Games

Because it’s your time, too.

They’re quick playing, silly, and will often get you on your feet.

It’s pretty delightful.

My extended family lives by these three dice games when we all get together.

It's so easy to navigate, and the illustrations are enthralling to little kids!

From drawing prompts to games for the whole family, these are sure to get your artsy juices flowing.

It's fantastic for extended family gatherings, too.

This is how everyone has a good time on a road trip.

Giant outdoor unicorn bowling, anyone?

Warning: Hilarity may ensue for children (and adults) of all ages.

I know you’ve suggested things for kids to do indoors, but what about board games? Is that too old fashioned?IsabelDear Isabel,I love your question and it brought up something I hadn’t thought about in years, which is that I remember my brother and I getting so excited when our dad played chess and Othello with us – so much so, in fact – that I did the same with my daughter on many week nights before bed and it was a lovely moment of the day.

Geocaching? Group texts? Screens really can be a source of good.

The past year, and especially the last few months, has been all.about.the.togetherness. A long stretch of cold days and early darkness has kept our family, including my 4th-grader and 1st-grader, inside and on the hunt for boredom busters. We’ve adopted not just family game night, but also family game afternoon, and sometimes family game morning. As an admitted win-junkie, I am always down for a cutthroat round of Monopoly or Uno.

Improve everyone’s literacy while having fun! (And some of these games are free, too.)

I was NOT prepared for how much we'd all laugh while playing this.

This simple nightly ritual keeps us connected as a family.

Since you’re so amazing at gifts: can you suggest a gift that will truly delight a 7-year-old who doesn’t like much more than video games?DonDear Don,Great challenge! Let’s see what we can do. Before I start I’ll also say, no matter what you think of my response, don’t give up!

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. When I was a kid, family game night usually ended with someone toppling the board, hurling tokens and fake money, and stomping to their room in anger and frustration at losing AGAIN to a craftier player. (When I say “someone” I mean 4-year-old me.

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. Lately, it seems like everywhere you turn, there’s another article about kids and screens — or rather, what you should be doing instead of letting your kids use them.

This piece was created for Cubby, our weekly newsletter for families at home. Want more? Sign up here for a weekly splash of fun and good ideas for families with kids. I like to think of myself as the queen of what I call “horizontal parenting.” As someone living with chronic kidney disease, I knew I would have days when I couldn’t be as active as other mothers, fathers, and caretakers.

Trends may come and go, but one thing that’s not going away anytime soon is nostalgia for the ’90s. This year alone saw reboots of classics like “Saved By The Bell,” “Party of Five,” and “Animaniacs,” as well as the confirmation of a “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” reimagining and that long-awaited “Friends” reunion special. So, to say that many of us are sentimental for the decade may be the understatement of the millennium.

Sooner or later, we all have to learn how to tidy, at least if we want to be able to find our keys each morning and get along with a roommate or partner. But how do you teach kids to tidy—and maybe even enjoy it? As it turns out, there’s a cute board game that can help.Simply called “Tidy Up: Sort Around the House,” the game features a family of mice who live in a four-room house.

Active play is one-hundred percent a need for us. Particularly in California, where we’ve had wildfires keeping us indoors, I know so many parents of young toddlers that are struggling to find the right things to do with their kids in small apartments that don’t leave everyone bored, stir-crazy, and counting the hours until bedtime by the end of day.

Playing games is more than just—wait for it—fun and games. That’s part of why board games and puzzles are experiencing a renaissance. They invite creative and strategic thinking, teamwork and cooperation, and of course, an opportunity to sit down and connect with other people—a welcome break from the usual Netflix/Hulu circuit. The hard part is actually picking out a game among a seemingly endless sea of options.