Warmer weather is upon us, the days are longer and the call of the holiday season is getting louder. It’s time for family togetherness and having fun. Family-friendly games that everyone can play is great entertainment for the hols.
Family friendly Games to take on Holiday
Whether you’re taking in the sights on a five-day hike, going on a scenic road trip or visiting family at the coast, there is always space for a family-friendly boardgame. This year the shelves are brimming with a wide selection to choose from. Below are the top five best travelling games:
- Five Second Rule SA edition
A quick-thinking game that is easy to play and is compact enough to throw into a backpack. It should be easy to name 3 South African foods starting with “B”, but can you do it under the pressure of 5 seconds twisting down and other players staring at you? With this game time is not on your side, so players just say what comes to mind and risk ridiculous answers. For 3 to 6 players, ages 8+. Available from Takealot, Toy Kingdom, and Hamleys. from: R349.00 - Qwirkle
Perfect for younger children, as there’s no reading required. Qwirkle is about shape and colour recognition. Simply build lines by matching tiles based on either colour or shape and score points for doing so. For ages 6 plus. RSP: R599.99. Available from Takealot, Toy Kingdom and Hamleys. - Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
To play Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, each player places a card from their hand face up into a community pile while saying taco/cat/goat/cheese/pizza in player sequence. When the card matches the mantra – boom – everyone slaps their hand on the deck, with the last one to slap picking up the cards. Whoever rids themselves of cards first wins! Special action cards add to the slapstick fun. Ages 8 plus. Available from Takealot, Toy Kingdom, and Hamleys. RSP: 199.00 - Ticket to Ride
Perfect for getting the whole family into the travelling spirit. Ticket to Ride is a fun, adventure strategy game where players need to build tracks and connect iconic cities across a map to earn points. Good for 2 to 5 players, ages 8+. Available from Takealot, Toy Kingdom, and Hamleys. From R 895.00 - Pass the Bomb Junior
Pass the Bomb Junior is an association game that is ideal for young children. A player draws a card showing a beach and needs to name something associated with that scene, such as ‘sandcastle’ or ‘sea’. What makes this game a fun challenge is a time bomb which is passed to each player on their turn. The bomb goes off at a random interval somewhere between 10 seconds and 1 minute. The player holding the bomb when it ‘explodes’ has to keep the card. The player with the least number of cards wins. For ages 7 plus. Available from Takealot, Toy Kingdom, and Hamleys. From R349.00
These games are available at toy stores, hobby stores and Takealot. For more information, go to www.unplugyourself.co.za
Benefits of having games:
- Games are a great way to unplug and unwind. Unplugging from technology and playing a game for an hour or two is like a reboot for the brain.
- Playing games increases brain function. Playing stimulates the brain in a different way because it’s outside of normal day to day activities such as work or school. It allows players to practice essential cognitive skills including decision making, higher level strategic thinking and problem solving.
- Playing board games is great for reducing stress because there is laughter involved. This is a vital ingredient for an enjoyable learning experience which also increases creativity.
- It creates the ideal occasion to connect, socialise and network. It can connect family members of different age groups, it’s great for socialising with friends and also breaks the ice at networking conferences.
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