What's a great board game I can get for my girlfriend's kids?

Question

They're 10, 13, and 16 years old. They're all so wired to Playstation and internet that it's almost impossible to gain their attention at once....so I'm going to Toys R Us and buying a board game. Preferably something educational like historical trivia or something of the like.

Answer 1

Cranium games are a hit, also Pictionary.  Yes there are trivial pursuit type games suited to that age level, for example a Disney one.

Answer 2

Life and Monopoly are usually quite addicting once they get started with them.  Also consider some games that two of them could play together - scrabble, mancala, operation, connect 4.  They are all at great ages to start learning to play chess.  Possibly look for one of those wooden sets that have several traditional games - checkers, chess, chinese checkers, backgammon, and maybe a couple of others.  I have seen them at several stores, including Walmart and Homesense, and they are not very expensive - much less than buying all the games separately.

Answer 3

scrabble, its fun and educational!!

Answer 4

Theres nothing wrong with Monopoly or snakes and ladders. Esp. if you cheat. This will get a few discussions started.

Answer 5

Risk...its pretty educational cuz it includes geography

Answer 6

Apples to Apples!

Answer 7

snakes and ladders

Answer 8

Cranium or apples to apples

Answer 9

I would suggest a board game called blokus ( http://www.blokus.com ).  It's simple enough for kids of a younger age but has a ton of strategic depth.  It's colorful so it should catch their attention right away and the strategy should keep them coming back for more.

Don't be fooled by how simple this game looks, the rules are easy but the game is deep enough even to entertain adults.

This one is not educational in a traditional way but it is no doubt great for the mind.

Answer 10

Look in your local board games shop for a game called "Bankruptcy."  It's a card game, but it's not something you need to collect, all the cards are in there.

If your kids have short attention spans, this is the game for them.  A game can last between 5 and 15 minutes, and it's a kind of game that they can burn hours away on because they want to play "one more game."  The rules are simple, and there are snarky quotes from actual economists and newspapers.

Modern Art is another fast, fun game.  But my advice? Try to get you and your kids to go to a board game night at your local tabletop shop.  It's tough to pick out a good board game because they are either overmarketed c**p (like Sorry or Trouble) or really fun but the box art makes the game look boring.  Board game geeks know what's worth playing, and there is nothing more fun than a night of the right board games.

As for education?  Good luck with that.  Board games teach problem solving, strategy, persuasion, and bluffing.  Even though a lot of them are based in history, you're not going to learn your history from it.  Board games are supposed to be fun.

Oh, and later, if your kids actually ask for board games?  Totally get Arkham horror.  Best cooperative experience ever.