Summer is a great time to get friends and family together on holiday. For those of us lucky enough to own lodges and holiday homes on a park abroad, it’s the perfect way to spend time exploring new scenery and a different culture, having fun and relaxing in the sun.
But if the weather takes a turn for the worse and the kids are getting bored, it’s always useful to have a few family games up your sleeve. Here are a few of our favorites that are perfect for family bonding and creating some great family memories!
Wordplay fun
Wordplay games are particularly useful when you’re on holiday because you can play them anytime, anywhere. But if you’re fed up with I Spy, here are some quick and simple ideas for a rainy day or a long car journey:
– Noah’s Ark: this simple memory game is fun for all ages and really easy to play. The first player says “I’m going on Noah’s Ark with my two aardvarks (or any other animal name beginning with A)”. The next player then repeats this sentence adding 2 animals beginning with B, then C, then D and so forth. The winner is the last one to remember the entire thread correctly.
– Who/What Am I?l: one player thinks of a person or object and then asks ‘who/what am I?’ The other players have 20 questions to guess the identity but there’s a catch. You can only ask questions to which the answer is yes or no, for example, are you a dog? The first player to guess correctly gets a chance to choose the next person, animal, building or object. The only limit is their imagination!
Let’s get arty
Don’t forget to pack colouring pencils or marker pens, a few paints and brushes, and some paper. Wallpaper lining paper is inexpensive and can be used to create all kinds of wonderful decorations.
If you have difficulty getting the kids out of doors, try some nature art activities: collect twigs and branches to create a sculpture or habitat, collect a few large stones and turn them into pet rocks or gather feathers, grasses, and other items then stick them onto paper to create beautiful natural art.
Oldies and goodies
Make sure you pack some classic games in travel versions. Scrabble is always fun while Uno is a great game for those with a cutthroat streak! You’ll also find that everyone loves a game of Wink Murder either by the campfire or on a rainy night. Just don’t get caught!
Campfire games
There’s nothing like sitting around a campfire to bring the whole family together. It’s worth investing in a fire pit to enjoy an evening under the stars safely, especially with younger children. Try seeing who can toast their marshmallow for longest as you play a game of Chinese Whispers, passing a short message around the fire until it reaches the last person who says it out loud.
Telling stories is an age-old campfire tradition so why not make it part of your family’s holiday tradition? One person starts then another adds another sentence until a wild and surprising story emerges. It’s a great way to encourage creativity and build some wonderful, long-lasting memories!
