Fun toys, games and DIY ideas to elevate your NEXT family fun night!
My kids LOVE strategy games but sometimes things can get a little "too competitive" among siblings. We've found cooperative strategy games to be a great solution!
We recently tried the award-winning Castle Panic ($34.95) and the expansion The Dark Titan ($19.95, second edition). This game took about an hour to play with fabulous artwork and easy-to-learn rules (referenced in a clear instruction manual as needed), we fought monsters as a family defending the castle. My teens loved it so much they've invited friends over to play as well.
For fans of RPG games, Catan, and other strategy games, this blends the story-telling and excitement of an RPG with a much simpler framework for a great afternoon game.
In addition to Agranok, the expansion The Dark Titan introduces the Dark Sorceress, Elite Monsters, and a Boom Troll, which can be conquered with the new Cavalier, Boiling Oil, and Support Tokens, such as the Supply Wagon!
The games come with variations so you can easily play them over and over with a brand new experience each time. Our family gives this game two thumbs up! Available at Firesidegames.com.
My husband had a blast (pun intended) enjoying a friendly game of family warfare with Gel Blasters. More gentle than paintball, and without the water of a water pistol, this is a fun game that can be enjoyed outside even in the winter months. We tried both regular gels and glow-in-the-dark blasters. These toys fire non-toxic, eco-friendly Gellets® (beads disintegrate on contact and leave no stain, no mess, and no cleanup). Each kit includes protective eyewear and a starter set of Gellets®. The Surge Gel Blaster comes with Semi- and Fully-Automatic blaster modes, 10,000 eco-friendly Gellets®, and up to 4 hours of play on a single charge via USB-C. The Surge XL comes with a velocity dial that adjusts blaster power from 170 to an astonishing 250 feet per second. Gel Blasters are a great idea for family night fun the entire crew will love!
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Crumble Crate
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Crumble Crate
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Crumble Crate
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Crumble Crate
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Crumble Crate
Our family recently tried Crumble Crate, a subscription box starting at $32.75. These DIY Baking kits include ingredients, recipes, and specialty baking tools. For budding chefs, this is a fun way to elevate your baking. The recipe included pictures and clear instructions, even explaining terms like "lemon zest" to children who may be new to some kitchen terms. The only ingredients we had to supply were perishable ingredients (eggs and milk). We sampled the Lemon Cupcakes with Strawberry Buttercream - perfect for a family night. The cupcakes were delicious and cute! I appreciated the ease of the project and the tasty result. Each kit makes 12-24 servings and you may choose from month-to-month, 3, 6, or 12-month subscriptions.
Taco Vs. Burrito
Our family LOVES to play games together and we LOVE to try new games. Taco Vs. Burrito is our FAVORITE new game to try this year by far (for all of my kids ages 11-17)! This fun card game was designed by a 7-year-old, which you'll quickly see when you discover the rather funny (and disgusting) combinations you create in this game. The goal is to build the "most valuable" taco or burrito before the game ends. Cards help you to gain or lose points. This fast, easy-to-learn game, is tons of fun and simple to play. Each game lasts about 15 minutes, making it a favorite "before bedtime" game in our house. If you love games like Sushi-Go or Moose in the House, you'll love this. Purchase online here.
Cribsi's Charcuterie/Cheese board with Knife
Our family LOVES game night (and game afternoon for that matter). We're known for hosting friends for games OFTEN, and charcuterie (from Aldi and/or Trader Joe's) is one of our favorite game snacks. Elevate game night when you serve food on Cribsi's beautifully designed charcuterie/cheese board featuring end-grain wood and an acacia wood spreader/knife. The knife fits conveniently in grooves between the two sections. Turn it upside down for the perfect cutting board. Classic design focuses on the natural element of the wood. Made from environmentally friendly Acacia wood. Cleans up easily by wiping with a damp cloth. Learn more at www.cribsi.com.
The To Do Game
The To Do Game comes in baby, toddler, family, and couples versions. We love the Family Edition. If you're looking for quick, easy, and fun ways to connect with your family without screens, this game is the tool for you. Each set is a collection of activities that encourage creativity, bonding, and family time. Each activity takes between 20 minutes to an hour and can be played over and over again. Sometimes the activity we draw is not ideal for that moment (driving, or amount of time) so we'll delay it and try another activity first. Purchase online here.
Girls Can CRATE Subscription Box
Monthly subscription boxes are always a hit with kids - ESPECIALLY in winter months. As a mom to four girls, my family really loves the Girls Can Crate subscription box. In the sample we tried, the girls learned about volcanology, made a miniature volcano, a lava bracelet, and learned about a scientist, Katia Krafft. The kit included all the materials needed for the science project and craft, a button celebrating Katia Krafft as a reminder of what they learned, a learning guide for parents, and a book about Katia. After completing the projects, my girls were inspired to check out books about volcanoes from the library and watch a National Geographic video. This is win-win! Each month girls are introduced to new women and they are inspired to learn about S.T.E.A.M. through fun and educational hands-on projects. Subscribe at https://www.girlscancrate.com/.
Big Dill Pickleball Co.
My girls LOVE pickleball. These new pickleball paddles from the Big Dill Pickleball Co. are hilarious and fun! Our family loves the grip, and the kids love the fun design. Purchase at bigdillpickleballcompany.com. Tip: Chicken N Pickle is our favorite local hangout for pickleball - learn more about this amazing local attraction where you can play pickleball, ice skate, enjoy shuffleboard and bocce, and delicious food!
Pando
Our family loves playing games and Pando is an excellent and easy game you can play over and over. Billed as the "trivia game about us," you guess and learn random facts about one another. Readers ask three trivia questions on each card about themselves and guessers must correctly answer all three to score a point. Turns are taken around the table so everyone can answer. Some questions are general (favorite movie), others are thought-provoking (what superhero attribute would you like to have), and some are more specific. Note that the game is intended for ages 14+ as some questions are a bit grown-up. Our family chose to alter or eliminate a few questions that were a bit ruder than we enjoy (see sample questions on the back of the box at the purchase link). Purchase Pando online here.
TableTopics
TableTopics has become a nightly dinner-time ritual for our family. We have now enjoyed two versions: Family and Family Gatherings. These little boxes are beautiful and jam-packed with fun questions. We choose a few questions each night to discuss as a family. We've learned a lot about one another with these great topics. In addition to these versions, they also sell teen, dinner party, grandparents, what would you do, book club, and MANY more themes! Purchase TableTopics online here.
We found the Family Box to be more individual and the questions varied from casual to more thought-provoking. Samples from the Family Box include: What’s your favorite thing to do at recess? If you could speak another language, which would you choose? Is it more fun to be a parent or a child? What family or school rule would you most like to change? The questions range from silly to thought-provoking and there are no wrong answers. Many answers lead to stories and deeper sharing making this an EXCELLENT gift for families.
The Family Gathering questions are a bit more in-depth and personal and really great for cross-generational sharing. Samples from the Family Gathering Box include: What are your most treasured family recipes? What memories do you have from family weddings? What family object do you most treasure? What Halloween costumes do you remember? These questions are wonderful to share among extended family too.
Slackers Ninjaline
If you're looking for less screen time and more time enjoying exercise and the great outdoors and imagination, consider a gift for the entire family. My kids love Slackers Ninjaline. The 36’ Ninjaline Intro Kit helps increase your child’s balance, strength, and capacity, while also enabling them to try hard things that encourage them to rise to new levels. Simply install the kits between 2 healthy trees or posts and store them in our handy drawstring backpack to protect them from the weather. With the storage back, you can take the kit and set it up in your backyard, at a nearby park or even while camping in the great outdoors. The Ninjaline Intro Kit includes Two (2) Grip Clips, One (1) traverse ring, and Six (6) hanging obstacles: Two (2) 10" x 2.5" Ninja Fists, Two (2) 16" steel Monkey Bars, Two (2) steel gym rings with ABS textured finish, Max weight: 250 lbs and a drawstring backpack for storage. All obstacles include 6,000-pound steel hanging delta safety clips and use either, UV-resistant nylon rope with safety buckle attachment, or UV-resistant webbing straps. Available at Bolderplay.com.
Head Spin
Head Spin is a great logic game from Project Genius that takes about 15 minutes to play. My girls LOVE to play games before bedtime, but you don't want to crack open Monopoly or Catan right before everyone heads to bed for the night. We have a collection of short games for a quick round of fun in the evenings. Head Spin is a great family game that encourages code-breaking and puzzle-solving. Each game comes with a deck of cards with color-coded puzzles to solve and a spinner for each competitor to "lock in their answers." You award points for the fastest correct answers. For escape room enthusiasts (such as us), this is a go-to for a quick brain teaser or puzzle to solve. The original set comes with two spinners, but you may purchase a 4 player expansion pack. Purchase from Project Genius. Tip: Project Genius offers a variety of fabulous brainteasers for all ages!
Landmark Kids Subscription Box
Landmark Kids is a monthly subscription box incorporating educational elements of geography and problem solving and the fun of a mystery. Each kit includes a map, clues, a souvenir, and a recipe. We learned about Italy in our sample kit and spent an afternoon solving the mystery and the rest of the week trying the recipes and learning more about Italy. This is a fun and engaging kit my girls highly recommend! Every month kids are introduced to a new country and its culture, learning about landmarks, traditions, fun foods, and more! Subscribe at https://thelandmarkkids.com/.
Doozy Dice
Voted the BEST NEW DICE GAME OF 2022, Doozy Dice is an easy-to-learn dice strategy game enjoyed by all ages (in our family grandma liked it BEST). There are 26 doozy combinations you roll and attempt to get. The combinations are demonstrated on cards (shuffled each time), and each player attempts to get five of the combinations in each game with the fewest number of rolls possible. It is reminiscent of Yahtzee, but the combinations add to the fun as it is truly a new game every time you play. Purchase Doozy Dice online.
Spoof
Spoof is a fun bluffing board game where payers make up answers to questions such as "_______ is the national bird of Japan." The key is that each answer must be only one word. Players then guess which answer is correct and points are awarded both for correct guesses and for fooling friends. This game takes about thirty minutes to play making it a nice simple game for family night. Purchase online here.
Double Ditto
Double Ditto is an easy-to-learn game is GREAT for parties and family gatherings and can be played with groups (which can be hard to find!). Players write two answers to each prompt (i.e. Dangerous Jobs = Coal Miner and Marine). Unlike Scattergories, you want to have the same answer as others. You play 12 prompts each game and compare answers at the end to award points. The game goes quickly and is tons of fun. Purchase online here.
Don't Go Boom
Don't Go Boom is a creative card game where players attempt to earn the lowest score by totaling up the points on each player's minefield cards. Each card is worth a set point value and accomplishes different goals - look out for the Big Bad Bomb! This game moves quickly and holds attention well. Designed for ages 7_ and 2-6 players, this game can be played in about 25 minutes. This excellent game from Inspiration Play is available online here or on Amazon.
Playfinity's Backyard League Gaming Baseball
Playfinity’s Backyard League Gaming Baseball combines the game of catch with technology. The ball is connected to iOS and Android devices through a mobile app via Bluetooth. The Backyard League Gaming Baseball is the same size and weight as a regulation MLB baseball. It allows players to track different stats about each throw they toss and catch, such as speed, airtime, height, and transfer speed. Once players have tried all six games at least once, they’ll unlock the application’s League Mode, which allows them to compete against other players around the world by playing games and comparing stats. The Backyard League Gaming Baseball is designed for kids 6-14, and it offers 70 hours of playtime on a single-cell battery. Available at https://backyard-league.com/ and Amazon.