10 Great Games For Family Holidays
I have such fond memories of sitting out in the sun and playing endless rounds of Rummikub with my Grandmother while on holidays. We kept a tally that lasted all holidays long and although she let me win a few, you can guess who was always the winner in the end! She had a strong competitive streak in her and I have a feeling she’s passed that one down to my kids and I.
Times have changed and although we are still taking those lovely family holidays, we now have those new-found friends called screens to keep us occupied during our ‘down’ time. Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for screens, but we thought we’d check out a few things that bring us back to the good old days and those family game times when on holidays.
We have had the chance to road test some great games that we think the whole family will enjoy. These games are going to be the ones that you play sitting around the camping table by lamp light with everyone on the edge of their seats or maybe while on the beach enjoying the sun. The laughs, learning and enjoyment that we have had with these games over the past week have been so memorable and I think I’m going to keep them in the lounge room forever!
So get ready to add these ones to your shopping list because they are so much fun.
Pass the Pigs Original Edition
The first game we tested out was a classic. Who remembers playing Pass The Pigs as a kid? This fun little game can be played with 2 or more players and is recommended for ages 8+, however, Mr 4yrs LOVES this game and is constantly begging us to play just one more round! It’s super simple, just roll the pigs and see how they land. Depending on the way they land will depend on whether you score points or have points deducted. Be careful, you don’t want those piggys ‘Makin Bacon’! It comes in a super convenient travel case that is the size of a glasses case. Perfect for any kind of family holiday.
Price: $25.00*
Age: 8+ (often enjoyed by younger kids too but beware of small parts)
From: Winning Moves Australia
Top Trumps is a card game that is not only great for the competitive ones but also a good learning tool. Each card has a set of facts listed under different categories and each with a different score. To play, the player whose turn it is, puts their top card down on the table. They then decide on a category they wish to play. All other players then play their top cards on the table and see which player has the highest score for the category played. The highest scorer wins all the cards in the middle. You get the idea right? Here is what I love about the game…the kids are learning great facts about the card topics all while having fun! We played Who Is The Cutest? Baby Animals and Which Is The Creepiest? Bugs and both kids (ages 4 and 7) loved them. Jasper (4) got right into the Gross Out category and only needed a little help remembering what the other categories were as he only just learning to read. Top Trumps come in SO MANY different topics including Countries of the World, Captain America and various Disney topics, plus, they come in a great little travel case. Check out the whole range and remember these for Christmas Stocking ideas.
Price: $10.00*
Age: No specific age. Easier once they can read and recognize numbers.
From: Winning Moves Australia
Match
Now this game had us hooked right from that start. Bailee (7) and I played Match for the first time at Winning Moves headquarters and that competitive streak I mentioned earlier came out in full force. So much so that the guys there told us to take it home and continue this battle! ha! Match is similar to Connect 4 but on another level. The aim of the game is to match 5 characters in a row by moving the cubes around one at a time on each turn. You can’t see where the other player is trying to make their matches which makes the game so much more fun! Once you have your match it isn’t confirmed that you are the winner until your opponent turns over the two cards they were dealt at the start of the game. If they have your matched character on one of their cards then consider yourself trumped and they win! So intense… This is a 2 player game but one to keep an overall holiday tally of. This game is one to get the younger kids involved in. Match comes in two different versions – Disney Princess Match and Marvel Match. It also comes in its own carry case making it perfect for taking away with you.
Price: $35.00*
Age: 4+ (Very much enjoyed by Mum too!)
From: Winning Moves Australia
Connect 4
Just like the original Connect 4 only with a slight twist – blockers! The blockers make this game not only trickier than the original but they also force you to be more strategic. Both kids loved Connect 4 and don’t mind setting it up each time. The game comes in a box and needs to be assembled to play. I imagine this one being played on a road trip holiday with family members taking turns. Great for the little ones too.
Price: $20.00-$40.00*
Age: 6+
From: Winning Moves Australia
Top Trumps The World Of Animals Quiz
You know how much I love my kids learning about things of the world. Now they can not only learn about animals of the world but have loads of fun doing it. We first played The World of Animals Quiz at Winning Moves Australia headquarters and let me tell you, the battle was on! Round one had us trying to work out how clean pigs really are and what animal family the ant-eater comes from? Round two is when you add a twist to the game and the heat was on. Our team didn’t win this match which only encouraged Bailee to learn every one of those 500 animal facts so that she could dominate the next poor person to play her! The World of Animals Quiz comes it its own travel case and can be played with 2 teams. Those teams can have 1 or more players on them. I bet your picturing a boys vs girls or family vs family battle on your next holiday!
Price: $20.00*
Age: 8+
From: Winning Moves Australia
Every family holiday requires at least one set of playing cards. There are endless games to be played and by all ages. From Memory to Snap to Go Fish, playing cards should almost be found in the first aid kit as an essential item! Waddingtons DC Comics Playing Cards are not just your average set of playing cards, they look fantastic and make every game so much more fun! Jasper (4) loves playing with these and slamming his hand down on Batman while yelling ‘snap, Batman’s mine’ just proves that! They honestly look so great I’ve thought about framing them. Perfect gift and stocking fillers for kids and kids at heart.
Price: $5.00*
Age: 3+
From: Winning Moves Australia
The Rubiks Cube has been baffling minds since 1974 and some might say it’s the original fidget cube! That is exactly how my kids have been playing with it this week anyway. There hasn’t been a moment go by that one of them haven’t been fiddling with it trying to get those colours in the right spots. Jasper (4) doesn’t really get the idea but that hasn’t stopped him from loving it. Bailee (7) has managed to get one side all the same and gets so frustrated when she needs to mix it up to get another side done. It’s very funny to watch them! Where this fun game has come in handy has been when the kids have had to wait for something or when we have been in the car. I imagine the Rubiks Cube entertaining a dedicated child or adult on a flight or road trip. Obviously only a 1 player game but certainly one that entertains them for hours!
Price: $19.95*
Age: 8+
From: Talkin Toys
This one is for the older kids and boy is it a laugh. The Game of Things is a game of who said what? Simply read out the question and everyone gets the chance to submit their answer. The reader reads out each answer and then everyone guesses who said what. Sounds pretty tame until you read the questions! The younger the players then the more tame the game. Give the questions to a bunch of adults and things could get interesting! We’ve had a bit of fun with this one and have laughed quite a lot. If you’ve got teenage kids and you’re struggling to find a game that they will enjoy then this one is definitely a winner. The cards and answer sheets come in a wooden box but it would be easy to put them all inside a small bag to make it easier to travel with.
Price: $44.99*
Age: 14+
From: Talkin Toys
Monopoly Deal
Hands up if the original Monopoly isn’t your thing? Do you find it drags on and on and on? I actually love the original Monopoly but many of my family members don’t which is why, after a tip-off, I purchased Monopoly Deal. I had heard that it’s a great twist on the original game and forces you to be more strategic. Plus the game is over a lot quicker. It certainly lived up to our expectations and since buying we can’t wait to get the kids off to bed so that we can squeeze in a few rounds before we nod off.
Price: $14.99*
Age: 8+
From: Purchased myself from Toys R Us
Paddle Ball
If there was ever a simple game that could entertain the whole family then this is the one! We have sat on many beaches in Europe and watched people play paddle ball and wondered how such a simple game could be so fun and addictive? So we gave it a go and just like that, we were hooked! How to play: Bat the ball from one person to the other while counting the hits. When the ball drops you start again and try beat your previous score. Told you it was simple and don’t roll your eyes until you’ve tried it! The great thing is that at this price you could buy a few sets to get the whole family playing at once or take it in turns and create a championship.
Price: $10.00*
Age: Any
From: Kmart Australia
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Hope to see you there!
Jen x
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*All prices are recommended retail prices and shown in Australian dollars
Some of these games were kindly gifted to us by Winning Moves Australia and Talkin Toys. We did not receive any further payment for this post. Please click the links to find out more information on each individual game. All opinions are our own.
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