We love board games and have a regular family games night every week in The Mad House. We are rather over-competitive when it comes to games and have a cupboard full of games to choose from. The MiniMads are currently 9 and nearly 8.
We are also trying to reduce our dependance on screens for those I am boarded moments whilst waiting for food to be served or waiting in queses with small games and have recently been sent Dobble from Esdevium Games, which is a card game and the perfect size for keeping in my bag. It is a card game, which is based on the concept of snap and needs, speed, good observation and super fast reflexes. You can play up to five different mini games from the one tin of 55 cards (which are circular) and is a great game for all ages and is currently less than £10.
What are your favorite screen free pastimes?
The mini mads are very fond of board games. However, at the moment, Mini is an extremely sore loser, which is compounded by the fact that Maxi is older and does tend to win more often when it is a strategic or tactical game. So although we adore Orchard Toys and have never had a bad game (in fact I think we already all their games), I did hold out much hope of the Football Game being placed by just the boys on their own. How wrong could I have been.
The football game is a take on the standard game of snakes and ladders, but with many added extras all linked to football (which my boys loved). In order to win you have to score the first goal, but this is a game of chance as you have to spin the spinner to score the goal and be careful as you could get a red card if you land on the wrong space.
The instructions are clear and concise and very simple to follow. I had one game with the boys and by then they had the hand of things and have played it often ever since on their own.
I adore that this game has leveled the playing field for my boys, th
