The cold weather keeps many of us indoors during winter, but that doesn’t mean your family or friends need to miss out on fun. Game nights are a great way to bond, play and simply enjoy time together. 

Are you tired of the same old game nights and want to try something different? Here are seven game night ideas to mix things up. 

Ante Up

When I say ante up, I don’t mean you necessarily need to use money. But, you can have rewards for winners. It can be simple prizes, like candy or small items. Or, it can even be less tangible things like getting out of chores for an amount of time or getting control of the remote one night. 

Pick a Theme

Have a themed game night. You could do mysteries like murder mystery games. You could even throw in a mystery movie after the game. If you have older children (usually 12 and up), my family loves those Hunt A Killer games. They have all you need in a box to solve the mystery. 

Disney is another great theme since there are so many game options. They also pair well with Disney movies to make a whole day of it. We love these two Disney games, Villainous and Hedbanz.

Pair Off

If you have four or more participating in game night, try team games. A couple fun ones are Pictionary and Apples to Apples (there is a kids version). You can also turn two player games into a team game and have teams work together as one player.

Challenge Your Intellect

Pick games that allow you and your family/friends to challenge your intellect. Some great options are Scrabble (or Scrabble Soup for younger kids), Battleship and Clue. 

Go Retro

Play classic games from what I like to call a simpler time. A few of my family’s favorites are Mall Madness, Candy Land, Twister, Guess Who?, Monopoly and Life. Think back on your childhood and the games you loved playing. Now is the time to let the next generation enjoy them, too!

Get Digital

We have an old school Super Nintendo which is always fun! No matter if you pick a current or older gaming system, going digital is a great way to enhance game night. Since most video games are two players, turn them into tournaments to get everyone playing.

Play Cards

Even with a simple deck of cards, you can have a full game night. Some ideas are Rummy, Go Fish, War, Crazy Eights, Poker, Hearts and Blackjack. There are also many fun special deck card games like Uno and Old Maid. 

Whether you use one of these or incorporate several, I hope they make for fun family game nights this winter!