Family Time Fun 

 

by Kathleen, 11/2/12

One of my favorite things about Thanksgiving is spending time with my family, just lying around eating and of course, playing games and doing puzzles. We frequently do a Christmas puzzle over the Thanksgiving weekend to start getting us in the mood for the holiday, but we also always play lots of games. Some of my very best Thanksgiving memories are playing Trivial Pursuit with my Mom and Dad after an early dinner while football played on T.V. in the background. Sensory overload? Perhaps, but we always had a blast and laughed and talked, which didn't necessarily happen as much if we weren't playing a game. Making my family play a game was a great way for us to actually pay attention to one another. If we didn't play a board or card game after dinner, Mom got too busy with cleaning up dishes, Dad would start reading, and I would try to get out of helping clean up to go play on my fancy, new Apple IIe (o.k., so I'm old), and even though we may all have been in the same house, we weren't really spending quality time together.

Another thing those days taught me was that not all games are for all people. My Father hated Scrabble, which was always a favorite for my Mom and me. Usually I could always talk them into playing Trivial Pursuit, but I, being young, couldn't ever compete. There were other games over the years that my family loved, but it was challenging to find just the right game to make everyone happy. For that reason, I thought I'd share with you some of my family's current favorites. My husband is legally blind so it makes playing certain board games challenging for him. Here are some of the ones we play most often!

Wits & Wagers Family



Wits & Wagers is a well-loved and highly awarded series of trivia games, that make the genre fun even for non-trivia nuts by adding in a mechanic that lets you bet on other players answers. In this family-friendly version, the betting is simplified by giving each player a large meeple and a small meeple to divvy up among guesses they think are the best. Containing kid-friendly questions, dry-erase boards and markers, and wooden meeples, Wits & Wagers Family is an easily travelling version of the classic game, and great for all generations!

To me, this is a much more fun trivia game than Trivial Pursuit ever was. It gives kids a chance of possibly winning while maintaining the fun of trivia games. I would think kids of about 5 or 6 and up could play this. Even younger could play on a team. There is also a new version, Wits & Wagers party, which would be good with slightly older kids (maybe 10 and up).

Qwirkle 

A great abstract strategy game, Qwirkle uses wooden tiles with different colored shapes that players arrange in lines – either by shape, or by color. There are rules that make placement sometimes challenging, and the winning player is the one who can make the most scoring lines of tiles and keep the other opponents' scores low.

I love this game. It is like Scrabble with shapes and colors. We began playing this as a family when my son was about 4 years old, but it is still a regular for our family and on game night with friends. All ages and skill levels love this game and it can be easily adapted for younger children. It can also turn into a pretty strategic game when played by adults. It won the Spiel des Jahres last year (German Boardgame of the Year award - like the Oscars of boardgames), even though it was created by an American woman.

Tsuro

A beautiful, simple game of tile laying strategy, this game is especially easy to learn for new players. This game is fast and easy, with enough strategy thrown in to make it fun for even hard-core gamers. This is one of the favorites in Labyrinth's aftercare programs, and is regularly played and won by children as young as 1st grade! You are building a maze of paths and trying to remain the last person on the board. It plays in about 15 to 20 minutes, and can support 2 to 8 players which is one of the reasons it is a party favorite.

Ticket to Ride

In Ticket to Ride, players collect cards of various types of train cars that they then use to claim railway routes in North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who fulfill Destination Tickets – goal cards that connect distant cities; and to the player who builds the longest continuous route.

Although this one is a little tough for my husband because he can't always see all the cities on the board, he still really likes it. This is one of the very best games to introduce friends and family to Euro-style board games. It is pretty quick, definitely less than an hour, and easy to learn. I would think that a child of about 7 or 8 who has experience with games could play this, but it does take a bit more concentration and may be better with slightlyolder kids or adults.

Rummikub

This is a classic that I learned from my grandmother. It was my favorite all through high school. It is kind of like the card game Rummy, but soooo much more fun with lots more perceptual reasoning. My husband and I are both pretty good at this game, somy child has had a hard time competing, but he is now starting to get it. We do have to help him. This is definitely the one that makes my husband and I the most competitive. It can get ugly!

Two by Two

The floodwaters are rising and the animals need to board the ark!

In this deceptively simple game, players move their boats around a steadily deteriorating landscape, matching pairs in order to rescue stranded animals.

Animals that are rare at the end of the game are worth more points than those that are common.

This is a new family favorite and we will probably play it this Thanksgiving. It is simple and the animals are cute. I love trying to get the super rare unicorns. We frequently read the Shel Silverstein poem, The Unicorn, before or after playing. It has always been one of my favorite poems.

I'm sure you can imagine, as the owner of a game store, my family and I play a lot of games, but these are some of the ones we return to again and again. My son and I have a lot of other favorites that we frequently play, but when my Mom heads to town we are more than likely to bring one of these out. If you'd like to have a new game for the holidays, stop by and talk to our knowledgeable staff. We can help you find a game that is just right for you and your family. We also have a huge selection of jigsaw puzzles and travel games.

Have a Pirate-themed Game Night!

Ahoy there, me mateys! Don't be a scurvy dog or blasted landlubber! Get ye to Labyrinth for some o' these beauties! They be the best pirate games ye treasure can buy!

NEW -  Pirates of the Spanish Main - A fast, fun and family-friendly card game for 2 to 4 players. During play, you want to steer the captains that you sponsor and their ships to treasure, but you need to be discrete about who you sponsor. If another player guesses which ships are yours, he gets to plunder half your gold!

Pirate Fluxx - The classic "Talk Like A Pirate" game - there is even a card that gives you benefits for talking like a pirate. By local game designer, Andy Looney, this is a fun and crazy game perfect for adults and families! 

Scallywags - A recent edition to our children's games section and a new favorite in our aftercare program. It is a light-hearted game in which players are swashbuckling pirates divvying up their booty. This can be played by pretty young players, probably 5 or 6 and up.

Loot - We love this pirate themed card game from Gamewright, great for kids aged 8 and up.

Merchants & Marauders - A gorgeous, somewhat complicated board game (best for adults and maybe some older advanced gamer kids) that is best for 4 players, but can be played with 2 to 4. In this game, you live the life of an influential merchant or a dreaded pirate in the Caribbean during the Golden Age of Piracy. Seek your fortune through trade, rumor hunting, missions, and of course, plundering. The game features a unique trade system and a thematic combat system, allowing for critical decisions and intense excitement. Modify your ship, buy impressive vessels, load deadly special ammunition, and hire specialist crew members. Will your captain gain eternal glory and immense wealth - or find his wet grave under the stormy surface of the Caribbean Sea?

50 Secret Codes Activity Cards by Usborne Publishing

Labyrinth Kids: Game Reviews by our Younger Customers

by S., 8 years old

S.'s Rating: Four out of Five Stars

These cards are fun to play especially on long trips.  Say you are driving to New York and you have the spy cards in the back seat.  You could play with them and they would keep you absorbed for a long time.  They include directions on how to do the codes on some of the cards.  And some of the cards are mystery cards.  They include a brief paragraph and a picture on one side of the card and the secret code under the paragraph.  If they are a code card that gives directions on how to do a code, there is no paragraph long mystery about the code.  You just learn how to do that type of code.  I liked this game, but personally I couldn't solve any of the codes!!  I had fun trying, though. 

Store Notes:

This is one of a many new Activity Card sets that we have recently begun selling. We have found that there is a range of difficulty levels for the cards contained in each set. Here's is a brief description of the 50 Secret Codes from the manufacturer.

"A wonderful set of wipe-clean activity cards for aspiring code-breakers!

• Includes Semaphore and Morse code, "Grid code" used in the American Civil War, Egyptian hieroglyphics and traditional number replacement and alphabet switching codes.
• Each card contains information about the code, an explanation of how it works and fun coding activities.
• Includes a special pen to write on the cards."

If your child is a Labyrinth customer and would like to review a game to be featured on our blog, please contact us.

Tell Tale

Labyrinth Kids: Game Reviews by our Younger Customers

Patrick's
Rating:

This is a great game.
You should own it!
(see below for explanation)

by Patrick, 6 1/2 years old



How many times have you played it?

I don’t know. Twenty or thirty, maybe?

Who do you play it with?

My mom and my grandma, and my brother, kind of. Sometimes we play a round of Parcheesi instead.

What ages do you think would most enjoy the game?

Six, Five, Seven... Well, someone who’s about my age, something about six-and-a half. You know, about my age.

Do you think grown-ups would like it?

Yes! Because me and my mom, we’re playin’ it, PLAYIN IT!

Is it like any other game you’ve played?  

No. It doesn’t have a board game, and there’s no fighting, and no one wins or loses. It’s just a game where you can make up stories and more and more and more.

What kind of pieces does the game have? Cards, dice, tiles? 

Just cards and pictures on the cards.

How do you play it?

Well, you have to have any [number of] person you want, except one thousand. But you can have as many people as you like, unless it’s a bigger number.  You just pick a random card from the center, and start telling a story and basically you tell a funny story.

What is your favorite part of the game?  

I like that you get to make a silly story. You get to laugh and laugh and it gets weirder and weirder. And sometimes, you can get a girlfriend (in the story) while you’re playing it. And sometimes, she can be surfing on a wave. And sometimes, your friends can be shouting at each other. And sometimes you end up in jail. You can end up in a laboratory or in a haunted house.

What didn’t you like about the game? 

Nothing. I like it all. There’s no bothers about it: it’s just telling a silly story.

Anything else you’d like to say about this game? 

Go buy it!

Rating System

6 – You MUST play this game!
5 – This is a great game. You should own it.
4 – It’s a good game. I’d like to play it again.
3– This is an alright game. I liked it, but not everyone will.
2– It’s an o.k. game, but I don’t really want to play it again.
1 – I would not recommend this game.

If your child is a Labyrinth customer and would like to review a game, please contact us at kathleen@labyrinthgameshop.com. 

Finally...

For those of you who figured we must have sunk in Norfolk, I apologize for the lengthy delay in posting the final leg of our journey (for now, anyway).

Norfolk, as we said, Tom loves it, Barb, not so much. Tom loves the activity with all the ships, tugs, barges and pleasure boat traffic. That's pretty much what Barb doesn't like about it. When you have to share a channel or squeeze under a bridge with something the size of a city block or two, it can make you feel a little vulnerable!

The anchorage at Hospital Point is pleasant, and there is good holding, so that part we can agree on. But, when one of those freaky storms comes through (like the one that Monday night), that holding thing is really, really important. The storm went through Richmond, and headed straight for Norfolk. Hit us like a ton of bricks. We did have enough warning to set our storm snubber and 150' of chain, expecting crazy winds. We got them, and the waves that came up the Elizabeth River were even crazier. We were getting tossed and pounded by wind, rain, waves, and yes, even hail! The boat was being pushed by so many strong forces, we went around in a complete circle and spent a lot of time heeled over to the gunwales. There was no visibility because the rain was a solid wall. However, at some point, the rain slacked enough to see a bit, and then the boat behind us took a direct lightning hit to the top of her mast. Fortunately, this was a fast moving storm so we could find out quickly that everyone on the boat that was hit was okay. It knocked out their electronics, and Tom said the sparks were wild to see, but we were glad everyone held and there was not greater damage.



After dealing with our own personal little perfect storm, we were more anxious than ever to head to Deltaville Tuesday morning. So, we noted the weather, and even though it was going to be choppy, we started early and headed north. Didn't get too far because choppy was a misnomer. We couldn't get out of the Elizabeth River...the waves were just knocking us all over. So, back we went to Hospital Point and dropped the hook in almost the same spot we'd left an hour earlier. Tuesday was a beautiful day in Norfolk and it was a nice night as well. Wednesday morning we set off again, and, wonder of wonders, we made it up the river, up the Bay, past Thimble Shoal Light, past Wolf Trap Light, past Stingray Light, up the Rappahannock, and into Locklies Creek by around 4:30 that evening. Whew, it felt really good to tie up knowing we'll be staying put for awhile!

Maggie in her favorite cockpit seat

Maggie is happy to be a settled, which is reflected in her milder attitude. She managed well, a little huffy some days, but we're pretty sure she will not miss the rocking and rolling.









Don't know if the weather has been nutty where you are, but several of those violent thunderstorms have hit since we've been here, and we are very glad this creek offers good protection. Of course, the lightening shows have been illuminating, but, for now, we've not seen anyone else take a hit, thank goodness. Between the 100+ degree days and the stormy evenings, it's been quite a welcome back to Virginia.



We'll be taking a break now and trying to get through some of our huge list of maintenance, update and repair items. We are enjoying time with the family, reconnecting with old friends, and recovering from all the travel. It's been a lot of fun, a lot of work, and an experience we'll treasure for years to come. Not sure where we'll head next, but keep an eye on us, because we'll start to get antsy and plan a new journey in a few months!

Thanks for traveling with us!

Quarriors!

Labyrinth Kids: Game Reviews by our Younger Customers

David's Rating:

You MUST play this game!
(see below for explanation)

by David, almost 8 years old  



How many times have you played this game?
About 15 times

Who usually plays it with you?

My Mom and her friends

What ages do you think would most enjoy the game?

7 years old to 50 years old

Do you think grown-ups would like it?

Yes

What is the game about?

It is a dice game about monsters.

How do you play?

You roll dice. If you roll monsters, you can put them out. If they live, you get points. The first one to 20 points wins.

What is your favorite thing about the game?
Beating my Mom!

What is your least favorite thing about the game?
Nothing

What kind of person do you think would like this game?
Boys

Anything else you'd like to tell us?
It has lots of dice. No children under 3 should get near it. The game is a little hard to learn for 7 year olds.

Store notes:
Quarriors! is a game of Uber Strategic Hexadedron Monster Combat Mayhem! It comes with 130 custom dice. During the game you build a dice pool, and attack other players with your monsters. Games usually last about 30 minutes. "Officially" recommended for ages 14+. 2 to 4 players

Rating System

6 – You MUST play this game!
5 – This is a great game. You should own it.
4 – It’s a good game. I’d like to play it again.
3– This is an alright game. I liked it, but not everyone will.
2– It’s an o.k. game, but I don’t really want to play it again.
1 – I would not recommend this game.

If your child is a Labyrinth customer and would like to review a game, please contact us at kathleen@labyrinthgameshop.com. 

Stop and Go....

Ah, Alligator River to Coinjock, a great day, and, except for the weird bugs that attack this time of year, uneventful. They are called "fuzzy bills" and they are apparently what we know as blind mosquitoes. They look a lot like mosquitoes, they are aquatic, but they don't bite. They do, however swarm by the thousands and attach themselves to any surface out of the wind and direct sun. All the enclosure and both sail covers were covered with them and they went halfway up the mast. We had to shut ourselves in the cockpit as much as possible to keep them away. They would fly behind our sun glasses and up our noses. PESKY!



We made good use of the water and electricity at Coinjock...hosed down the boat, drowning the majority of the fuzzy bills, and wallowed in the cool air conditioning that night! It was a pricey stop with fuel, dockage, electricity, and a dinner out, but we enjoyed it.



Here's the thing...50 miles from Coinjock, NC to Norfolk, VA. Not a bad day, but we travel between 5 and 6kts every hour, let's just use 5.5kts for ease. At Coinjock (Mile 50) boats are docked end to end with about a foot between them, so our plan to leave by 6:30am had to be pushed to whatever time either the trawler in front of us or the one behind decided to leave. The trawlers have bow thrusters so they can move sideways like a crab. So, we were able to get out about 7:00am when the Grand Banks behind us left. Now comes the puzzle. If you can figure it out so that we don't kill half our day waiting or traveling at ridiculously slow speeds, you WIN!



Mile 20.2 bridge opens on the hour and half hour



Mile 15.3 bridge opens on the hour and half hour



Mile 12.0 bridge opens on the hour only



Mile 11.3 lock locks on the hour and unlocks approximately on the half hour



Mile 8.8 bridge opens on the hour only



Mile 5.8 bridge opens on the half hour only and not at all between 3:30 and 6:30, and one last glitch...there is a railroad bridge immediately before this last bridge that may or may not close for trains and having no predetermined schedule.



So, math whizzes, what 'ya got? What we got was a lot of stop and go!



Well, it did take awhile, but we made it, amd even managed to hit the Gilmerton (Mile 5.8) before it shut down for 3 hours. Tom loves Norfolk...so much to look at and watch. Barb, not so much...the tugs with barges and ships everywhere make her a bit edgy. But you'll have to wait for the next post for our Norfolk experience...we seem to be trying to end our travels with a big finish!



Thanks for traveling along.