The boys have become addicted…to games!

We brought as many games as we could with us from Alberta, often repackaging them into Ziploc bags and leaving the cardboard boxes at home.  We had been warned about having a lot of cardboard on the boat with us as cockroaches like to lay their eggs in the glue that is used to put boxes together.  Yuck!  So we repacked most of our games and left the original packaging at home.  Fortunately, we have not really travelled to many places where cockroaches and their eggs are a problem.  Phew!

Anyways, we play a game as a family almost every afternoon, especially when it is raining outside as has been common for the month of September.  The great thing is, now James and Matthew will pick a game out of the big tub, set it up and play themselves with minimal help from Mom and Dad!  Our favorite games have been Dominion, the original set plus two expansion packs that we purchased online while in Florida, Agricola, and some two player games like Carcassonne, Lost Cities, Chess and Backgammon.

Dominion!

The big boys play at least two or three games by themselves every single day!  It is a great way to spend an hour or two and hopefully it is teaching them some skills like how to lose gracefully (we are still struggling with that one), taking turns and even simple strategy lessons.  Most of the games that we play are for adults or much older children, but we have simplified them slightly in order for James and Matthew to participate in them.  The gaming sessions are not without fighting and even some tears and we have even had to shut down some games mid-way through for bad attitudes and tantrums, but usually the positives outweigh the negatives.

A game of Dominion all set up in the boy’s bedroom.

They often have a game before breakfast even!

James and Matthew playing a game of Carcassonne. They play mostly by the rules, but don’t keep score.

Agricola!

Matthew beats his big brother and his mom on a regular basis. It’s kinda hard on the old ego! I think James is hiding under the table.

Backgammon game this morning and Ethan is working on a puzzle.

Ethan often still has a nap in the afternoon, so while he is taking a little snooze, we will play a game with the four of us.  Otherwise, Ethan “plays” along with us and his own cards or pieces and if all else fails, he watches a movie.  We still enjoy an occasional game of Uno and Go Fish, but all the other games are getting played as they never have before.  Thank goodness for games!

L