Growing up, I loved it when our family game time came around. We'd all gather around the table with snacks and drinks and play Hearts. Those times have a special place in my memories.

Even back then, when life wasn't near as hectic as it is now, it seemed to draw us back together as a family. So of course, as we started raising our children, my husband and I decided we wanted to have this special family time too.

Good intentions however were only the beginning. We soon found that with a 7 yr age span in our clan, finding a game that all could play (and understand!) was quite a challenge.

A Few Ideas

Of course, I do have a couple of suggestions!! We discovered a very fun game  last year called Mexican Train Dominos. Easy to learn, fun to play and several people can play - good for a family of 7 and always a few strangling friends around. The dominos rules for Mexican Train we learned are different than the ones that came in the game, but it worked best for our group.

Apples to Apples (which does come in a Junior version) is fun and easy for everyone to play because the winning card is subjective to the judge's opinion - read no right or wrong answer here.

Another new game in our game cupboard (really Grandma's, who bought it for the holidays last year), is Blokus. This fun tile game is great for 4 players and involves an opportunity to see how smart your kids are as they use their critical thinking skills.

All these games are relatively inexpensive and sturdy. Mexican Train dominos, etal are definite must-haves for your family nights. You will enjoy the laughter and memories they will bring!