a REAL life story
(Many years ago our daughter came up with the acronym REAL Life for our family as it represents the initials of each of our kids.)
Hey there! Thanks for visiting my site, I'm so glad you're here.
As a wife and mother of 4 kids, I love intentional time spent together around a game. Board games, card games, outdoor games, and even a little Mario Kart. Any will do just fine! Over the years we have played a lot of games. These are the ones that have seen the most playtime and earned the most love. My hope is that you'll find some you love too. Allow me to recommend a few of our favorites.
Our REAL life winners!
For when you just need to sit and enjoy some "me" time.
For when you want to challenge your favorite person to a duel.
For a quick game around the table.
For when you have more time and people.
I LOVE trick-taking games! The classics and the new.
Looks great on your game shelf. Also a great "me" time activity.
Too many fun decks to choose from.
Not all games are enjoyed indoors around a table. Go outside!
Not necessary but once you make the jump it's hard to go back.
Here's my rules for what makes a game REAL life approved
1
Easy to learn
No lengthy, complex rules. If it takes too long to figure out how to get started playing, I'm mentally checked out. Even better, make your brother-in-law read the rulebook and teach you as you play. Perfection!
2
Quick, snappy playtime
No agonizing wait for my opponent to decide what they want to do on their turn. All while I'm sitting here ready to make my next move. Not fun!
3
Not boring
I will want to play this game again and again and again... No boring games here please.
4
Competitive
We're not afraid of some "take that" friendly competition. We play to win! I like a game with a decent amount of strategy involved.
5
Doesn't take hours
Twenty minutes to an hour playtime. I'm not THAT invested! So if you're looking for long, heavy Euro games (and there are some fantastic ones...I've been told) these recommendations are not for you. We like fast, fun and easily brought to the table.
6
YouTube
YouTube "how to play" videos are my best friend. They can be yours too. A few I enjoy are Before You Play and Watch It Played and All the Lonely Meeples. They have saved me from many a headache and allowed me to jump right into the fun.