I had forgotten how much fun chess is to play!

[kijip]

T's school makes a big deal over chess club and he is thinking about joining and wanted to start learning how to play. So we pulled out the chess board and showed him the rules and started a game.

We all ended up playing all evening, except when he was doing his homework! I had a lot of fun. Given that the last time I played chess I must have been no taller than 5 feet and I hit 5 feet before I was 11, I was not that far off his level, :wink2: He announced it was he new most favorite game.

I had no idea this could be a fun family activity. More interesting than playing his other favorite game of Guess Who (Do you have eye glasses? Are you a girl? Do you have facial hair? Are you Karl??!!! Rinse and repeat, never thought I would miss Candyland, ya know?)

What is your family-favorite game for game nights?

[bnme]

My DS6 is learning to play Chess, too. He likes it alot. We play Uno (and Uno Flash, and Uno Spin) and Sorry all the time. Also War (with regular cards) and a Star Wars War game that is based on categories. We need to get more non-kiddie games. Oh, and Clue Jr, which I think is actually harder than Clue.

[LBW]

Liam loves playing Rummikub! His grandparents introduced him to it over the summer. It's actually pretty fun and can involve a lot of strategy, but the basic game is fairly straightforward. I think it would be fun for kids as young as 4/5.

He also loves card games. GPs also play continental rummy with him (he needs a little assistance with it, though), and a bunch of other games that I can never seem to remember. I'm sure they'll have him playing bridge in another couple of years.

I enjoy playing board games with him - we have a bunch of Haba, Ravensberger, and Selecta games that I've purchased over the years through coops, on sale, or at rummage sales.

[MelissaTC]

M's school also has a chess club and it is a big deal. He started in K and loves it. I am pretty clueless. I know what piece belongs where and what it does but that is more out of serving as a chaperone than anything else. In any case, our school recommends the website http://www.chesskids.com. M practices on there and maybe T would like it too.

For family game night, we recently started playing Pictureka. Love it! M also loves playing Life. M and DH also love playing Blokus.

[Melaine]

You know, I totally forgot about chess since we don't have a set but we always played it growing up. I did see a super cheap set at Target (like $4). Maybe we should pick one up to play in the evenings. DH and I really to start some evening activities beyond video games and TV shows.

[caleymama]

C started playing chess with my Dad this summer and looooooooves it. She plays with him every chance she gets. I've been meaning to brush up on it (like you, it's been years since I've played) so she and I can play.

DDs love Guess Who! It was one of my favorites as a kid so we/they play it all the time at my parents' house. LOL.

The library runs a chess program during the summer but she wasn't quite old enough this past summer. Next summer, maybe. We're waiting to see what the PTA after school offerings are. Sometimes there's a chess program, but again she may not be old enough. Stinks!

Some other family favorites (kids are 7 and 4.5):
- Monopoly (Littlest Pet Shop (http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-Games-Monopoly-Littlest-Shop/dp/B0017RQYD2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254400132&sr=1-1) edition here (it was a gift :p) and some Stars Wars edition with my parents - best part is they have *no* idea where they got a Stars Wars edition, but C is a huge Star Wars fan so she's in heaven). We had a Monopoly game going here for almost a week this summer and we'd play every night after dinner.
- Cranium Cadoo (http://www.amazon.com/Cranium-103012000-100E-New-Cadoo/dp/B000VERFWQ/ref=amb_link_3794942_15?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_r=022X5EV3SW1RBW484E59&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=452005701&pf_rd_i=268623011) (both girls LOVE playing this) & Cranium Balloon Lagoon (http://www.amazon.com/Cranium-103050000-100E-Balloon-Lagoon/dp/B0001NE85Y/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254399621&sr=1-2)
- Scrabble
- War & Uno for card games
- Haba Charades (http://www.fatbraintoys.com/toy_companies/haba/charades.cfm)
- checkers
- Orchard (http://www.amazon.com/Haba-Orchard/dp/B000ELORPY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254399999&sr=1-1)
- Dr. Seuss' I Can Do That (http://www.amazon.com/Cat-Hat-Can-Do-That/dp/B0016LKFXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254399666&sr=1-1)
- Boggle (http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-384-Boggle/dp/B00000IWCZ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254399875&sr=1-1)
- Racko (http://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-40073S5-Rack-O-Card-Game/dp/B00000IWBY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254399895&sr=1-1)

Some, like Scrabble and Boggle, DD2 doesn't play or if she does she'll be on a "team." Those are mainly with DD1.