Probably when we were about 8, my bff Renata, and I were avid monopoly fans.  Ok, maybe the appropriate word is actually obsessed.  We got together as often as we could and would hide in our room, playing for hours.  I’m sure, this of course, pleased my mother as we were engaged the entire time we were together.  Those are some fun memories…the strategies, friendship, and fun times spent with Renata are easily engrained in my young mind. 

We have all of the kiddos toys and even my games and old costumes/dress-ups in the loft closet.  The kiddos have been wanting to play Monopoly.  The designer pulled it down a couple weeks ago and let them play with the pieces. 

One morning, a few days later, I pulled it down and the kiddos and I spent over an hour learning to play my favorite childhood board game.  Of course it was interesting with a 4, 3 and 20 month old.  The explorer required playing with the houses, hotels, and one of the die.  This proved useful, for we didn’t play long enough to need the houses and hotels, and only rolling one die was much easier for counting and moving.  Oh, and we hit most of the spots on the board as we went along.

At first the dancer was unlucky, landing on properties that the builder had just bought.  But when she was getting a hang on the whole buying thing, she began to land on un-bought properties.  They had a blast counting the currency and collecting the colored cards.  They really got into the whole “I wanna buy it” concept.  And it was a fun morning activity.  We sorted, organized, and had lots of great opportunities to refine skills they are learning. 

A few nights ago, we invited the designer to join us.  He and I would laugh when the kiddos wanted to re-roll or didn’t want to land on “that one”.  I think we’ve got a lot of fun game days and nights ahead of us as a family.  🙂

What were your favorite games growing up?  What are your favs now?  What do your kiddos enjoy?