With COVID-19 cases rising and schools closing down across the country again, it looks like a long winter ahead. But being inside doesn’t have to be so boring anymore. Sure, we are all sick of binging Netflix and attending all things “virtual” so why not take a break from screens for the first time since March and instead dig out that old deck of cards or your favorite nostalgic board game from when you were younger!
These iconic games are the ultimate distraction, a great source of family fun, and the perfect item for those never-ending Christmas lists. Childhood board games are also a fantastic way to reconnect with your family in a time where connection feels lost. Here are five of our favorites that you can stock up on for the months ahead:
1. MONOPOLY
Photo Courtesy: Gabriella Guzzardo
No best games list would be complete without the Monopoly phenomenon. An absolute staple for families across the globe, Monopoly is the game of buying, selling, renting, and banking. The game is so popular, there are now literally hundreds of different versions you and your friends can enjoy for hours on end!
2. CHUTES AND LADDERS
Photo Courtesy: Gabriella Guzzardo
Stuck indoors with a roommate? Trying to settle a sibling rivalry? Looking for a little game of chance competition? Look no further than Chutes and Ladders! Make your way all the way to the top of the board just to get a bad break and be sent all the down to the start through an extra long chute. The game consists of patience, and of course a little bit of luck. Who knows, it could be hours before someone is declared a winner!
3. CANDYLAND
Photo Courtesy: Gabriella Guzzardo
Created in the 1940s by Eleanor Abbott, Candyland served as a distraction for children who were victims of the Polio disease outbreak that was spreading across the United States…how fitting for 2020. Abbott, a victim of the disease herself, brought the whimsical fantasyland into the homes and hearts of many with iconic characters like King Candy, Queen Frostine, Princess Lolli and so many more. Gather up to four of your best players and race through the Licorice Lagoon, Lollipop Forest, and Peppermint Woods all the way up to the Candy Castle!
4. OPERATION
Photo Courtesy: Gabriella Guzzardo
BUZZZZZZ! Looking to have an absolute heart attack while trying to save your patient from having one himself? Operation is that game for you! You and your fellow surgeons can exercise your extracting skills by carefully removing several illnesses that seem to be plaguing “Cavity Sam”. But be careful… miss your mark and send a shock through Sam forfeiting your turn and quite possibly your PHD!
5. CLUE
Photo Courtesy: Gabriella Guzzardo
The good old fashioned “Whodunnit?” Originally titled “Cluedo,” this iconic plot-twisting tournament was released by Anthony E. Pratt in 1949. Clue is a timeless game of endless hours of fun and mystery. Interrogate each other to find out who committed the murders at Tudor Mansion and how. The game has become so popular that there are now dozens of different spin-offs and themes to choose from, even The Office has its own Clue game now!
