7 Games the Whole Family Will Enjoy

1. Geocaching

Popular about five years ago, geocaching can certainly make a comeback in your family. Download an app that shows locations of clues to different Geocaching locations. Do one close to your area or venture into a place you would like to explore. Bring the whole family. Start off by finding the first clue. Then, drive around to find the next clue, and so on. Kids will enjoy being junior "sleuths," trying to figure out the clues till they find the location that each one leads to. You will enjoy exploring new places, finding the clues, and enjoying the little prize at the end. Go one step further and invite one or two other families to do the geocaching with you. Not only is it fun as a family to do something together, but even better when they bond together with other friends and family to engage in activities as well.

2. Scavenger Hunt

Not only can they do these things around the house families can also do this in other locations as well. Hide treasures and allow your children or the whole family to search for them. This can be as simple and as inexpensive as hiding a child's favorite toy around the house and going to find it via pre-made clues, or it can be buying some special prizes at the dollar store hiding them around the home or the park and having kids go find them. Kids will love it; it boosts their self-esteem, and they'll enjoy winning a special prize to make them feel special (and enjoy bragging rights, too).

3. Indoor Snow Day

Depending on the weather, you and your family may enjoy having fun on a traditional snow day making snow forts and snowmen. However, just because it's spring or summer doesn't mean snow fun has to end! Purchase a couple of reams of paper from the local Staples or department store. Ball up sheets of paper into snowballs, then divide the living room into two territories or two teams. Divide the family evenly and have a fake snowball fight. Purchase white sand and a large bucket or container and draw snowmen in the sand with sticks. Enjoy hot cocoa or hot apple cider as a treat after the day is over. Use a snow cone machine to make snow cones. Purchase ice, food coloring, and other essentials to make fun snow cone-flavored treats—no need for parkas or snow boots with this snow day activity.

Photo credit: Getty Images/Norasit Kaewsai

4. Charades

Play the traditional game of Charades with family. Pick a theme and write all the answers on strips of paper. Fold up the strips and put them in a jar. Have each person pick a paper and act out what they see. Be sure to include names that each family member will know and can act out. Examples of themes may be Disney characters or movies, current hits, or cartoon characters. Try not to pick themes that would put certain members of the family at a disadvantage. Everyone should have a fair chance at winning. Classic board games and other movement-related games like Dance Party or Twister might also be great alternatives to charades.

5. Karaoke

Karaoke is easy to put on in your home. Purchase a special microphone and an app to use on your computer that has songs and pre-loaded lyrics. Additionally, you can purchase a Karaoke machine and use old-fashioned CDs that accompany it. No matter how you choose to use it, cheer each other on and give away a special prize for the best performer of the evening. Make up awards like best performance, most improved, or best performance by a person under the age of 13. Prizes enhance the fun and excitement of games as a family, and as each member wins something, everyone (including those who can't sing) will enjoy this activity. 

6. Contests 

Friendly wagers, bets, and contests always evoke a spirit of competition between family members. When it's done within a spirit of friendliness and good sportsmanship, there's nothing wrong with competing against other family members for accolades, credit, or prizes. This is a great way for kids to feel proud of themselves for accomplishing something and feel like they are part of the family. Check your spirit if you are becoming a sore loser when another family member wins over you. This is especially true if it's a parent. Parents need to be mature enough to allow their kids to win and exemplify good sportsmanship. After each win, congratulate each family member with a handshake and a compliment.

Sample contests can include Best Pictionary drawing, best chore completer, or the person most likely to volunteer their time. Virtually anything can become a contest if we let it. It's especially great when kids make up the rules and lead their parents in a friendly competition. This teaches them great leadership skills and gives them a chance to be the boss. It's also a unique opportunity for them to glimpse what they see when kids behave with immaturity. When kids are fighting or don't have a good spirit about them, fun family game nights can turn into a disaster. Kids need to understand the importance of good leadership, good listening skills, and receiving feedback while making good final decisions on behalf of the whole team. Kids will look back upon these times when they learned much about how to lead in life. This will lead to good sportsmanship and building healthy relationships later in life.

7. Creating Skits or Plays

Role playing is another great way for kids to learn how to work together as a team and use their imaginations. Give the kids a subject to act out. It can be a Bible story or character. It can be also a concept like honesty, being a good friend or standing up for the truth. Kids will need paper and pens to write out their thoughts and ideas. They need to take feedback from each person involved. Each person should have an equal say in how the skit is created. The one person who's the leader must take charge of delegating rules for each part. Give family members a few hours to learn their parts, memorize their lines, and even create costumes. Shut off the screens, forsake a night of television and create skits that all the family will enjoy watching. Kids will learn first-hand important information they need for life. They will also learn good team building and leadership.

Game night is a great opportunity to bond together as a family. With some unique ideas, game night doesn't have to be boring but can be a fun and exciting adventure for every family member, both young and old.