you might want to lay in some donuts, because chances are you’ll be craving them.
Chutes and Ladders
Another hoary classic, and many kids’ first board game. The rules are simple (if often leading to temporary disappointment).
For adults, playing can be a bit of a nostalgia kick, although that’s balanced out a bit by the simplicity that isn’t real intellectually challenging.
Apples to Apples Junior
A kids’ version of the popular party game, aimed at ages 9 and up.
Another card game that requires players to match words in amusing combinations, which are then judged by other players on a rotating basis. Another chance for your kids to get very silly.
Catan
One of the more popular newer games, for kids 8-15, Catan makes players adventurous settlers who seek to tame the titular island through trades, cards and lucky dice to gather and use resources.
This one takes a little more time, with a 60-minute playing time.
That should give you a start. A couple of cautions, though:
Some of the games are priced in the $40 or so range, making them not necessarily cheap amusements. Prices are often higher for specialty editions.
And if you have younger kids in the house, be careful that some of the games have pieces that can present choking hazards. Some editions of Risk, for example, use tiny soldiers that could easily be swallowed.