• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fireflies and Mud Pies

Simple crafts and play for kids!

  • Home
  • About
  • Our Book
  • Kids Crafts
    • How to Make Glitter Jars
    • Everything You Need to Know About Squirt Painting
    • Animal Crafts
    • Nature Crafts
    • Paper Crafts
    • Printable Crafts
    • Recycled Crafts
    • Suncatcher Crafts
  • Kids Activities
    • Learning Activities
    • Nature Activities
    • Play Activities
    • Sensory Activities
  • Seasonal
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Fall
  • Holidays
    • Christmas
      • Christmas Ornaments
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
You are here: Home / Family Life / How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

By Melissa Lennig on January 8, 2018 . This content contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Pin
  • Email

This post is sponsored by On-Cor. Thank you for supporting brands that help make this site possible. #CountOnCor #OvenTimeTips

Resolving to spend more time together as a family this new year? Try scheduling a Family Game Night!

Not only is Family Game Night a fun and frugal way to build strength within your family, but it also reaps many social-emotional benefits for kids.


How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

Every week, families across the country gather together to unwind, connect, and enjoy Family Game Night.

Our Family Game Night tradition began when the boys were 1 and 3. Saturday quickly became my favorite night of the week. How could it not with laughter, buttery popcorn, and everyone gathered together around the coffee table?

Nine years later, we’ve hardly skipped a Saturday game night. Our family still gathers to enjoy an easy dinner, snacks, and a friendly game in our family room.

Shared below are five tips for making Family Game Night memorable and fun!

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

1. Take Turns Choosing the Game

Decision making and turn-taking are important social skills for kids. Parents, you are definitely included in this. Family Game Night is a fun opportunity to introduce kids to games you enjoyed as a child.

I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of my favorite childhood game, Eureka, from an eBay seller. I can’t wait to play it with my boys!

2. Keep Dinner Simple

For 70 years, On-Cor has been making it easier for families to spend more time together as a family with their entrées, and they are my secret to keeping dinner simple on the nights we’ve planned Family Game Night.

On-Cor’s new packaging makes it easy for moms to understand exactly what they are feeding their families.

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

My kids really enjoy the On-Cor 6 Breaded Chicken Parmagiana Patties with Tomato Sauce I buy at our local Kroger.

I bake the frozen, fully-cooked entrée according to the directions, then pop it into glass bakeware and cover it with extra cheese to make “pizza chicken.”

Paired with a fresh salad, this tasty MSG-free On-Cor entrée makes it easy to spend more time together as a family. From hearty entrées to microwave favorites, convenience has never tasted so delicious.

No frills, no fancy. Just really, really good food.

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

3. Get Cozy

We love to dress in soft clothes, dim the lights, and wrap blankets over our shoulders during Family Game Night.

The cozy, warm atmosphere paired with the mouthwatering scent of an On-Cor entrée makes everyone feel comfortable and loved.

4. Be Screen-Free

Family Game Night is for family. Period. Turn off all screens and be present!

5. Keep the Mood Light

Set competitive feelings aside and play for fun!

Studies have shown that kids who regularly enjoy positive time with their families have higher self-esteem, increased school success, healthier peer relationships, and are less likely to use drugs and alcohol.

A relaxed Family Game Night setting can strengthen family relationships and reduces stress through laughter and play.

How to Make Family Game Night Memorable and Fun

Kids who regularly play games with their family have the opportunity to learn patience, sportsmanship, academic skills, and problem-solving. Get started with some of our favorite games!

  • Monopoly
  • Catan
  • Ticket to Ride
  • Sorry!
  • Uno
  • Jenga
  • Race to the Treasure
  • Sequence for Kids
  • Apples to Apples Junior
  • Dominoes

On-Cor Giveaway

Life’s demanding enough. Dinner shouldn’t be.

Let On-Cor help you plan a memorable and fun Family Game Night by entering to win an On-Cor Prize Pack.

The prize will include a coupon valid for one free On-Cor entrée, a children’s apron and kitchen tools set, a children’s cookbook, Monopoly or The Game of Life, a popcorn maker, and a popcorn bowl.

To enter, please leave a comment below sharing what your favorite On-Cor entrée is and your New Year’s resolutions.

This giveaway is only open to readers, ages 18 or older, with a US shipping address. Please review our giveaway rules before entering.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of On-Cor. The opinions and text are all mine.

Filed Under: Family Life Tagged With: games

About Melissa Lennig

Melissa is a mom of two boys, a former Elementary School Counselor, and the author of Sticks and Stones: A Kid's Guide to Building and Exploring in the Great Outdoors. She shares easy crafts, activities, recipes, and parenting tips on her blog, Fireflies and Mud Pies. Follow her on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Previous Post: « The Most Colorful and Fun Winter Mitten Craft for Kids
Next Post: How to Make the Sweetest Valentine Hedgehog Craft for Kids »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. shelly peterson says

    January 17, 2018 at 7:51 am

    We like the Lasagna. Our goal is to exercise more.
    cshell090869 at aol dot com

  2. Laurajj says

    January 20, 2018 at 5:40 pm

    My favorite is their Sliced Turkey and Gravy! We love making open faced sandwiches with them…bread…the turkey…scoop of mashed potatoes..and gravy on top! YUM! My New years resolution this year is to get back into using coupons and saving my family money!

  3. Stephanie Grant says

    January 21, 2018 at 7:09 pm

    Our favorite On-Cor dinner is Southern Style Gravy with Breaded Beef Patties and one of my resolutions this year is to spend more time with the family without any kind of social media or screens!

  4. Maggie says

    January 23, 2018 at 2:12 pm

    Thank you Melissa! I have two boys 3.5 and 4.5 years old right now. What would be your suggestions for board games they can play? I’ve been looking but unsure.

    • Melissa Lennig says

      January 23, 2018 at 6:19 pm

      Hey Maggie! I would check out games from Peaceable Kingdom. My boys really love Race to the Treasure (http://amzn.to/2DAIyic). Other great brands for that age group are eeBoo (they make the most beautiful memory games like this one: http://amzn.to/2G6GGLH) and Blue Orange Games (my kids LOVED Pengoloo when they were your kids’ age: http://amzn.to/2E1ZqLM). I think I should write a post about favorite games next! Thank for reaching out!

« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Looking for Something?

Trending This Month

The Best Oatmeal Cookies

How a Glitter Jar Can Help Kids Control Their Feelings

Fluttering Paper Butterfly Craft

Order Our New Book!

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclosures

Copyright © 2019 · Fireflies and Mud Pies