<p>You have enough people to play a rousing round of Charades. (Whoops–just saw the other recommendation–consider this a second! I still remember my siblings and I falling into it to kill some time the night before I left for college for the first time. One of my brothers rummaged through my luggage to do a “sounds like” with two of my bras for “Oz”.)</p>
<p>My vote Mexican Train Dominoes, even our DS from college is willing to play :)<br>
Scrabble is my second. We always let the younger ones get awy with things, but we love the fact that now it is less and less getting away. We have found they now use words from PSAT/EOG/SOL that we are now learning things :eek:</p>
<p>I love to play games; would one of you games-playing families please adopt me, or at least invite me over to play? Please? </p>
<p>:)</p>
<p>My now-H, then-fiance, threw away the Skip Bo cards (threw them away!) I’d given him to keep at his house; he refuses to play that game with me ever again. (I don’t always win; it just seemed like it that weekend. Really.) </p>
<p>We play Scrabble sometimes; the three of us are surprisingly well-matched. When friends are over, we’ll sometimes play Apples to Apples, a great game for a group. Sometimes I can talk H or S into playing SET and, occasionally (read: rarely), Uno. We have a card game called Split that we like and one called Phase 10 that I’m still waiting to try out.</p>
<p>I’ve ordered Blokus (should arrive today) and am giving S Settlers of Catan, both of these suggestions I got from CCers. Monopoly used to get more attention than it does these days; sometimes S and I would set up a game and play on it over many days. Can’t do that now that we have a third at the dining table and that addition likes real food and balanced meals on real plates!</p>
<p>I love Phase10, a card game that’s addictive and fun.</p>
<p>owlice, my dh wasn’t a game player either, but I co-opted the kids and then he felt pressured to take part in all the family activities, so now he plays all the time and almost always enjoys it.</p>
<p>Owlice, my dad refuses to play games. He just can’t stand to lose and will get really frustrated and pouty when he’s behind. He’s like a four year old. We managed to get him to play a game on Thanksgiving that we made up (a bit similar to Apples to Apples), but that’s the only time I can remember him playing a game for years. </p>
<p>Like in your family, we have a good group for Scrabble. My cousin is a bit obsessed and thus much better than the rest of us, but besides her we’re all evenly matched. It makes it much more fun because anyone playing could win. We don’t usually play with formal challenges. The women in my family usually play it at nighttime after the younger kids go to bed.</p>
<p>I recently stayed at Pack forest@ Mt Rainier- where it was like camp for a few days-it was really fun- albeit hard work and cold building trails.
But they had a large room with a fireplace and we played both Apples to Apples & Phase 10 ( which reminds me of another game- but I can’t think of what)Apples to Apples was more challenging for a few of the international students, who didn’t understand the references, but they were good sports,</p>
<p>corranged my H doesn’t play games either.
FOr twenty years we had been going to the mts for the holidays- where there are enough people to play games- cranium is fun for mixed ages & that is where I was taught FLuxx.
I played it with a mom and her 9 year old son who were introduced to Fluxx by the originators - it is a game that is short and adaptable. ( and easy to learn- but challenging)</p>
<p>He & I used to play [Feudal]( <a href=“http://www.gamepile.com/details.php?id=9”>http://www.gamepile.com/details.php?id=9</a> ) when we would go to his parents cabin,before we had kids, but he would always cheat when I went to the bathroom.
We have several of these bookshelf games from the 1970s
some are now classics-
[3M</a> Games](<a href=“http://www.gamepile.com/items.php?id=2]3M”>http://www.gamepile.com/items.php?id=2)</p>
<p>owlice Settlers of Catan are a big hit with college students.
It even has its own fansite
[Settlers</a> of Catan](<a href=“settlersofcatan.net”>http://www.settlersofcatan.net/)</p>
<p>midwest parent, we play SET too, but I rarely win. One of my daughters friends from college- used to play it on the computer, which she eventually beat.
I’ll stick to playing with 9 year olds.</p>
<p>Another game-loving family here. 
We once played a game of Five Crowns every night for a year - a fabulous rummy game where you increase the number of cards (3-13) for each hand, and the number of cards in your hand, including the joker, is the “wild card” for that hand. It’s by the makers of Set and Xactica mentioned above.</p>
<p>We also like Settlers of Catan but sadly seem to rarely find the time to play. And count us in for another thumbs up for Apples to Apples - we had 15 for our game last night. FUN. :)</p>
<p>D just got Bananagrams for her birthday after playing it for years at a friend’s house - what a blast.</p>
<p>We also enjoy Rummicube, the rules of rummy (sets or runs) apply to tiles played on a table, which can be rearranged (within the rules) at will.</p>
<p>Every time I glance at this thread I think it’s going to be about games like “Pin the Blame on the In-Laws”!</p>
<p>To contribute, my friends and I, who all love our board games, really enjoy playing Totally Insane Card Game (you can buy it off the internet). It’s like a more confusing game of Uno.</p>
<p>When my family gets together, we play Spoons, or Nerts.</p>
<p>Phase 10 and pit.</p>
<p>Most fun we ever had with a large group game was at the Tyler Place in VT. One of the favorites was “Celebrity.” Everyone wrote down about 10 names and put them in a basket-- everything from historical figures to actors to cartoon characters to obscure late jazz musicians. Divide into two teams and everyone takes a turn giving clues for their team to guess. Moves quickly, and is most fun when everyone is stumped.</p>
<p>Also have fond memories of playing Hearts as a kid. We all played - adults and kids played. Of course now I’ve forgotten the rules…</p>
<p>On another thread, some parents mentioned a game called The Settlers of Catan. It sounds like more strategy than ‘whoopie,’ but looks interesting.</p>
<p>ooops- didn’t see HighlandMom’s post!</p>
<p>Boggle has been a favorite in our house for years.</p>
<p>Can’t Stop, an oldie but goodie. Was out of print for many years, but is now back. A nice combination of luck and skill that taps into your gambling instincts. 2-4 players, or more with teams. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>[url=<a href="http://www.webnoir.com/bob/sid/can’t%20stop.htm]CAN[/url">http://www.webnoir.com/bob/sid/can’t%20stop.htm]CAN[/url</a>]</p>
<p>Kids have played Apples to Apples at other homes many times and loved it…it’s under the tree right now 
We also seem to always have a great time with Scattergories. Yahtzee comes out now and again too. Great thread going to have to take another look in the game aisle on Amazon</p>
<p>^ I’m thinking/hoping Apples to Apples will be under our tree. We don’t own any games that are good for larger groups, and I’ve brought up Apples to Apples as a good option for our family.</p>
<p>I agree with Phase 10 and Pit. We were once addicted to Five Kings as well. </p>
<p>As for “board” games, the classic monopoly and trivial pursuit are great!</p>
<p>Apples to Apples, Taboo, Blokus, Jenga and Uno are favorites in our household.</p>
<p>Wits and Wagers is an awesome game. Up to seven teams. Each answers a very random trivia question that most won’t know a definitive answer for (eg how many feet in a slinky?)
All answers are numerical. Answers from each team are then placed on a betting grid with the middle number getting even money and the lowest and highest I think 4 to 1 odds. All teams then “bet” with chips on the answer they think is right. It is a combination of which answer you think is right and the best odds. The team that answers the closest (without going over…Price is right rules) also gets chips.</p>
<p>We always play this kind of funky game called Elixer. It is a bit hard to describe, probably would appeal to families that like stuff like Lord of the Rings. And we have two sets of Apples to Apples, one at our house and one kept at my mom & dad’s so we don’t have to carry it when we travel. And the original (first) Harry Potter Trivia game, and a book lover’s edition of Trivial Pursuit.</p>