Family Board Games for a Rainy Day

Capture the kids' attention and spend some quality time together playing family board games. No matter their age, children will enjoy the challenge against family members. Some games come in junior versions, so young and old alike can play.

Classic board games, including Monopoly, Scrabble, or Life, offer hours of plotting and planning. Chess or checkers provide plenty of one-on-one time.

Consider these games for something different:

• Mancala. Enjoyed around the world, mancala is considered a count and capture game. Players place equal number of stones in each game board compartment and capture stones from the opponent. The first player to have an empty side on the game board wins.
• Othello. A game of strategy, Othello is played on an eight-by-eight grid. Game pieces have two sides: one white and one dark face. The ultimate goal is to have the greater number of pieces with your color facing upward.
• Twister Moves. This classic interactive board game gets a makeover. Music CDs jam 144 dance songs into a modern version of the hokey pokey. Four game mats come in the game.
• Battleship. Place your ships in deep waters and plot to sink your opponent's battleship. Strategy games like this put you in command!
• Apples to Apples. Players pick a card they think describes the card played by the judge. Everyone gets an equal opportunity to be the judge. Comparisons between people, places, and things make this a fast-paced game for everyone in the family.
• Clue, Jr. The junior-sized version of Clue lets players use clues to determine who stole the cake.
• Pictionary, Jr. Let the budding artist draw pictures while family members offer guesses of what is being drawn.
• Trivial Pursuit, Jr. Trivia questions geared toward kids provide hours of entertainment and learning.

The next time the kids can't go out to play, bring out a board game and appreciate the fun your family experiences.