For a big part of our country, we experience some type of winter weather. For us, it’s usually a few snow storms, a couple of rounds with ice, and a few nice days sprinkled in between. I have friends that get snow starting at the end of October and don’t see the ground again until almost Easter! And then there’s where I grew up where we could go enjoy a day on the beach on Christmas if we really wanted to have some fun. But what do families do when it’s cold outside on a winter’s day? Play games together of course! Here are a few of our favorites to play that we call great games for winter weather!
About Chickapig
An exciting, fun-filled strategic board game where chicken–pig hybrids attempt to reach their goals while dodging opponents, hay bales, and an ever-menacing pooping cow.
Make sure to follow Chickapig on social media:
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About Educational Insights
We’re play enthusiasts. We aim to create experiences filled with sheer joy and uncontrollable laughter. We are champions of curiosity and those “eureka” moments of discovery. In addition to inspiring creativity, imagination, good sportsmanship, and out-of-the-box learning, our inventive line of kid-powered toys and engaging games are packed full of fun, designed to delight, and are certain to satisfy kids’ natural curiosity.
Make sure to follow Educational Insights on social media:
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About University Games
University Games was founded by Bob Moog and Cris Lehman. Bob and Cris always loved playing games with their families, and grew up thinking that fun and learning were a part of everyday life. As adults, they recognized a developing niche in social interaction and learning games for adults and children, and that is how University Games began on April 1, 1985. The company philosophy has always been to offer games that encourage social interaction and imagination through gameplay, with learning sprinkled in to season the game.
Make sure to follow University Games on social media:
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My Review:
There is no doubt that games have saved my family’s sanity over the years. Whether the weather was bad outside, attitudes needed fixing, or the kids had the ever dreaded “bored” feeling, the parents would always bust out a game to play at the table. We love the classics of course, but sometimes you want something else. Maybe we have visitors and want to play a unique game, especially if they are younger than my crew. In that case, we break out Tumball and I SPY Dig In.
Tumball is great for ages as young as 5 where you are stacking white beads on top of the hanging balls. You must be careful with each turn you take, because if the hung balls start to separate and open, then the white beads will tumble and you have to pick them up. The player is the first one without any white beads left over. I love that the instructions aren’t difficult and anyone can just sit down and play. While this is mainly for the young ones at home, I have caught my older kids or other adults playing it and having just as much fun!
I SPY Dig In is another great game that starts at the age of 5. There’s a bucket in the middle with various objects; every player is given a card with 6 objects and you have to “dig in” the bucket to find each one while the timer is running. The first player to get all 6 of their items before time runs out is the winner! The kids don’t have to be advanced readers since the cards are visual pictures for them to match the items to. Color does matter, not just the right object! Again, it’s a quick and fun game anyone can sit down and pick up without a bunch of confusing rules to explain first.
For a great few rounds of competition, be sure to try out Kanoodle Head-to-Head. Oh my!! It’s great for kids or adults, and we’ve even played it in teams before. Each player has a puzzle to complete with the color pieces, then they must also fit the remaining pieces onto the board around the puzzle ones. The first player then pushes the button to upturn the other players board! And these aren’t just single pieces either, they are shaped together to be three or four in a row, or shaped like a L. There’s no timer, you just have to be faster than the other person. First player to wins 5 puzzles wins the game. There’s no reading involved, but definitely uses your spatial reasoning and logic skills! And with over 80 puzzles, you can keep playing over and over without learning the patterns.
And the last one is a board game, but a family and party favorite. Chickapig has you racing across the board to reach your goal, but in the meantime you have to avoid the other players, bales of hay, and a pooping cow. Yes, you read that right! It’s easy to pick up but also requires some strategy and to be able to think a few moves ahead like chess. What is a chickapig? It’s a hybrid farm animal made of half of a pig and half of a chicken. And in this game, you are herding a flock of chickapigs around the board. I think we laugh and yell in excitement that the neighbors must think we’re crazy! This is also a great game to break out after dinner, at a family reunion, or even a company event. You can play with single players or break up into teams and work together. You seriously don’t want to miss Chickapig.
No matter where you are in the country, I think it’s always a good idea to keep games and activities on hand to be prepared. They help survive bad weather, daylight savings time, and as boredom busters! It’s a great way to pass a snow day when school is cancelled at the last minute, or to fill the long nights when the sun is gone by 5pm. I love keeping a variety of games on hand like I SPY Dig In and Tumball so the youngest of our group can play. But I can always grab Chickapig or Kanoodle Head-to-Head for the older set of my crew! Even if we split into groups, we can have multiple games going depending on who wants to play what. I’d definitely suggest stocking your game cabinet with these great games for winter weather like we’ve done. After all, it’s not only fun but also good skill practice.
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