Board Games for a Family Night In
Wednesdays are notoriously the most tiring days of the week. Why not bond with your friends and family with a board game? A great way to both relax and use your mind, this past-time is a perfect mid-week activity. In today’s blog, we’ll talk about the origins of board games and our picks to try out on your cosy night in.
The History of Board Games
The oldest board game known to have existed was found in Predynastic burials of Egypt. That dates back to about 3500 BC. Senet consisted of a grid of 30 squares arranged in rows of ten. A game for two, the rules have been somewhat forgotten to time. However, historians suppose it was a battle of diplomacy, strategy, and luck.
In fact, it is these qualities that drive a majority of board games. The element of luck always allows for games to feel unpredictable and exciting, while diplomacy and strategy allows for cooperation and a sense of control.
Tangibly, these activities are tabletop games. They can have pieces that are moved or place on a pre-marked board and can include elements of card, roleplaying, and dice-rolling. Most are a competition between two or more players with the acceptation of cooperative games when it is all of the players versus the objective of the campaign.
Classic board games are divided into four categories:
- Race games (such as snakes and ladders)
- Space games (such as noughts and crosses)
- Chase games (such a thud)
- Games of displacement (such as chess)
Our Picks
These board games are relatively straight-forward and fun for all the family!
The Game of Life
In this classic, players travel around the board representing the various stages of life. Thus, it is a game of decision-making and compromise as the players who retires first with the most money wins!
Clue
A true murder mystery, players must don their detective caps and work out who the culprit is. With a board that represents the various rooms in the house, and pieces highlighting the possible murder weapons, it’s a race against each other to be the first to crack the case.
Monopoly
Infamously a board game that can upset families, monopoly is about buying property and becoming a real estate giant. Players must buy, trade, and sell land, collect tax, and avoid being thrown into jail. Remember to collect $200 when you pass go!
Risk
A game whose board is a map of the world, Risk is about ruling it all. Players must make and break alliances to slowly conquer all 42 territories and have total world domination.
Twister
Want to partake in an activity that’s a little less sedentary? Twister is a simple game that requires players to place their hands and feet on certain coloured circles. It gets its name from the various knots and turns that players can get themselves into. The winner is the last person standing!
Jenga
Another classic, Jenga is one of the easiest board games on this list. Simply, players must set up a tower of 54 rectangular blocks. Then, one-by-one, they remove a block and place it on top of the tower. The game is over when the tower falls over — try to not let it be on your turn!
Scattergories
Our final board game is perfect for those who love to make lists. First, players are given a letter and then a list of 12 different categories. Next, within a time-limit, they must come up with an answer for every item. Players then compare their answers: if two or more have the same response then it gets crossed off! Otherwise, players receive one point for every unique word. Those with the most points, after a determined amount of rounds, wins!
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