When I was in Junior High, I remember going to a birthday party where we all had different roles and we pretended to solve a murder. We dressed up and my friend's mom made a themed meal. It was so much fun! I want my kids to have experiences like this. Motivated by this memory I went searching for a ...
Middle School Games
Throw Throw Burrito
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This has to be one of the most fun, family-friendly games that we have ever played. Initially, we received the outdoor inflatable burrito edition as a gift. I highly recommend this outdoor version with giant burritos and sturdier cards if you have a large indoor space or the climate for outdoor ...
Not Parent Approved
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There is not a game in the world that makes my kids laugh as much as this one. Not all parents are going to be comfortable with the potty references, but all in all, the humor is pretty tame. The most sexual it gets is "hot girls." There is no bad language. However, there may be a few references to ...
Taboo Kids vs. Parents
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I first played the original Taboo at a game night with adult friends a couple years ago. It was a blast. I thought if a bunch of grown women could have so much fun getting tongue tied, it was definitely a game I wanted to play with my family. I discovered Taboo Kids vs. Parents and bought it the ...
Forbidden Island
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Forbidden Island is currently our family's favorite game. My kids range in age from 4 to 10. It is important to me that despite this wide difference in ages, we find ways to all have fun together. There are two aspects of Forbidden Island that make it perfect for kids of disparate ages. First, it is ...
Zeus on the Loose
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My quest to make learning math facts fun through games continues with Zeus on the Loose. This one is another winner. Kids add single digit numbers on "Mount Olympus" until the total is over 100. They have to strategize to try and bring the total to a multiple of 10 in order to steal Zeus. With Zeus ...
Prime Climb
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Math is beautiful. I've always known this, but I feel like this fact is somehow missed by the general population. Prime Climb is the closest I have seen to a math game that illustrates the simplistic, beautiful elegance of numbers. I love that it could be played by little kids who can count to 10 ...
Dixit
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Dixit is so creative and fun. My 7 and 10 year olds LOVE playing this game. My husband and I love it too. Since it doesn't require any reading, our 3 and 5 year olds can play with us. The younger kids don't typically win, but they can still score points, which keeps them interested. This is on of ...
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
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This is hands down my kids' new favorite game (ages 3 to 10). They got it for Christmas and we have played it several times in the past week. I'm not sure it would count as "educational" by any standards, but it definitely fosters family togetherness. It also allows kids to work on their attention ...
Professor Noggin Games
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My kids absolutely LOVE playing these Professor Noggin games during dinner. My 8 year old in particular will pretty much beg and is super bummed if we're not able to for some reason. However, all four of my kids (ages 2, 4, 6, and 8) really enjoy playing these games and are learning a ton. Somehow ...
Michelle has a PhD in Engineering from Stanford University and a Bachelor's Degree from the California Institute of Technology. 