Paper and pencil, board or card games - these are our family and friends' all-time favourites.
The Hat Game
Maudie: On Saturday some friends came round for lunch and a game-playing session, and one of the games they taught us was The Hat Game, which was so simple and so much fun. You play it like this: everyone writes five famous people’s names on separate pieces of paper. They could be real people, cartoon or fictional characters, people from a long time ago… Then, fold the pieces of paper so you can’t see the names, and drop them into a hat. Once everyone has done that, you’re ready to go.
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A 'Hit and Miss' Hit
Tamsin: We had a good selection of family games given to us this Christmas, so, I thought that over the next few blogs I would show you a few we have had a fun time with. The first up is ‘Hit or Miss’. It is a game which works well when there are quite a few people around the table. If you have young children they can be paired up with an adult as the only aspect of the game they may find difficult is the fast writing at the beginning
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Paper Telephones
Tamsin: We were in Cornwall for half-term where the weather varied from balmy autumn days to freezing winter hail. Luckily, with the help of wetsuits and a new-found game we did not mind what the weather threw at us. Our friends taught us ‘Paper Telephones’ and we were soon hooked. All you need are paper, pens and the ability to fold. Each person is given a piece of paper and the game proceeds very much like ‘Heads, Bodies and Legs’ except that you start off writing a silly sentence at the top of the page.
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Gridlock
Jane: After being rained off the beach for the nth time this drippingly awful week, we decided to play Gridlock, a paper and pencil game for two I found in an old 1960s' activities book. It's actually quite tricky to play - the idea is to 'draw' your way from 'home' (the cross in the top left hand corner of the grid) to your destination square (the bottom right hand corner of the grid) without being forced out of the grid by your opponent.
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Darn 'n' Dash
A card game that's been a great hit with the kids on holiday. It's a bit like whist except you bid for tricks on each round and get a higher score if you fulfil your score exactly.
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Blow Ping-Pong
A good game for those in the family with lots of puff.
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Wolf Hunt Raisin
An exhilaratingly daft game - an edible treasure hunt with a twist.
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Keep On
A vocal version of hot/cold where you sing along to keep the action moving.
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Up Jenkins!
A good-value traditional game which provokes sheer laugh-out-loud hilarity.
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Blind Dominoes
An easy, enjoyable family game to play with young children from the age of about four up. We always used to play this with the kids in the pub garden while waiting for Sunday lunch.
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Speed Scrabble
Jane: This is a brilliant, quick and portable version of Scrabble which doesn't use the board or any clever long words, so you can play it anywhere, any time and with anyone (over about six). In fact, it's so quick and unobstrusive that we recently managed a game while waiting for our main course in Pizza Express.
All you need is to clear the decks and lay out a set of Scrabble or Snatch tiles in the middle of the table. Each person takes 15 letters and, as quickly as they can, forms their own set of interlocking words crossword-style as in Scrabble. (You are allowed two-lettered words, which makes it easier for younger kids.) The first person to organise all 15 letters into interlocking words shouts 'Time'. Then everyone stops and picks up a letter. Then the first person to fit all 16 letters shouts 'Time' and you all pick up another letter - and so on until all the letters in the middle are used up.
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Sprouting Bubbles
This is a good paper and pencil game for older children who like problem solving. Two or three people can play at once.
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Boy/Girl
A little general knowledge goes a long way in this paper and pencil game. It's good for all ages.
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Granny's Attic Games
Old board games are still the best, and you can find most on eBay for a song.
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Dots and Blocks
In this old paper and pencil favourite, the object is to draw around as many blocks as you can.
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