We have been playing Ticket to Ride board game in our home for the past few weeks, the rules are fairly easy to pick up and the game play is fun while not being to serious. For those of you who enjoy Settlers of Catan or Carcassonne you will also enjoy this game. The rules are easier to understand so younger children can also play.

When you buy the game you can also register to play on the”official” website for 6 months. You get a “code” printed in your instruction manual.

You can also play for free with some limitations,like l you aren’t rated and can’t start new games, only join ones started by others. After that you have to pay or buy another Days of Wonder game. Cost is 18.00 a year and I think a good buy.

There are some sites that let you play Ticket to Ride online and for free. I have listed some of the better ones.

Free Play Ticket to Ride Online Sites

Wanderer They call is “Wanderer” but its Ticket to Ride. The online board game site is in Finnish/English but you will have no trouble if you are not Finnish speaking. Rules are well explained.

The site has other games, including FISK which is RISK.

Note: Above site has pulled ‘Wanderers” from game line up- I believe to further develop. I wil post more as I learn more if you now when they will be back before i do- please post. If you know of another site- please let us know.

Play Ticket to Ride free for 30 days hereon skotos.net. They also have many other online verson of Days of Wonder board games i.e. Queen’s Necklace and Ticket to Ride – Europe ( which I prefer)

Last week we went to a “board game night” our local hobby store sponsors a board game night once a month. My daughter ADORES the owner- a very hip and happening 40-something woman who has owner the store since she was 21 years old. She also suffers from carpal tunnel from playing World of Warcraft. She has a good selection of hard to find board games that you wouldn’t find at Toys R Us or Target.

I have always liked board games and my husband really doesn’t get it and doesn’t enjoy them at all. My likes to play most of them with me but for some of them need more than 2 players. So I was really looking forward to this night out, ( I did bring my daughter and her best friend) . The two girls had a blast0 though In think more because the event took place in a “bar” and they spent most of the night talk to the cool 19 year old waitress. There were about 30 people there- a nice mix of men and woman and some younger teenagers. I was a bit worried that the crowd would be REALLY into the games and have no tome for a beginner- I was very wrong :-)

Hey! That’s My Fish!

We played Blokus ( a must have game as far as I am concerned) Taboo ( not my thing but girls like it) and a couple of new games, Hey! That’s My Fish!– which was pretty fun, it involves a bit of strategy. They idea is to collect fish ( you are a penguin) jumping from ice block to ice block without getting stranded. This would be an excellent game for younger kids- it said 8 and up but I think 5 and up would be good too. requires no reading and is pretty quick – about 20 minutes a game.

Rio Grande’s Zooloretto

Spent a almost 2 hours playing 2007’s game of the year, Rio Grande’s Zooloretto Hard to explain but in the game you are a zookeeper and you manage your animals- putting like kinds together , mating a male and female together, while your opponents do the same thing. It says it should take about 45 minutes to play- maybe it was because we were very chatty- it took longer. The game appeals to both kids and adults. Was a good game to play if you don’t want to “think” too much. It also does not require reading.

We will go back again .I would encourage you to try and go to some kind of board game night- or if there isn’t one- create your own. Maybe one afternoon a month have board game day for homeschool kids. I will do this next winter now that my son is no longer velcroed to my side and require 100% of my focus :-)

I am a board game fanatic and I try to convert everyone to play more board games. I have another list here of top ten board games to get this holiday. I pretty much always buy Carcassonne as my “standard ” birthday and Christmas gifts for kids and families. It is easily understood, rules aren’t complicated and is enjoyed by both kids

and adults. Its also a good gift under 30.00. I love giving board games because they have great play value. They won’t be a toys that is played with for 3 days then ignored.

Best Board games For Families

This list is meant to complement classic board games like Monopoly and Scrabble and suggestion for

trying something new. You probably find these games in big box stores like Toys R Us but smaller toys stores and hobby shops stock them You can also find online on Amazon, Chapters , etc.

What are the Best Board Games for Families?

These games are very popular in the homeschool community and are EXCELLENT. You will not be disappointed. I go to a monthly board game night and the list of games below are the most popular. You are good to buy any one of these. The board games listed are in no particular order- they are all good.

Top Ten Board Games to Get and Give for Christmas

1. If you don’t all ready have this game it is fantastic. We started playing with the kids when they are around 8, and then just play with the card face up.The Settlers of Catan – New 4th Edition What’s new about it is board pieces “interlock”

2. This game you can play with younger kids ( 6-ish) and no reading is required. I love this game and it is less intense than Settlers of Catan so you can chat while you play without getting “lost”.Carcassonne I also recommend you get Carcassonne: Traders and Builders add-on to go with it.

3. Ticket to Ride – Europe I started playing Ticket to Ride a couple of years ago and love it. It is pretty competitive. The purist like this version and most popular but we have the Ticket to Ride USA and like it just fine :-). It is a good way to help visualize cities distance and relationships to each other.

4. Puerto Rico The most critically acclaimed board game of the last twenty years. You own a plantation and grow different crops. good from about 10 years old +

5. The Princes of Florence You are part of the Renaissance elite and choose whoch artist to back.

6. Blokus Strategy Board Game This is a game for 2-4 players and is great! No reading required and even younger ones can join in.

7. Agricola is FUN. , In it you are a farmer living in a wooden shack. Turns involve collecting clay, wood, or stone or building fences, etc. The game takes about 1 1/2 hours to play.

8. Mayfair Games Hey That’s My Fish is great if you have younger children that want to play. The box says for 8 year+ but we have played with 6 years with no trouble. it rare to find games that are appealing to different age levels ad hold interest- but this is one of them. You are a penguin gobbling up fish, Rules are pretty easy to understand and game takes about 30 mins. to play.

9. Rio Grande’s Zooloretto Each player uses small, large, wild and exotic animals and their young to try and attract as many visitors as possible to their zoo. This does not require reading and fun for kids around 6 years and up. The rules are easy to understand and this is a good family game.

10. Bohnanza Game This great is card game but putting here anyway.. It planting, trading, and selling beans and Players try to collect large sets of beans to sell for gold. ( Board game descriptions sound.. sort of silly.. I know) This game is good for 8 year and up , no reading required and takes about 45 minutes to play. I am also going to recommend another game that uses cards, SET Game. It about spotting “sets” based on colour, shape and number. No readin involbed and great to play while chatting in a group. I have seen kids as young 5 play.. .

Some duplicates here, – but this is a list of the most popular board games for 2007.

PLEASE look at this post! Yehuda is THE authority in board games. He can tell you how to refresh tired stale board games sitting in a closet as well as explain how some of the newer and more complicated games work.
he is my FIRST stop when I am looking for new games to try or play.ON this post on his board game blog games- Yehuda lists his top 10 board games- and why. You will want to go and and buy at least of one these games. !

Why Should You Play Board Games with Your Kids?

Board games are a way to interact with your kids. While you are playing you are also talking… sometimes just talking about nothing is EVERYTHING.
They build self esteem.
They are an amazing play value for the money
They help critical thinking skills.
Playing Board games is FUN.

Yehuda Board Game Blog: http://jergames.blogspot.com/2007/02/my-top-ten-board-games.html

Winner of Origins Award for Best Traditional Card Game of 2001

This game is HILARIOUS and fun. I go to a weekly homeschool/unschool group and I plan to get everyone into this over the winter.
MunchkinMunchkin is a popular card game by Steve Jackson.
From the Steve Jackson website:

This award-winning card game, designed by Steve Jackson, captures the essence of the dungeon experience . . . with none of that stupid roleplaying stuff. You and your friends compete to kill monsters and grab magic items. And what magic items! Don the Horny Helmet and the Boots of Butt-Kicking. Wield the Staff of Napalm . . . or maybe the Chainsaw of Bloody Dismemberment. Start by slaughtering the Potted Plant and the Drooling Slime, and work your way up to the Plutonium Dragon . . .

Of course on the slaughter is tongue and cheek and done is a humorous way- a very black humour that appeals to most boys :-) The game is good I would say from about ages 10+ up by that will vary. I knew a 6 year that adored it ( in fact, he was the one who introduced me to it- while he was trouncing me at a game of SET ).

Do you play this game? What do you think? Love it ? Hate it?

Here are some Munchkin related Resources:

Steve Jackson Site: http://www.sjgames.com/munchkin/game/
Munchkin Forum: http://forums.sjgames.com/forumdisplay.php?f=22
Buy Munchkin Games