A Free Weekend!
For the first time in forever…we didn’t have a jam-packed weekend. It was great except for Nicole working on Saturday.
I took advantage of the nice weather to begin planning for spring. Here you can see my 20′ x 50′ tarp covering freshly mowed grass. The idea is that the tarp will kill all the grass and weed seeds. In the spring, we’ll try planting this area with wheat. My daughter-in-law, Therese, is quite the baker and so we thought we would give growing some wheat a try. I’ll keep you posted…
After working on this and some other “clean-up” projects, I watched THE Ohio State Buckeyes win..again. Here’s hoping the wins continue for them. Later in the evening we decided to enjoy a fire in the pit, roast marshmallows, and soak in the star light.
Games Not Gaming
Finally, on Sunday, after Mass we decided to institute a “Screen-Free Sunday” to the great joy and glee of our children. Okay, maybe not. After the initial revolt we dove into the board games and embraced our wild, analog side.
We began with the tried and true – Pictionary. I cannot remember the last time I played this game but it was a treat. There was certainly a learning curve playing with an 9 year-old and 11 year-old. We had a great time with plenty of laughs. Unfortunately, if you are interested in getting the game today, you may need a HELOC! Our version is on Amazon for $68.95!!! Crazy! Maybe take a look at the antique malls or yard sales first!
We also played Carcassonne. I’ll admit, this isn’t my type of game. We’ve had this for years and many have played it but I always resisted. However, I found that I thoroughly enjoyed the game. It’s a tile game where you place tiles and try to build castles, fields, and monasteries. There’s a lot of strategy involved along with a little luck. I’m actually looking forward to playing again! It’s a fun game that can be played over and over with very different results each time. Ages 7+, 2-5 players.
A Homemade Game
Finally, the game we played most during our Screen-Free Sunday was a homemade version of Shut the Box. This simple game can be played anywhere and you probably have all the game pieces somewhere in your house. It’s a great game for math (addition). Just don’t tell the kids that’s why you like it. We learned this game recently at the Frontier Spirit 1799 event in Lancaster, OH.
Materials: Game Sheet, pair of dice, nine pennies or similar item to place on the game sheet during play, pencil and paper for scorekeeping.
I created a Game Sheet PDF that you can download here or create your own by drawing lines on a full sheet of paper that divides the paper into 9 squares (think tic-tack-toe). Number each box 1 through 9.
This is a very old game and so there are many different variations. Feel free to try things but this is how we play.
The youngest player rolls the dice. If they roll a ten or higher, reroll.
If the combination shown on the dice is 9 or below, they begin covering the numbers on the page with the coins (i.e. shut the numbers). For instance, if 9 is rolled they can cover the 9 or 8+1 or 7+2 or 6+3 or 5+4. (See where the math practice comes in?)
The player rolls again and tries to cover more spaces. This continues until the player can no longer cover any spaces from their roll.
EXAMPLE: Player rolls a 2 and 5 (7). He shuts the 7. The next roll is 6 and 3 (9); he shuts the 9. The next roll is 3 and 1 (4); he shuts the 3 and 1. The next roll is a 1 and 1 (2); he shuts the 2. The next roll is a 6 and 1 (7). Since the only numbers still open are 4, 5, 6, and 8, and he can’t make 7, his turn is over and he records his score. In this case, his score would be 23. The board is cleared of markers and the next player tries. In the end, whoever has the lowest score wins. However, if one person is able to put markers on all 9 spots, they have Shut the Box and automatically win the round.
Note: If numbers 7-8-9 have been shut, the player may opt to use only one die.
It’s a fun, easy game, and helps with mental math. Another version, played the same way, has 12 squares. If you’d like a PDF of the 12 square version, let me know and I’ll make one.
Does your family have a favorite game, purchased or created yourself? Let us know in the comments.
Bonus image: Found in Porter’s Coffeehouse, Pickerington, OH. Great spot, highly recommend!!
James M. Hahn, Author 