Summer Game Night Tips
The kids are out of school and I am looking for different ways to keep my kids busy, but also find time to spend family time together with them. We spend a lot of weekends during the summer months camping and I always bring along UNO™ for everyone to play. It is quick and easy to play and a game the kids continue to ask for more of.
The heat has finally arrived, lets bring back game night with these tips:
Prepare your space. Transform your everyday living room into the ultimate game room! This can be as easy with lots of blankets and pillows making crozy seats for everyone who is playing. Turning on background music that is upbeat but not distracting can set a playful mood. Don’t forget to bring out a variety of delicious snacks. These small changes will show your little ones that you’re taking the game night, and family time, seriously.
Bring the game outside. In the summer months I try my best to bring every meal we can outdoors and why would game night be any different? Set up a blanket, lots of pillows and a big bowl of popcorn and bring out your favorite game; UNO™ anybody?
Play a variety of games. While some people have a preference for particular games, others may want to change it up. Designate a set amount of time that you will play each game to ensure you’re keeping everyone entertained and allowing people to try their hand at something new. Starting with UNO™ then moving on to Apples to Apples™ before Pictionary™ will keep everyone entertained while giving them the opportunity to win at a new game! Or maybe playing a new game each week, works better for your family.
Switch it up. We switched it up the other day and broke out a game of Pictionary™ in the kitchen on the whiteboard we use for notes after dinner. The kids loved it and were so happy about the quick switch up we added to the game.
Disconnect to connect. Finding time to disconnect is very important for your children to see. While it may be difficult, make a rule that no one is allowed to have any technology during the few hours you have together. This includes no television or cell phones when you are sharing family moments together. By disconnecting from technology, you will be able to better connect with your family members and leave an everlasting impression with your children.
MATTEL Games™ are generous!
Two In R Dream readers will WIN a prize pack that consists of three MATTEL Games, including UNO™, Pictionary™ and Apples to Apples™.
Thank you for reading In R Dream!
Disclosure: I am a Play Advocate. As part of my affiliation with this group I receive products and special access to Mattel events and opportunities. The opinions on this blog are my own.
By entering the following contest you are accepting that if you win your contact information will be shared with a Mattel PR and shipping agency for the purpose of mailing your prize. Please allow 4-6 weeks from the contest closure date to receive your prize. All winners must be from within Canada.
This giveaway may appear on other blogs as part of the #PlayAdvocate program. However, to be fair, you can only win once per giveaway. If your name is chosen more than once, another winner will be selected. All winners must be from within Canada.
we love to go swimming and rafting together
Definitely What’s app is the way to go, I love it and keep in contact with my numerous kids and grandkids with this 🙂
We love to go for family bbq’s and to the beach.
We often sit in the backyard enjoying a campfire while we talk about thing that have happened and things we plan to do
Camping and hiking!
We like to have picnics together.
We connect by going to parks and hiking.
Campfires and Smores help us connect in the summer 🙂
In summer we have lots of campfires and enjoy our time spent outdoors.
Today it was text messaging since my son and family were underways to go camping 🙂
summer is a busy time for all of us, we stay together thru family dinners
Have campouts in the backyard
Hiking is always something we do during the summer and it is nice to disconnect from the electronics and just walk along talking.
We love engaging in outdoor activities as a family during the summer. Love camping, swimming, and biking.
roast marshmellow around the fire and tell stories
We camp,spend long lazy days at the lake and play ROOK.
We have little tea parties outside for fun.
Camping, Camping and more Camping 🙂 Great way to reconnect!
Tomorrow for example it’s the Heritage Festival, which is always fantastic. We go, all 6 of us and more of the family if they are there too (shame there’s a wedding this year to prevent more from coming). It’s a long day out, lots of good food, tons of walking and talking 🙂
We connect by going to parks.
We connect in the summer by spending time hanging out doing more family things, walking, talking and or just thrift store shopping!
During the summer we camp and spend a lot of time outdoors (away from electronics) so that helps us connect.
We go for walks together.
going to the lake boating is fun for the family
I connect with my family during the summer months by hiking and playing board games together.
We love doing a nature walk
We also connect by planning day outing to beaches, going on a picnic or a nature walk together.
We connect by taking day trips together.
No electronics allowed at the dinner table while eating.
Having a game night one night a week.
Going to the cabin and we only have an hour at the end of the day to check messages online…no texting
I am so glad that we no longer have to depend on the mail (quite erratic across 3 continents) nor (phones huge time zone differences) to all get together to chat and talk – What’s app is the way to go.
We connect by taking day trips.
Another way we connect is by sitting around the campfire talking!
We spend time together at the lake and share laughs over the camp fire.
What’s app is my families favourite way to connect. I’m am so happy that I now have a phone where I can participate in this family chat, with 7 children & 7 grandchildren scattered across 3 continents this is the way to connect, no doubt about it. 🙂
WOW you are a busy grandma!
We love to fly kites at the beach
We like to go walking.
We go on long walks together.
When we are camping and it is raining we play games to help connect!
alot of bbq’s and walks on beach
We go to the park together on the weekends.
Going camping and not allowing texting, etc.
we often also just walk down to the playground, a trip around the pond and down the lane. This way they also get to see a bit of nature and marvel at the Canadian Geese and the Heron that sometimes puts in an appearance.
We play outside.
lots of family potlucks and card game over the summer
Lots and lots of camping.
YAY for camping!
We spend time at the pool, have bbq’s, and play card games.
Having a game night with no electronics allowed.
We play in the backyard and go for bike rides together.
love to go to the lake for picnic and swimming
We go on walks with the dog, wash the car, go to the movies, BBQ and spend time doing recreational activities outdoors.
Definitely What’s app is the big hit with this family, there have already been about 120 messages this weekend!
We connect in the summer by spending lots of time camping together 🙂
Camping.
We would love to win.
go for walks at the river
nothing like a cookout to help bring everyone together
For example my daughter in Australia has just written that she’ll be coming to Vancouver in September – via What’s app – if we had to depend on snail mail she’d have practically been here when the letter arrived 🙂
Swimming and bbq’s
Have weekly BB!Qs
We go hiking together.
We also connect by going on Nature Hikes together.
We plan to have more gathering at each family member’s home once a week
We also play a lot when the families get together, mainly dice, board and card games.
We connect by spending the summer camping!
We play games, go to the park and the beach.
Apart from What’s app we also use Skype, though for some reason that doesn’t seem to work that well to Europe.
We go swimming, visit family, and go on road trips.
We connect by sitting around the campfire telling stories.
We have board game nights.
We go for walks every day together and pick wild flowers.
we’re all on What’s app as a circle during the day and evening time – chats, photos, videos and voice mails are exchanged. Since my children and grandchildren are scattered over 3 continents it’s a super way to stay in close contact.
We get outside! We go to the beach, the splash pad, the park or the soccer field and have a great time!
we will go camping together
We love to have campfires at the beach!
We play horseshoes, badminton and volleyball. Yahoo to summer fun. Hiking, long bush trail walks and biking and swimming
Another way we reconnect is by going on picnics to the beach!
We love to have campfires together.
We go for long walks!
We have BBQs and play games
We go camping, hikes, walks and lots of exploring daytrips.
When our families get together we play quite a lot, especially after the kids have all gone to be and there’s peace and quiet, dice games are popular.
We have BBQs at different family members’ home twice a month
We love playing board games and reading books 🙂
We spent a lot of time outdoors doing gardening & yard work. Everyone participates 😉
We play outside together all the time!
We go to the park
camping and vacations!!
We love going on nature hikes together to reconnect during the summer.
We like to go to the splash park.
We travel back and forth between our house (2 sons and 2 grandchildren live here) and my daughter’s family who live 400 km further south. Usually, once a year I fly to Europe to visit another 3 of my children and various friends and relatives. I’ve also been lucky enough to fly to Australia to visit my daughter and family who live there twice.
We go fishing and camping in the summer to connect
We go for walks, biking, canoeing, and swimming. We just try to spend more time together in the summer.
We love going camping and walking together.
We have family game nights on Sunday evenings.
We spend lots of time camping enjoying the outdoors and playing games.
We try and take family walks daily
We play board games every week
I try and connect with my kids in the summer by taking them on adventures!
By playing board games, cards, camping and going for walks and bike rides.
We go Geocaching together 🙂
We have a nice get together for 3 days. It is so nice. We go for hikes, bike and enjoy night time fires.
We like to go to the library and then come home and read all the books together.
We go to the park together after dinner and have movie/game night once a week
We have family picnics outside in the park or beach and it’s a great time!
Family BBQs and board game nights
Going to the playground, reading books, movie nights and game nights.
Playing games and going for walks outdoors.
We have bbq dinners together, sometimes evening walks and icecream
We make sure we all end up together for birthdays and a lot of BBq’s
We have dinners every sunday, take trips to the park, swim at the grandparents and celebrate birthdays together.
We get together for dinner on Saturdays and play card games.
Going for hikes while camping!
We always have a family BBQ
We do board/card games while snacking on popcorn. We’ve been coming up with different flavours to make popcorn together.
We get together every week on Saturday for our weekly potluck,then its board games for all,we also play games on Thursday evening
We all go for long walks!