It’s been a year since we started to get used to rhythms that were very different from those we knew, to work from home, to schools and closed kindergartens. At this point, we have already managed in a thousand ways to make coexistence something more bearable and, we have even begun to value it.
In this oneHOWTO article we have compiled 35 games to play with the family at home, in these times when we realize the value of time with her and how we can take advantage of it.
Fun family games at home
There are countless popular games that we are all familiar with and that you can play at home without having to climb onto the gaming loft or search the internet. Here we bring you our homemade family games favorites for you to try when you find some free time to share and wonder what to play at home when you’re bored.
The broken phone
In childhood, it helped us to awaken our sense of humor and to realize the existing difficulties when communicating, and in adolescence it reminded us of what it was to laugh at the absurdity.
In this game, all the participants sit on a wheel. One of them thinks of a phrase and whispers it to the person on her right. When the information has reached the end of the wheel, the last person should say what they just understood. It is perfect to play with children, but also among the oldest, while sharing a drink.
Chained drawing
It is a very beautiful and entertaining game that awakens the creativity of anyone, regardless of their age. In addition, by relying on teamwork, it awakens unity and a collaborative sense.
One of those present has to draw a line or doodle on a piece of paper, and will pass it on to the others following the order of the circle so that they can continue with the drawing. Help to develop artistic expression and understanding, and to discover that the imagination has no limits.
Collective history
Similar to the previous one, it is another form of exquisite corpse, the game used by South Korean artists in the 1920s to awaken their creativity. If you are looking games to play as a family at home with paper and pencil, follow these points:
- We need a blank sheet of paper, at the beginning of which, whoever starts writing the first sentence of a story, to fold the paper just so that the sentence is not seen by the next participant.
- The next participant will write another sentence below and double it again.
- So until the end, when the last one will read the full text, which can make us laugh, but it can also awaken our imagination.
This is the original model, but it can also be played out loud. It is not better or worse, just different: in this case we must pay attention to what has been said previously in order to invent something that continues it. Even more difficult? Whoever gets it has to repeat everything that has been said so far and, in addition, add their new part. If it fails, it goes back to the beginning. It is also a widely used game to learn languages and one of those excellent home games for teens.
Find the difference
This is one of those fun family games that the little ones really like. It consists of removing one or two members of the family from the room, while those who remain inside decide to change one or more objects from their place, or to make them disappear. It is an exercise in photographic memory very good and also a way to learn to appreciate our home, knowing it a little better and where everything goes.
Silent song
A very useful game when we urgently need to entertain the children on a birthday, in the car, or before a family meal.
First, a song is chosen that everyone already knows and a person who will be the conductor. Everyone will sing the song together and, when the director orders silence with a previously agreed gesture, everyone must keep silent but continue to sing it mentally. Thus, when the director gives the order to resume it, they will have to know how to continue without making a mistake. Is very good for children to exercise attention and sense of rhythm.
If you are looking for more games for family parties, especially in December, we recommend you visit our article Christmas games to play with the family.
Chained words
Another classic that is also great for entertaining children. Many of us remember it from when we took long car trips with our parents. It is about starting with any word and that the next one continues with another that begins with the letter with which the previous one ended. You can also agree to continue with the same syllable, but this is a bit more difficult.
Looking for more ways to entertain the little ones on long trips? Here we leave you the best games to play in the car.
Backwards words
Children have a lot of fun with this game and it is also a very good exercise in brain agility. In this game, we must tell them a word backwards, changing the syllables of place. They will have to guess what word it is.
A trick that amuses them a lot, for when the word contains only two syllables, is to advise them to repeat it as it is, backwards, very quickly and over and over again, until they themselves can hear it from the right.
Guess what
This game is hilarious, it has a lot to do with language. Among all the participants words are written randomly on small papers, which will be folded and left in a bowl. The more there are, the better. The category does not matter: we can choose a semantic field, a theme or song or movie titles. The ideal is to form two teams and, in turn, one of the participants has to guess the words that the opposing team will play in one minute.
If you are unable to move forward with a word, you can move on and continue. When the time is up the number of words that have been guessed is noted. The categories will be taboo, drawing and mimicry. Every time the category is changed, all the words are put back in the bowl to move on to the next one, with the same words. The game is similar to Party & Co, but you will see that, as it is always the same words, there comes a time when you realize that you are laughing more and more.
Characters
We have all played this one. It is enough to have paper and a pen, and adhesive tape to stick us on the forehead the paper with the name of a character written on it.
Nobody knows what you have written on your forehead, that is, nobody knows who the character is. And you will have to guess by asking yes / no questions to the other participants. Each participant has one question in turn. Those who get their characters right will leave the game. The first to leave will be the winner.
Bingo
The typical neighborhood game that we all, in the end, like. We can do this by putting many small balls of paper in a bowl with the numbers written inside. To draw the cards, the numbers will be distributed, as if it were a game of cards, and each one will fill their card with the numbers that they have randomly touched. Then the cards are exchanged and the game begins. One way to make this game more special is to make it the icing on the cake after an afternoon of crafts, which can be turned into prizes.
Board games to play as a family
If you wonder how to have fun at home with the family, without a doubt the table games they are one of the best investments in any home. Below we have created a list of some of the best classics and those that will soon become so.
Dixit
A game that can be a lot of fun, especially when played by people with whom there is a certain complicity or common places. Valid for all ages from 6 years old and highly appreciated by adults.
The material basis of Dixit is a deck of cards with beautiful illustrations that will evoke ideas, concepts, movies, things, etc. One player is the narrator, and he chooses one of his 6 cards and narrates something related to it. Each player must choose a card that is related to the story of the narrator and, after shuffling them, the objective will be to guess which was the narrator’s card. You win if your card is the chosen one or if you guess the narrator’s.
Adventurers to the train
A game that, little by little, is gaining a lot of fame. It is very easy to play, but also to hook anyone who dares to play it. Consists in link cities along a map. Whoever gets the longest railway lines wins. The games are long, but when you start them you don’t want them to end. It is easy and for all ages from 8 years.
Blue
A game for the development of strategy and creativity from eight years old, based on a precious idea. In this game, we are tiles and our goal is to build the most creative and colorful mosaics and compositions. An original, simple and fun game.
Image: tiratu.com
The forbidden island
More fun family games! This board game is suitable for ages 10 and up. Its originality lies in the fact that, in each game, the board is different and, thus, the island also …