Five Kids' Games for the Summer Holidays
Weeks in each others’ company; heatwave or good old-fashioned British drizzle… if you’re staying at home with the family this summer, you’ll be looking for good-value options to keep everybody entertained.
So here’s a rundown of ideas that don’t involve hours vegetating in front of a screen. Which one would inspire your family…?
The game to make them feel grown-up
Articulate for Kids takes the million-selling Articulate and… guess what?
By including kid-friendly topics into the game they know mum and dad love, Articulate for Kids is for those moments when they want to play with the grown-ups. It’s pleasingly educational (we see it in Primary schools a lot), but also shedloads of fun. You can play ‘standalone’ or integrate the kids’ cards into the adult game to make for a genuinely all-ages family games night.
Find out about Articulate for Kids
The game to release that pent-up energy
A game..? Oh yes. A sport..? Could be!
A challenge..? Most definitely…
The most ‘physical’ of the games here, King Pong is pretty unique. Set it up on the kitchen table, announce a tournament, perhaps hand out some scrap paper to keep score… King Pong is for those kids with a bit of a competitive streak and for whom ‘sitting quietly’ is an alien concept. Bounce and skim the balls into the King Pong unit – it sounds simple, but can be as challenging as you wish, and a good practice session alone can easily eat up most of the morning.
Find out about King Pong
The game to recreate in real life
Mention of Sshh! Don’t Wake Dad! might prompt a grim smile for those of you with a snoring partner – but what better way to get the younger ones to appreciate your nightly torments? Battery-operated dad snores and snorts like a good ‘un… simple, brightly-coloured gameplay challenges your kids to sneak past him for some chocolate cake. Once they’ve enjoyed the game, set up a real-life re-creation on a Sunday morning, leaving him to entertain them whilst you relocate to the sofa with a cuppa and a good book.
Find out about Sshh! Don't Wake Dad!
Sshh! Don't Wake Dad! on Amazon
The game to play with Grandma and Granddad
Wordsearch is a game based around that perennially favourite puzzle genre. It regularly pops up from under the radar onto the best-seller lists – it might not be flashy or in-your-face, but it’s got an appeal that lasts. Get the Wordsearch Junior version and you’ll find a game suitable for even the very earliest readers; a perfect way of getting a keen Grandma or Granddad involved with them whilst you take a breather.
Find out about Wordsearch
The non-trivia trivia game
Kids enjoy question-based games, but they present a problem – it’s next-to-impossible to devise a question-set that makes things fun and fair for everyone. Take a bow Logo – What Am I? which cleverly gets round this by asking kids to ‘describe’. The packets in the food cupboard; the car in the driveway; the familiar names on the High Street – games provide infinite variety and that all-important level playing field. We reckon for ages eight and above… and lots of fun for adults too.
Find out about Logo - What Am I?
Logo - What Am I? on Amazon (check out those heaps of five-star reviews!)
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