Fun and Games

As I spent a jolly two hours picking up the mess my twins made of the game cabinet, I was sorely tempted to toss everything in the trash. I calmed myself, though, and decided to use my cleaning opportunity to reassess which games we really like and which we don't ever seem to play. In other words, I weeded. HGTV would say that I de-cluttered. I reorganized the game zone, if you will. Which means I boxed up a truckload of dice, cards, dominoes, and plastic pawns that I never want to see again and sent them all off to the Lost Boys in Neverland.

Here are a few board games that I decided to keep.

Candyland is a classic for a reason . . . kids love it. I don't remember exactly how old my girls were when they first started playing—I think maybe 3? 4?—but Candyland is the perfect introduction to gameplay. It doesn't need dice, requires no strategy, and—because it relies solely on the luck of the draw—anyone can win. You don't have to pretend to lose to your kids . . . they will legitimately beat you! My 8- and 10-year-olds still play this game on occasion, but I'm mainly keeping it for the twins to play in another year or two.

Clue is probably my older girls' favorite game at the moment. Parker Brothers has really snazzed up this detective game, with cute little figurines and a cool new board.

I don't know what it is about Sequence for Kids, but it's a family favorite. Even my husband likes to play. It's a nice mix of strategy, luck, and silliness. It's the most fun with 3 players, because then someone can usually win . . . 4 players results in such a busy board that no one can create a "sequence."

Maybe 'cause we're from Alaska, we really like There's a Moose in the House. You use picture cards to set up your house, while trying to move moose into your competitor's rooms. The object is to keep your own house from being overrun by the skinny-legged freaks.

I Never Forget a Face Memory Game. My sister and I used to play "Concentration" with a ratty deck of cards; this version is infinitely more aesthetically pleasing with its beautifully illustrated tiles.

Dinner last night: lasagna