1. Blokus - a great strategizing game!
2. Apples to Apples - great for vocabulary and expression. When we play we try to "sell" the person deciding whose word is the best example on the word we chose, even if we know we didn't get a good hand. This is Piper's favorite game.
3. The Dictionary Game - this is a game we played with friends after college where one player looks in the dictionary for a word they've never heard of. They write the word on a piece of paper and show the other players. Each player tries to figure out the meaning, the player that comes closest wins the round.
4. Bananagrams - great for spelling! It's in a small little sack and is super easy to chuck in your purse to bring places where you may be waiting around for a while.
5. Kerplunk - strategizing? I am not sure, I just like this game. My grandma had it when I was little and playing it always brings me back to fun times with my cousins when my Grandma would have us all over for dinner.
6. Jenga - great for strategizing. We have seen this game used in various ways to teach various concepts from soil erosion to marine life...I love the diversity in this game.
7. Cranium - what is not to love about a game where you get clay to shape into different things and have other players guess what it is? Years ago Starbucks sold "add-on" packs for this game and we collected several of them ... we can play this game for HOURS. It's probably our family favorite.
8. Perfection - Last year I read a study that claimed that kids who played games had better test scores and kids were able to raise test scores just by playing games. I think Perfection exercises the brain and it's one of the few games you can play alone!
9. Scrambled States of America - teaches geography. This is Allie's Number One favorite game of all time.
10. 10 Days in Europe - I love this game because it teaches geography and logic.
