One of my favorite things to do with my girls and hubby is to have family game night. It’s fun and good quality time together as a family and teaches the kids a lot. Over the years we have accumulated quite a few board games – it’s always something Santa brings as a gift for the family – but we do have a few favorite games that seem to make the rotation more frequently than others so I wanted to share what they are. Our favorites are a lot of the classics that I had when I was younger which is super fun for me as well.
Candyland – The version we have is Princess Candyland, but nonetheless I love this game. You have to race each other down the rainbow road toward King Kandy’s Castle and at any given point you can be winning, and then go right back to the beginning – which definitely teaches the girls a thing or two about frustration tolerance. The directions are easy to follow so my 3 year plays along with no problems and they love picking out which princess they will be.
Chutes and Ladders – In this game you climb or slide up and down in this game that teaches about consequences (you do your chores, you go up the ladder to the movies etc). It also teaches frustration tolerance because at any point you can slide down to the bottom. It is also a very easy game for the little ones to play. They get a kick out of spinning the wheel to see how many spaces they go. Definitely a hit!
Monopoly Junior – This game is the first game that teaches you about earning money and trying to be successful through acquisition of properties. My husband and I play this with my oldest, who is 5. It is a good game that helps teach basic math, taking turns, and being a good sport. 
Operation – To win this game you have to try and remove items from the patient without the buzzer going off. It teaches kids patience, and enhances their fine motor skills by playing.
Guess Who – In this game you have to guess who the other person is by process of elimination. You ask questions like “is your person a boy?” or “does your person have black hair?”. It helps teach problem solving skills, is recommended for ages 6 and up – but my 5 year old plays it well.
Whatever your family chooses to play I think having a family game night is a great way to spend time as a family. Some of the games don’t take very long and it is time well-spent with your family. We don’t have game night every week but we strive to have it 2-3 times a month because our girls enjoy it so much. There are so many benefits to play board games with your kids – they learn better impulse control, frustration tolerance, taking turns, team work, problem-solving, math skills and how to be a good sport. Do you have family game night? What are some of your favorite games to play?
