Current Musings - 3.14
On playing more games.
I’ve always loved games - card games, board games, game boy - you name it. Now, as my kids are getting older, I’ve entered an era where I always have a game or two in my bag for meals out or to pass the time. We just kept reaching for them - on trips, at the kitchen table, with friends, with grandparents. Sharing what we have been playing here because honestly, a good game recommendation is a truly underrated gift
Card Games
For this trip to Jamaica, I packed a lot of card games, a mix of ones from my own childhood and a few I had picked up for my son. I brought Rat-a-Tat Cat, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, Slamwich, and a regular deck of cards.
I was hoping it would be a good option during downtime and it worked. Really well. We played nearly every day and had a ball learning new games and teaching my mom how to play some that were new to her. My son is 7 and Rat-a-Tat Cat was a clear favorite, but we played all of them multiple times. They’re a bit old for my daughter, but we’ll get her there eventually.
When we were in London and Paris with my mom and sister, we had a running Gin Rummy game going basically the entire trip, keeping score in a note on my phone, and we did the same in Jamaica for Rat-a-Tat Cat!
Other games I always bring along to dinner are Eye Found It and Spot It. These are great for a younger kid to play too, and you can make up a number of rules. I also have some games we’ve not quite gotten into yet like this, this, this, and this, but I’m excited to get playing. Also, when we were skiing, my friend had this set of games, and the three boys played for hours. I’m definitely going to get the set for my son.
Side Note - After all of the fun playing Rat-a-Tat Cat in Jamaica, my mom went and found our old card games - does anyone else remember playing Horse Show and Cows Can’t Dance?
Other Good Dinner Games
I try to not bring iPads out to dinner with us, so in addition to the card games above, we have a number of table top games that come with us including Kollide, Kanoodle, and this version, and these. The pieces are small but they’re collaborative and easy to play.
Mahjong - The Siren Song I had to answer
I have wanted to learn mahjong for a really long time, so when a friend invited me to mahjong night at her house, I jumped at it immediately. It is a lot to take in the first time, but if you are familiar with rummy or other pattern-matching games, it is more approachable than it looks. Practice really helps, and I have been spending time on RealMahjongg.com between games. They have hand guidance that helped me figure out the most likely hand to build from my tiles, which was exactly what I needed as a beginner.
We have since had another mahjong night with the same group, and I am actively working on getting Tim into it. Many Mahj nights ahead, I can feel it. I also want to get a Mini Mahjer set to play with my son!
Naturally, I also immediately went out and bought my own set. You can really invest in a mahjong set, and I am not ready for that kind of commitment yet, but I found this set that I love. Cute, more affordable than some, and perfect for where I am right now.
Favorite Board Games
My mom reserves space in her travel bag for Mexican Train Dominoes and most nights on vacation we kickoff a tournament. It’s an anchoring activity, and so fun to look back and see who got crushed in last year’s game and maybe come out victorious every once in a while.
Wingspan and Finspan are ones Tim and I play regularly, and it works well as a two-player game. We attempted to teach it to my mom and sister over Christmas, which was more chaos than success, but a great memory regardless.
Outfoxed has been a hit with the kids, and my daughter is completely obsessed with Pretty Pretty Princess, though I am fairly certain all the jewelry has permanently migrated out of the game box and into her actual daily wardrobe. My kids also love Guess Who (the Harry Potter version is super fun if you’re a nerd like me) and Operation - which is nice it’s got a little travel kit. Yeti in my Spaghetti is a good one for the younger age too.
We have also been playing both Catan and Catan Junior, and my son has taken to the resource-gathering strategy faster than I expected. He is very eager to play, which is honestly the best sign there is. There are so many more games I’m excited to play with him, but we’ll get there!
Silly Computer Games
I have mentioned the LinkedIn daily games before, but I am fully obsessed. They are the perfect amount of fun and brain engagement to get my morning started. I work through them in order of favorite to least favorite, which is funny because some of my least favorites are actually the ones I am best at. I find it very satisfying to see where I scored in relation to my connections.
A coworker also recently introduced me to Raddle, a word ladder game I had never come across before. I love how it makes me think differently, and I am always here for a good little challenge.
Video Games
I shared before that I was hesitant about getting a Nintendo Switch for my son. I worried about how it would change his play and his dynamic with friends. I consulted a lot of my “elder mom friends” (moms with kids older than mine) and I am genuinely happy to report it has gone better than I expected.
We set some guardrails early: he can only play with someone else for now, no solo play, and only on the big screen, not on the handheld. We also have a 30-minute check-in where he lets us know he has hit the mark, and then we decide together whether to extend. Having the structure in place has made everyone (mostly me) feel settled about it. I love playing MarioKart with him at night - it’s a fun way to wind down and we always end up laughing. Other games we have are Mario Party and Super Smash Bros., which has been such a throwback for me. Playing together has honestly become one of my favorite parts of our week.
If you are looking for low-effort, high-return ways to add more connection to your everyday life, I genuinely think games are one of the best answers. A good game creates the conditions for conversation, laughs, and quality time without anyone having to try that hard. Host a game night or just play at home! I saved all games off here!
What are you playing these days?
More A Day In Her Life:
This week - Chatting with Megan was such a treat! I loved hearing about her days as a founder of a women’s health company, how her career led her to that point and how that experience has influenced her parenting her tween daughter. Thank you so much to Megan for being a guest on the podcast!
One Year Ago -
Two Years Ago -
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loved this! we are deep in a game era too!