Movie nights are fun and all but some of the best family bonding occurs when the screens are turned off. Making it a point to unplug for a while to spend time with your family can help make family time more intentional and memorable for your children. Planning a family game night is one of the best ways to engage your kids and just have a fun time as a group. Our California Voyager blanket provides the perfect foundation for game night, whether you want to play board games on the living room floor or out in the backyard!
Below, we’ve broken down some family game night ideas and some ways you can utilize the California Voyager Blanket to make game nights as a family cozier and more versatile.
Family Game Night Ideas
One of the most important factors in your family game night is the games themselves – duh! Although there are tons of board games and activities that are exciting for families to play, we took some time to hand pick some of our absolute favorites.
Apples to Apples
Apples to Apples is a card game that requires four players so it is perfect for families and larger groups. This fun game gives players the opportunity to really let their sense of humor shine through. Each player will receive a hand of cards that list different nouns on them. As the players take turns, a communal deck will be used to show an adjective card. The players will contribute the noun cards that they think best matches the adjective and one player will choose the best combination. This game has the potential to be hilarious, because while some players may choose literal combinations such as “bigfoot” and “fictional” other players might try to be funny by combining words like “touchy feely” and “Mike Tyson.”
Scrabble
Another ideal game for family game night is Scrabble. Scrabble encourages players to use their knowledge by taking turns crafting words from their random selection of letters, building words off of those created by the previous players. The competitive nature of Scrabble makes for a fun way to engage kids and parents alike. This game is great for older kids because it helps them think outside of the box and broaden their vocabulary, just make sure to have a dictionary nearby!
Pictionary
Pictionary is a game that just about anyone can have fun with. Pro tip: you don’t even have to buy the actual game! Try setting up your own pictionary game by creating a list of words and getting a large pad of paper with a marker. Players are secretly given a word to attempt to draw and the first person to guess what the image is supposed to be wins. Purchasing the actual Pictionary set is also a good idea since it comes with all of the supplies you’ll need to get started and the official rules.
Charades
When we picture a family game night, it is hard to do so without imagining a game of charades going down. Charades is fun, engaging, and even a little competitive. The best part? You don’t need anything to play other than a group of people!
Tips for Making the Most Out of Family Game Nights
Once you have your gaming agenda in order, it's time to start having some fun! Choose to stop at simply setting up a variety of game options and letting your family decide what they’d like to play, or try making things more exciting by creating teams and turning it into a full-on tournament. Below, we’ve listed a few additional tips to help make your family game night even more enjoyable.
Document your evening
We’re all about making your family game night a screen-free night but you may want to make sure there’s at least one phone nearby to capture some photos and videos. If you have older kids with cell phones of their own, then they’ll likely want to snap a few photos and videos when necessary. Looking back on these photos will be priceless and you’ll always have fond memories to look back on. You can even get a disposable film camera or polaroid camera to capture the evening's shenanigans in a nostalgic fashion.
Invite some friends over
When it comes to game night, the more the merrier! Invite over some friends or family members to share the evening with you. Your kids might want to invite some of their friends or you can invite over some of your neighbors who also have kids. Games present the perfect ice breaker to help form new friendships so this is a great way to get to know one of your local families and even build lifelong friendships.
Take it outside
One of our favorite family game night ideas is to get outside. If you have a spacious backyard, why not set up your game night outside in the fresh air? Set up some lights or tiki torches outside to create a nice ambiance. Everyone will surely enjoy the change in environment.
Don’t forget the food!
No family game night is complete without a good spread of food options. Set up some appetizers and snacks for your family or order take out to keep it simple. Whatever food items you choose, just have something available that everyone can pick at at their leisure.
How to Use the California Voyager Blanket for Your Next Family Game Night
One surefire way to take your family game night to the next level is by utilizing your California Voyager Blanket. This versatile blanket is useful for a whole lot more than just the beach. Incorporating it into family game night is just another one of the many uses you’ll find for this blanket. Here are a few of our favorite family game night ideas featuring the California Voyager Blanket!
Set it up inside or outside
The California Voyager Blanket is often praised for its features that make it ideal for outdoor usage, but this blanket works great for indoor use as well. Set it up inside as a board game station for your family and you surely won’t be disappointed. The fabric is super soft and made from a natural bamboo material. With neutral, aesthetically pleasing color and pattern options, you won’t have to worry about your California Voyager Blanket clashing with the interior of your home and it will make the perfect background for any photo ops.
If you choose to take your family game night outside, then your California Voyager Blanket won’t have to stay behind. This blanket is durable, weather resistant, and machine washable. The weighted corners and included ground stakes even make it usable in windy weather.
Make room for everyone
Turning your California Voyager Blanket into a seating area for everyone to hang out while playing board games is ideal because there is plenty of room for all family members. The California Voyager Blanket has space for up to three adults so you’ll likely be able to fit your whole family.
Designate a play area for little ones
The California Voyager Blanket provides the perfect play area for younger kids. If you have any babies or toddlers who won’t be fully participating in game night, you can set up their very own play area with your blanket and some age-appropriate toys and books. This blanket is ideal for little ones because it is made from a safe, natural, and non-toxic material. It is also incredibly soft and provides plenty of space for young ones to crawl around.
Take it anywhere
If you’re heading to a game night hosted by friends or neighbors, you don’t have to leave your California Voyager Blanket behind. Simply pack it up and you’re ready to go! This blanket comes equipped with an attached backpack for carrying that also features additional mesh pockets for all of your necessities.
Final Thoughts
In a time where life is so digitalized and distracting, there’s no better time than now to turn off your screens, unplug for a while, and build some genuine memories with your family. Hosting a game night is one of our favorite ways to bond with kids and it offers the opportunity to host friends or neighbors and build closer relationships with those around you. Ready, set… play!
