When we were growing up my sisters
and I couldn't wait to get out of the house to play hide and
seek, jacks, and jump rope routines with our friends and
neighbors.I don't
remember playing games that included adults and children. Now,
as a mom and grandma, however, I can see a tremendous benefit of
playing games with family members of all ages.
Some families regularly play
board, card and other types of games after dinner or during
holidays. After big family dinners we usually gathered around
the piano to sing since my mother was an accomplished pianist
and organist. That was certainly fun, but I don't remember
games. So I decided to introduce games to our family gatherings.
Choose nonthreatening
games
Games have to be introduced
carefully when they aren't common in your family. Some members
will be suspicious and fearful that they will be embarrassed.
Others will get so competitive that they can turn it into a war.
One experience we had recently was lots of fun.
At my adult son's birthday
party last month we played a bowling game on the patio.
Pint-sized bottles of water were the pins and a $1 plastic ball
was the bowling ball. We had 3 rounds that increased in
difficulty.
Begin with simple games
and prizes
The rules of the game were
simple. First, players could throw the ball the regular way.
Second, they had to turn their back to the pins, lean over and
throw the ball through their legs. In the third round each
bowler had to stand on one foot.
This game was hilarious because
my teenage grandsons were overly confident that they would ace
this game. After all, it seemed so simple. But they threw the
ball too hard making it bounce over the pins.
We laughed with each other,
because nobody was good at this game. Even those who are good
bowlers found that trying to control a ball that was light
weight and would bounce is very different from the heavy bowling
ball with the finger holes.
The prizes were simple items
like a pack of gum, pencil, notepad, snack mix and candy.
Enjoy playing family
games
This game was a big success for
a number of reasons.
- It was simple. Nothing
ruins a new game more than complicated rules.
- It gave skilled and
unskilled bowlers an equal chance.
- The prizes were simple
removing any undo competition over prizes.
- We played enough rounds
and had a playoff to allow for multiple winners.
- We laughed together in a
nonthreatening activity that even the hesitant players
enjoyed.
- Even though it was a
competition, we were each pulling for each player to score
well.
- The children enjoyed
seeing adults participating in a child's favorite pursuit:
having fun just for the sheer joy of it.
- Of course there's the
added bonus of seeing adults being vulnerable, even if it
means looking foolish.
Playing fun games with family
and friends creates pleasant memories that will stay with you
forever.
