MindFULL Game Night

My husband and daughter are great at playing games together. Many an evening finds them hovering behind a deck of cards or hanging over a game board. Last week, as I was pondering gifts, I came across an email from a creative and intellectually challenging teacher at my daughter’s school.

Below is part of Meg’s note and some of her recs. If you are looking for a last minute gift, future birthday presents or housewarming gifts when visiting friends over the holidays, I hope you find something that delights and inspires. Happy Holidays!

“(Meg)…played with various levels of analysis so that it grows with the child and helps the child to think at increasingly higher levels.  Here are some that have worked for our family…and think everyone should own”

Mastermind:   A classic strategy game.

Racko:   Sequencing numbers with strategy

Make 7:  Dropping tiles into slots to make rows (vertically/

horizontally/diagonally add up to 7.    Logical thinking needed to

keep opponent from making 7 before you. (only 2 players)

Stack:  This dice game is one of our family favorites.  It involves strategy and luck – a good combination when playing with younger kids.

Duo:   Great card game for visual perception and categorization

skills.  Good one to have in your purse while you’re waiting for the doctor’s appointment.  (We’ve changed the rules a bit to fit our family)

Lucky 13:   Good for practicing addition skills.

Flip 4:  Good for math and strategy skills.  Addition, subtraction and multiplication skills are used.

Sequence:  Our family has never seemed to “take to” this one, but I know lots of families who love it.  It’s one of my sister’s family’s favorites.

 

Other Good Ones

Quoridor:  A maze game where players try to get their man to the other side of the board while trying to block their opponents.

Quarto:  Players try to be the first to line up four of their pieces that share at least one common characteristic. (only 2 players)

Gobblet:  A game of strategy where players “eat” each other’s pieces while trying to align four of their pieces in a row.  (only 2

players)

Cube Checkers:  A new twist on checkers played with dice. (2

players)

Tic Tac Check:  Chess at a faster pace.  Played with only the bishop, knight, rook and pawn.

Players try to be the first to get their pieces in a row.  (2 players)

 

 

What games does your family MindFULLY play? Let us know!