Game On!

December 09, 2011

I love board games! I play them, I collect them, I live them, I give them as gifts, and I can’t get enough of them!

I admit it; I am a total geek when it comes to gaming. I own over 180 different board games (around 20 of which I am proud to say make the boardgamegeek.com top 100 list), and I make playing them a marathon event. If you were to visit my home, you would most assuredly see a mid-play game of some kind of set up on the kitchen table. I don’t even have television or internet access in my house because they get in the way of my gaming obsession.

But family game nights just make sense. When you are focused in on the TV, there is not a lot of room for conversation and interaction, but games encourage both of these and much more. Board games teach critical thinking skills, encourage team play and sportsmanship, as well as build self-confidence and create great memories. So as the holidays approach and this year draws to a close, I encourage you to give the gift of a game to someone you love or make a resolution to start a game night tradition with your friends and family.

Here is a list of my top ten recommendations (in no particular order) for fun (and a little off the wall) family gaming this holiday season:

Ticket to Ride from Days of Wonder
Carcassonne from Rio Grande Games
Apple to Apples Junior from Mattel
Settlers of Catan from Mayfair Games
IMAGINiff from Buffalo Games
Dominion from Rio Grande Games
Small World from Days of Wonder
Killer Bunnies from Playroom Entertainment
Pictureka! from Parker Brothers
Give Me the Brain from Steve Jackson Games

Looking for some friends to play games with? Check out our teen events page for game nights at Boardwalk and other MCPL branches near you.

Oh yeah...and if you need some ideas on what to eat while you play, check out this great title from the library: Gourmet Game Night by Cynthia C Nims.

Lisa C., Queen of Game Geeks
Boardwalk Branch