5 Family Games For Christmas Day!

When the stockings are done, the turkey eaten and everyone is in a bit of a food coma, we like to bring out the family games for a bit of reviving and livening before we do our big presents. Father Christmas usually brings us a couple of presents under the tree that are board games so we might open these and play them as well as some old favourites!

It’s a great mood livener so that no one gets in a slump or overdoses on sugar and ones that the whole family can join in with (we might struggle with Raffie mind) are the best. For me Christmas day is about spending time doing nothing much, which is everything actually, with my whole family. A few afternoon games are JUST the ticket!

This year we will be playing:

1.) The snow game!

The snow game is pretty simple and totally home made. You make a cake of flour by pressing some of the cheapest variety into a Pyrex bowl before turning it out like a sandcastle onto a tray. Place on top a chocolate button and then the family take it in turns to cut off a slice of the cake with a knife trying not to be the one who fells the lot. The one who makes the chocolate button fall has to pick it up in his or her mouth – you do not want to be that person!

2.) Orangutwang!

This is a shop bought one so perfect for a tree present (we don’t allow the bulk to be opened until the evening but a couple of games are allowed) and is just £15 on offer in Argos right now. It’s a fab family game and this one I think Raffie WILL be able to join in with!

Take turns hanging fruit and jungle friends on the orangutan, but watch out! At some point he’ll be holding too much and he’ll spring up and send the fruit and friends flying…you just never know when! It’s a game for 2+ players and requires NO BATTERIES (batteries ARE the spell of Christmas doom after all)!

Orangutwang is a new game from Interplay. It is available for around £19.99rrp (when not on offer) from Argos, Smyths and Amazon. 

3.) 5 Second Rule!

Another shop bought one by Interplay Games and this one will be new to us this year, I think the kiddos are going to love it! A little bit more sophisticated than Orangutwang might mean we play once the babe has a nap (IF he has a nap) and let the big kids really get their thinking caps on!

It should be easy to name 3 breeds of dogs — but can you do it under the pressure of 5 seconds twisting down, with the other players staring at you, waiting for you to get flustered? Time’s not on your side, so just say what comes to mind and risk ridiculous answers slipping out as time twirls down on the unique twisted timer! This one is for 3 or more players and so will be perfect when the baby is a bit older too and I can just picture us all having a right laugh with this one!

4.) Quizzes!

Whether they’re shop bought (I got some ridiculously cheap quiz card in the Aldi sale last year) or you get the questions off line or from your own head this is a great family exercise. We tend to team up and have a mixture of kids and adults or do kids V adults with more tailored questions for ages. It’s just a bit of a laugh but it’s one that can be done at any time and anywhere – sometimes we have a little quiz in-between the main meal and pud, we are big quiz people!

5.) Just Dance!

We bought this for Jimmy on the Nintendo Switch last year but actually it’s benefited us all truth be told! I have NO idea how to link the Nintendo Switch up to the TV or I might even do this when I’m on my own in the day time because the exercise gets done while having fun. Alas, I am a techy idiot and my husband has to be here – nevertheless it’s a great gas with the whole family taking it in turns playing against each other and it makes the little’n’s laugh and laugh to see us trying (and failing) to keep up with them! If your child has a games console then I HIGHLY recommend Just Dance and actually… I wouldn’t be so concerned with buying the latest version because dancing is dancing so just get whatever is cheapest and the fun will be the same!

If you’re feeling nostalgic and want to bring your kids back to the golden era of card games, playing Cribbage free online, will undoubtedly guarantee quality time with the little ones.

I was gifted Orangutwang and 5 Second Rule.