Family Fun - Game Night

Stumbling on a well-used Clue game at the Goodwill Store awhile back had me reminiscing about childhood memories of playing. Ever the drama queen growing up, I was never satisified to simply set up the board game on the kitchen table and play. Instead, I would insist that my siblings and friends join me in getting into character. We'd dig out props, raid our parents' closets, and return to the table in full regalia to play. It was always a blast!

Fingering the dog-eared corners of my secondhand Clue game the other day, I thought why not share that tradition with my own kids? So here's my plan. We're going to institute game night at our house, but rather than settling for an ordinary night of Scrabble, we'll go all out just like I did growing up.

First up: Clue, of course. My husband (who, as of yet, doesn't know he's agreed to this), my two kids, and I will spend some time picking out a character and then helping each other transform into that character. But why stop with wardrobe and makeup? Clearly, the theme needs to be reflected in the food as well. For Clue, we're planning a formal sit-down dinner complete with candlesticks (was there any doubt), china, and tablecloths; all to be enjoyed in costume. After dinner, we can shove the dishes aside for later and get down to this game business.

Hopefully we can make this a regular tradition, alternating games and brainstorming ideas to complete our theme nights. Here are a few additional ideas off the top of my head:


Mouse Trap:
Pin on tails, draw mouse faces with eyeliner, and serve cheese and crackers.

Hi-Ho Cherry-O:
Dress for cherry picking (jeans or overalls if you have them and a wide brimmed hat), and serve cherry pie or desert along with cherry KoolAid.

Battleship:
Dress in uniform and serve homemade MREs. Be sure to talk the talk by checking out some of the lingo here.

Monopoly:
Wear business suits/attire. Be sure to take lots of pictures of your little ones in Daddy's ties! Have a "jail" uniform handy for those frequent stints in the big house by making one from an old white T-shirt and black paint or marker. Be sure to use a shirt big enough to fit all players. Any time a player lands in jail, have that player don the uniform until he or she gets out. For snacks, serve chocolate coins.


If you have ideas for a themed game night, I'd love to hear them. I'll be sure to update as we try some of these ideas out so stay posted!