7 (plus 1) of Our (Current) Favorite Family Games

This post contains affiliate links.

We enjoy board games in our house.  A lot.  I'm not sure how many we own at this point.  There are games in the cabinet in the library, in the trunks in the living room, in the closets, and probably more that I'm forgetting about!  Family game night . . . or afternoon . . . or morning . . . is a common activity.  Both Catherine, age 8, and Dominic, age 4, enjoy all eight of these games with us.  (I should note, that while our youngest player is a mere four years old he has somewhat shockingly advanced game skills.)  Sometimes we adjust, or bend, the rules for the kids, but not always! 


1. Ticket to Ride

I'm a huge Ticket to Ride fan.  It might be a little silly, but I own the majority of the series.  The concept is simple enough for young players.  Some of the versions are a little more challenging and there's enough strategy to fully engage everyone. 

2. Ticket to Ride App

Yes, I know this is a rehash of #1; however, Dominic and I play the Ticket to Ride app almost daily so it seemed like it deserved a place of its own.  When it's just the two of us it's nice to not have to set the game board up, plus I find it easier to play while nursing, cuddling, holding, and playing with the baby.  The app is also a great way to play with far away family members.  My Dad, who lives several states away, is able to play with us!

3. Blokus

We lucked into this game at a thrift store.  The concept is simple.  It's easy to learn but (somewhat) difficult to win.

4. Spot It

My husband spotted this one at a community yard sale.  It's so much fun!  It's a quick paced game.  Do you only have three minutes?  This is the game for you!  When the kids were first learning how to play I would challenge myself by having to (silently) find their match before finding my own.

5. Splendor

In our family we've had the youngest player (while three years old) be the "gatherer" for one of the parents.  This has worked out really well for us.  Now that he's four he plays independently.  We tried giving him a handicap (extra resources at the start of the game) but then he won handedly, so that had to stop!

6. Karuba

There are a few ways to make this "addictive tile laying game" a family game for everyone.  We've played this successfully as a family for over a year now.  At first, we had the youngest player simply line up his tiles in numerical order (since every player has his own board this won't affect anyone else's game play!) 

8. Settlers of Catan

Ok, I know, it has officially been rebranded to just "Catan".  But . . . they're wrong.  If you absolutely must shorten it, then it should be "Settlers".  C'mon.  All that aside, this is simply a great family game.  We've had some shockingly tight four player games.

There's one more game that I'd like to add as a +1. It's not quite the same caliber as the above games, but we've had lots of great family fun with it!

8. Pictopia: Disney Edition

This was yet another yard sale find!  The questions are pretty easy, I would say too easy, but maybe that's just me.  (As you might have noticed, I am a bit of a Disney fan girl, as it pops up every so often her on the blog.)  The kids love being able to answer trivia questions, and it never gets too frustrating for them since so many questions are answered as a team.

What are games are your (current) family favorites?  Do you adjust the rules to make it easier for younger kids to join the fun? 

Interview with a Four Year Old

This post contains affiliate links.  If you purchase something after clicking on these links I will receive a small amount of compensation.  It in no way affects the price that you pay.

There's a new four year old in town!  I know it's cliche, but HOW DID HE GET SO OLD!?!?

1. How old are you? Four.
2. What's your favorite food? All of them.  Probably not all of them.  I don't know.  Probably cake.  My favorite food is cake.
3. What's your favorite book? Biscuit.
4. What's your favorite color? Green.
5. What's your favorite thing to do outside? Play on the playground.
6. What's your favorite game? Ticket to Ride.  
7. Where's somewhere you want to visit? The beach. (He then proceeded to tell me about how he wants to go to the beach in Alaska, because they have a big beach.  We live in Florida.)
8. What state is your favorite? Alaska. Montana.  All the states.
9. What's something that you are good at? I'm good at playing.  I'm also good at building Magformers.  And building puzzles.  And driving the Cozy Coupe.  I'm also good at getting in boxes.
10. What did you do today that was nice? I don't know.  I played when you said play.
11. What is something that you like to make? The Giant Road.
12. What is your favorite letter? I think I like H and J.  Two letters are my favorite.
13. What's something that you want to do this year? Digging.  
14. What do you want to learn this year? There are a lot of things that I haven't learned.  (Wise, kid.  Wise.)
15. What's something you like to do with me? Read.
16. What's something you like to do with Daddy? Play games.
17. What's something you like to do with your sister? Play.
18. What's something you like to do with your baby brother? Play with his toys.
19. What's your favorite day? Wednesday.
20. What's your favorite holiday? Wednesday.
21. What's your favorite building? Denny's. (We haven't set foot in a Denny's since he was an itty-bitty baby!)
22. What's your favorite restaurant? Olive Garden!
23. What do you want to be when you grow up? A word.
24. Who is your best friend? You. (My heart melted.)
25. What's your favorite thing that I made for you? My green hat.  (It's a Cherry Twist in green, just like this one.) 

PlasmaCar Giveaway (Ends 11/19) US

This post contains affiliate links.

Welcome to the PlasmaCar for the Holidays Giveaway!

You can read What U Talking Bout Willis's review here.  My oldest two kids each have one of these cars and I can honestly say that they both love them!  Ours have already provided countless hours of fun.

This giveaway will go from November 5th to November 19, 201711:59 pm est. You must be 18 years of age or older & be a resident of the US to enter/win.

(Do you need to get one right away?  You can purchase them on Amazon with my affiliate link.)

  One winner will receive their own PlasmaCar, your choice of color from what is offered. You will have 24 hours to respond to the winner notification email. You can enter on the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: We reserve the right to make revisions, to cancel, or suspend this contest for any reason. We are not associated with any of the companies named above. The odds of winning are based on the number of entries received. This is Open to the US Only and she must be 18 years or older to enter. Confirmed Winner(s) (by Random.org) will be contacted by email. Winner(s) have 24 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. The sponsor(s) will be responsible for product shipment to winner(s) of this giveaway. What U Talking Bout Willis?(and any other blog participating) is not responsible for product shipment/delivery. This event is in no way administered, sponsored, or endorsed by, or associated with, Facebook and/or Twitter, Google, Pinterest. This disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements. Entrants must only enter with either one email address, IP address and/or Facebook account, anyone found violating these rules will be disqualified.

Disney with Two Little Kids and One Adult

This post contains affiliate links.  This means that I will receive a small compensation if you purchase something after clicking through one of my links.  The price does not change based on whether or not you use one of my affiliate links. 

(Note: I need to write an update for this post, because now I regularly go to Disney World with my THREE kids while my husband is at work!)

We're addicted to Disney.

We go often.  It's a rare week that we aren't there.  (Unless we're blocked because we don't have the crazy-super-duper expensive passes.  Just the regular ol' pretty expensive passes.)

Almost every time it's the whole family: me, Daddy, Catherine, and Dominic.  However, it has been just me and the kids a more than a few times.  Am I crazy?  Well, maybe.  But not for this.

Since I've done it successfully so often I thought I would share some tips that have worked well for us.  I know there are lots of scenarios out there that equate into only one parent being able to bring the kids, so maybe something in here will help you.  Also, a lot of these Disney tips could apply to anyone, so even if you're just a kid at heart something here might help you!

1. Pick your park.

I recommend sticking with Magic Kingdom.  As I write this, my kids are two and six.  Catherine, 6, can ride everything Magic Kingdom has to offer.  Dominic can ride a lot, but certainly not everything.

While you could piece together a fun trip to Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom with proper planning (and we have) I think Magic Kingdom is the best bet.  The only Disney World park that the kids and I haven't done without Daddy is Hollywood Studios -- but a lot of that has to do with him being a major Star Wars aficionado.  (At the bottom of this post check out my links for "What to do at Disney's ______ Park with Little Kids and Babies" for planning help.)

The one big negative that Magic Kingdom has is getting over the lake.  If you drive to Disney, which I do as a local, getting from the car to the front gate at the other parks takes ten minutes, tops, at Magic Kingdom it frequently takes a half an hour or more.

2. Adjust your expectations.

If you're solo with the little people there's a good chance that you won't be able to do everything that you'd like.  Space Mountain is one of my favorite rides at Magic Kingdom.  I simply can't ride it though when it's just me and the kids.  I've even had to give up an elusive Mine Train FastPass that I somehow scored because, clearly, Dominic can't wait for me by himself while Catherine and I ride.  (That was a day we thought Daddy might be able to come.)  I'm one of those people that could be at the park from opening to closing and be totally happy.  My kids can't do that.  Acknowledge that this might not be your ideal trip and then, well, let it go.


3. Watch carefully for tiredness.

I think this is especially important whenever the children outnumber the adults.  You only have so many arms!  Maybe you have mastered baby (or toddler) wearing, pushing a stroller, carrying an umbrella, juggling three cups of water, AND not bumping into other people, but I haven't.  Getting tired and cranky isn't good for anyone; sometimes cutting a visit short is the answer.  When it's been just me and the kids we typically stay at the parks for about 4 to 6 hours.  More than that gets dicey.

4. Bring the stroller.

I never go without a stroller.  My Fitbit shows that I average about 7 miles a day in the parks.  (Keep in mind, these are short park visits -- for a longer visit it's easily over 10 miles!)  That's a lot for little legs.  I've been looking for one of the sit and stand type strollers, but haven't found a good one in my price range.  (Meaning I haven't found a good one at a yard sale or on Craigslist yet!)  Catherine does a great job of keeping up, but I have had them both ride in the single stroller together more than once.

A word of caution about strollers: If you aren't at the park early (which you should be!) you will probably need to take a tram in the parking lot.  Please note, you must fold up your stroller to get on the tram.  This means that you, and you alone, will be carrying your stroller, the bags, and the kids.  That can get quite overwhelming.  If you're early you will most likely be in one of the close parking lots and can skip the tram.  (I almost always chose to skip the tram.)

5. Plan your visit.

Get those FastPasses!  Lines for Winnie the Pooh, Buzz, and especially Peter Pan can be quite long.  Also, ask the kids what they would like to do, their answers might surprise you.  One time both of my kids wanted to spend time in Pooh's house.  We hung out in front of the ride playing in Pooh's house for over half an hour.  They loved it.  Another time Dominic wanted to ride the "horses" over and over again, so we rode the Carousel a half dozen times one morning.

6. Get there early.

This is a good Disney World tip in general.  My kids tend to be early rises, so getting there early isn't really an issue for us.  While the initial opening of the gates surge can be intimidating if you've never been there before, it typically is the least crowded part of the day.  Enjoy it!  Seriously, you can get on about a dozen rides by lunchtime if you're there for the gate drop.


7. Pack carefully.

We typically have three bags: small cooler, diaper bag, and a rain gear bag.  The cooler (similar to this one) generally has PB&J and a few snacks (we don't pack water since it's free at all of the restaurants), the diaper bag has one day's worth of supplies, and then we have some type of rain protection for each person (especially during the rainy season).  Try to keep each bag as minimal as possible.  Whatever you bring you will be lugging around for the entire day.  You will also probably be lugging your children at some point.  I sometimes ditch the rain gear bag, although that has been a bad decision more than once, and sometimes we bring our pin trading bag (similar to this one, but ours is pink, with princesses).

8. Have fun!

It's Disney.  Enjoy yourself!  A Disney day, or week, will be different if you're the solo adult, but everyone can still have a great time!

Do you have any great Disney tips to share?  Let me hear them in the comments section!

Be sure to take a look at what you can do with little kids and babies at each of the Disney World parks!

Clicking on the above photos should get you to the right post, but just in case, here are the links again:

Magic Kingdom with Little Kids and Babies

Hollywood Studios with Little Kids and Babies

Epcot with Little Kids and Babies

Animal Kingdom with Little Kids and Babies

I will be sharing this post at various blog parties, including these. 

What Can I Do At Disney's Magic Kingdom With Little Kids and Babies?

This post may contain affiliate links. 

Magic Kingdom.  This park truly is Disney.  It's classic.  It is by far the most family friendly park of the Walt Disney World Resorts. The whole family can ride together on most of the rides, see lots of shows, and meet characters.  In the past year I've been there quite often, even a few times where it was just me and the kids (ages 1 and 5).  We've always had a fantastic time, because there is simply so much we can do!

Can I bring my little one on rides at Disney's Magic Kingdom?

Yes!  There are lots of rides the whole family from babies to great-grandparents can ride together! Here is a list of all the rides that allow riders of "any height".  Keep in mind that oftentimes the youngest riders will have to sit on an adults lap, and it is one child per lap.  (It's also best to figure out who's sitting with whom before you get to the boarding zone.)

• Astro Orbiter Height
• Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Haunted Mansion (a little spooky)
• "it's a small world"
• Jungle Cruise
• Liberty Square Riverboat (no seats!)
• Mad Tea Party
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Peter Pan's Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Prince Charming Regal Carousel
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover
• Tom Sawyer Island (take a short boat ride over to the island that you self-explore by foot)
• Journey of The Little Mermaid
• Walt Disney World Railroad
• Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress *

*A note about the Carousel of Progress. Maybe it should be classified as a show, since you sit in a theater seat and watch a stage; however, the theater moves.  Keep in mind that this means you must stay seated for the duration of the show which is just over 20 minutes long. You cannot get up to walk a fussy baby.  If you do this the entire ride has to shut down and things get messy.   You could easily nurse a fussy baby in the AC while enjoying the show. 

Are the shows appropriate for all ages?

Yes!  The shows are entertaining for all ages.  The following is a list of the indoor (and air-conditioned) shows that the whole family will enjoy.      

• Country Bear Jamboree
• The Hall of Presidents ("fun" might be a little strong for the younger crowd)
• Mickey's PhilharMagic
• Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor
• Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room
• Enchanted Tales with Belle (Very entertaining and interactive)

There is always a variety of outdoor entertainment too -- everything from the Dapper Dans along Main Street to the fireworks over Cinderella's Castle.  

Can I bring my baby to meet Micky?

Of course! Character meet and greets are for guests of all sizes and ages.  Let those babies get Princess kisses and meet The Mouse Himself!  I have been quite amazed at how each character that we've met has taken great care to make those brief moments special.  The characters focus on making your child happy -- no matter the age.  (They also are quite accommodating to adults.)

Dominic fell asleep while waiting to meet Cinderella.
Can you see Catherine's expression?  She was utterly enthralled and amazed by the experience.

What can't my little kids and babies ride?

There are a few rides that simply aren't safe for shorter riders (or if there are certain health concerns).  For these rides your group will need to split up.  Be sure to take advantage of the Rider Swap option to get everyone that meets the requirements on the ride!  Here's a list of the rides with height restrictions:

• Tomorrowland Speedway -- Height: 32 inches
• The Barnstormer -- Height: 35 inches 
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train -- Height: 38inches
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad -- Height: 40 inches
• Splash Mountain -- Height: 40 inches
• Stitch's Great Escape! -- Height: 40inches
• Space Mountain -- Height: 44 inches

These two attractions aren't rides, or shows, or a character greeting, but they are fun for all ages:

• Swiss Family Treehouse 
• Casey Jr. Splash 'N' Soak Station

As you can see, there is plenty to keep your whole family, including little kids and babies, busy all day long!  In fact, I would be shocked if you were able to fully experience in the whole park in a day. (Personally, I've been there 20+ times in the past year and I still feel like there's stuff I haven't done or seen!)  If you can, spend multiple days enjoying the magic at Magic Kingdom.

Keep in mind that things at Walt Disney World are constantly changing.  Something that might be there today might not be there tomorrow.  Something that is there today might not have been there yesterday.  Attractions will need maintenance.  If you notice something on this page that needs updating please leave me a comment.

Enter here.

Holland America's Club HAL: Great Time & Amazing Customer Service

This is a sponsored post. This post contains affiliate links.

If you ask Catherine what was the best part of our recent cruise, she will emphatically exclaim "Kid's Club!"  Just look at that smile on her face!  (The face painting was a part of kid's club events.)  She loved it there, in fact, she still gets sad that we aren't on the Noordam so she can "go to Club HAL everyday!".

Club HAL® -- Kids is for children ages three to seven.  (I did see online that on the ms Prinsendam, children must be at least five.)  They play games, make crafts, color, play Legos, eat ice cream, watch movies, have a pajama party, and simply enjoy themselves.  Below is the main area for Catherine's age group, the three to seven year olds.  Tweens and teens have separate areas to play and hang out.

Children participating in this program must be completely self-sufficient in the restroom as the staff cannot assist the kids.  They even had a smaller toilet and sink just for the kids!

The one and only negative was Catherine was quite sad one night.  On Pirate Night they built ships out of Legos but the "teachers", as she called them, put all of the Legos away before she had time to play with the ship.  All activities were scheduled, and while it was a somewhat loose schedule, they did try to follow it.  At home she's typically allowed to play with something until she's finished with it and then we move on to the next activity.  So I guess it was rather shocking and upsetting for her that she had to follow someone else's schedule and wasn't able to play with her creation.  I realize this is a very small thing, and it was exasperated by tiredness, but it was surprising to me to find Catherine on the verge of tears (even though she didn't want to leave) when I went to pick her up one night. (SEE MY UPDATE BELOW.)

Every single time I went to pick Catherine up from Club HAL she was disappointed to see me.  She always wanted to stay longer.  The above picture is after I picked her up and brought her back to our stateroom for bedtime.  She was begging and pleading to go back.  Dominic was sympathetic to her case.  While it was somewhat disheartening that my little girl didn't jump for joy to see me when she saw me coming to get her, I really loved that she enjoyed the youth activities.

It should be noted that Holland America takes the children's safety seriously, the staff at Club HAL is accredited by Praesidium, Inc..  They have a zero tolerance policy on child abuse.  All of the staff that Catherine and I encountered through Club HAL were fantastic.

For more of our cruise related fun check out the following:

{Shipwreck & Fish Feeding Tour}

{Quick Review}

{Cruise Cuisine}

UPDATE:

As you know from reading this post, we had the fantastic opportunity to enjoy a Holland America Cruise.  I recently posted about our, and specifically Catherine's, experiences at Club HAL.  Overall she loved her time at "kids club".  In fact, she still talks about it regularly, mostly lamenting the fact that she can't go today.  As noted above, the one minor blemish of the week was that she didn't have time to play with her Lego creation one night.

A couple of days ago a large mysterious package arrived on our doorstep.  It was addressed to Catherine.  Her birthday isn't for a couple of months, and the grandparents hadn't said anything about sending something, so we were perplexed.

We opened it together and found an awesome Pirate Ship.  At the bottom of the box was the invoice with the note: "Sorry to hear you didn't get to play with your Lego boat at Club HAL. Hope you can enjoy playing with this one."  It only took a second to realize that this set was a gift from Holland America.  

Seriously, this Duplo set is pretty cool -- and this is coming from someone way past the recommended age.  A captain's wheel, mast and sail, a treasure chest, and even a cannon that shoots "balls" all come with this set.  Catherine did a great job putting it all together the "right" way first, and then had a blast free-playing with the blocks.  Upon opening the box she played with the Pirate ship for almost three hours, with minimal breaks.  We even ate dinner at our breakfast bar that night because the dining room table was still covered with the ship, an island, treasure, and the like.  She has played with the set everyday since then for hours.  Dominic has even been able to get in on some of the fun.

This has to be one of the most amazing instances of customer service that I've seen.  They cared about our experience -- even months after -- even though it was something minor.  Catherine loved Club HAL, and will emphatically tell you that it was the best part of the cruise.

I have to admit, this attention to detail, even long after we have disembarked, makes me want to sail exclusively on Holland America.  I'm not sure when our next cruise will be, but they have my vote!   

Thank you, Holland America!

I did receive a few amenities free of charge from Holland America, but everything you read on my blog is my honest opinion.

Step2 Igloo Wagon with Cooler (Ends 4/13) US

Welcome to the Step2 Igloo Wagon with Cooler Giveaway

 Hosted by Thrifty Nifty Mommy and Viva Veltoro 

Sponsored by Step2

The following is what our hostesses have to say: 

Spring is here and if your little ones are ready to get outside and play, we've got just the thing for you! Step2 has just released their NEW Igloo Wagon with Cooler and they've combined two great things into one - a wagon AND an Igloo cooler!

Here's some information about this COOL new product from Step2: The Igloo® Wagon with Cooler by Step2 is the perfect ride-on for long days trips for the little ones. It’s a 2-in-1 wagon and cooler that will keep your kiddos comfortable and your food nice and cool. This durable blue wagon provides youngsters with an enjoyable ride around the neighborhood, campground, zoo or amusement park. Your family can have a picnic in the park with all the snacks and refreshments the Igloo® Wagon with Cooler can hold! Made in USA of US and imported parts from China.

• Functional 10” (25.4 cm) tall cooler bag with durable zipper lid comes with a convenient top hatch door to grab bottles or snacks
• Cooler bag accommodates bottles of all types and comes with soft lift-out handles for easy removal and transport
• Soft, removable cooler is easy to load and transport from the refrigerator to the cooler
• Large 10” (25.4cm) diameter wheels for an enjoyable ride
• Two convenient cup holders up front for parents
• Comfortable handle folds underneath for storage or transport
• Large, removable canopy provides shade
• Recommended for ages 1.5 and up
• Available exclusively at Sam's Club for $139.99.

Ruth from Viva Veltoro created an ultimate toddler tailgate experience with her Step2 Igloo Wagon with Cooler and Janessa from Thrifty Nifty Mommy recently took hers to the park for a picnic where her kids had fun enjoying the classic Dirt dessert - be sure to check out her recipe!

Since this innovative new wagon takes two great products and DOUBLES the fun, we're giving one lucky reader the chance to win TWO Step2 Igloo Wagons with Coolers - one for themselves and one for a friend!

Open to the Continental US only. Ends 4/13/15 at 11:59 PM EST. 

Enter using the Giveaway Tools form below. Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: This giveaway is sponsored by the Step2 Company. All images are courtesy of Step2. Viva Veltoro, Thrifty Nifty Mommy, and the participating blogs, including The Philosopher's Wife, are not responsible for prize fulfillment. One winner will be randomly selected using the Giveaway Tools random selector and notified via email. Once notified, the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or Google. Void where prohibited.

I See Me: Sweet Dreams, Fairy Personalized Book Review

This is a sponsored post.  Everything you read is my own honest opinion.

Catherine is a voracious (almost) reader.  One of the highlights of her week, and mine as well, is our weekly trip to the library.  We both have to limit ourselves.  So when I See Me asked if I was interested in reviewing a book for them my answer was "Of course!"

Yes, I made the Yellow Hat!  Check out the blog post about it.

The book that I received was the Sweet Dreams, Fairy Personalized Book.  

Overall it is a very cute book.  The main character, which is modeled after your own little girl, is a busy forest fairy who tends to her garden, eats dinner with her family, gets ready for bed, and lets a magical bedtime story float her off to sleep.

I do have one critique.  During the personalization phase it asked for the names of two friends.  Catherine gave me two names, one was a friend and the other one was her brother.  I didn't think anything of it, because it did not specify that the friends had to be girls.  "Dominic" is a clearly a girl fairy.  (If only I had gone with his nickname, "Porcupine"!)

In my humble opinion there really aren't many (perhaps any?) children's books worth $34.99.  So I highly recommend taking advantage of I See Me's special offer running through 3/31/15: Enter code FAIRY at checkout at ISeeMe.com and they will take $10 off orders $50+. And, any orders $75 or more will ship free. 

Connect with I See Me on social media:

Facebook   Twitter   Pinterest   Instagram   Google+ 

This was a sponsored post, written by me on behalf of I See Me.  All opinions are my own.

Wordless Wednesday: Silly Kids in Sweaters Made by Mommy

Catherine is wearing the Pink Butterfly Sweater and her Orange Hat. Dominic is wearing the Five Hour Sweater. I made all three items!  I will be sad when the day comes that they don't want to wear something made by Mommy.

Link up your own family friendly Wordless Wednesday posts!