To make Game Night a success at your house, here are some tips on how to get started:
1. Agree on a night and time when everyone is available. Don't make the mistake of scheduling during your son's football practice or your daughter's piano lesson.
2. Don't let anyone out of game night unless it is a really important occasion. If they start missing for every little thing that comes up, eventually there will be no one left to play!
3. Decide as a family what games will be played. Vote on them and choose from several that you can switch between. If you take turns choosing which of the chosen games you will play, then keep a record of who chose last and whose turn it is every week.
4. Choose games that are age appropriate for the whole family. You don't want to play Chutes and Ladders every week and the little ones can't keep up with more complicated games. Look for those marked "All Ages".
5. Don't answer the phone. Have the machine pick up any calls to make sure you don't miss anything important. Otherwise, you will end up stopping to wait for conversations that interfere with your family's special time.6. Let your friends know and have your children do the same with their friends. Once they figure out what you are doing every Wednesday at 7pm, you will have fewer interruptions.
7. Choose snacks for the family ahead of time so you can have them ready when game time starts.
8. Choose how long game time will last (maybe an hour) so that you have time to complete games. You will probably find it much easier to keep your older children still than you will the younger ones for longer periods of time.
9. Choose games that you can complete during one game night rather than having to pick back up in the same place the next week. By then, it will have lost its excitement.
10. Get a comfy card table and chairs. This is especially important for little ones who have trouble playing on the dining room table and trying to reach the middle of a game board.
Family game night can be a wonderful experience for every family member. With a little planning and a commitment to stick with it, it will grow to be your kids' favorite tradition!
Denise Sanger is the owner of NewCoolToysOnline.com which features a great selection of ride-on toys and battery powered ride on toys for kids of all ages. The company may be reached at 877/950-7665.
