Mumsnet users share their tips for a family night in with Goliath Games

[JustineBMumsnet]

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It’s not uncommon in a normal year to find yourself spending more time at home with your family as the nights draw in. With that even more likely to happen this year, making the most of family nights in is key, so you may have a few tips and tricks on how you enjoy this time together. With this in mind, Goliath Games would like to hear your tips for the perfect family night in.

Here’s what Goliath Games has to say: “Often it’s difficult to find something that the whole family will enjoy on a night in. Games like Wordsearch can bring everyone together as it appeals to anyone: from kids to parents, even grandparents! It’s such a well-recognised format and is easy to understand, just be the first to find the words on the board! Wordsearch is also educational, helping with spelling, reading and helps develop hand-eye coordination; but don’t worry the kids won’t realise they are learning as it’s so much fun!”

Do you have go-to snack ideas that please everyone, or do you order a takeaway to maximise on family time? Perhaps you find it helps to switch things up with a new board game? Or maybe your family has an old classic that you dig out time and time again?

Whatever your tips for a family night in, share them with Goliath Games on the thread below and you’ll be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

We generally watch a movie having spent a ridiculous amount of time arguing about what we want to watch. There is usually popcorn, crisps, lots of crumbs and hot chocolate. Need to do more of this actually

We love playing board games and when our favourite local board game Cafe was closed in lockdown, we did our own at home. We had a pile of games we would take it in turnsto choose from, and made cakes beforehand to enjoy as a snack. Dobble, Uno, King of Tokyo and Guess Who are favourites, though my eldest loved Pandemic!

Big board game fans here. Often have games nights. Lovely family time which is crucial with a stinky 12 year old boy

We love Family game nights! With the eldest son being 19 and the youngest daughter only 6 we plan game nights around the youngest so she gets to join in. If it's a week end we will usually have take away pizzas and all the usual snacks picked by the kids ranging from pringles and cheesy nacho's to Ben & Jerry's ice cream and pop corn. We play a range of games but always start with the ones aimed at the youngest like operation/buckaroo and dont wake dad, by the time we've played them and had a laugh the youngest is usually well on her way to sleeping allowing the rest of us to play our games, a favourite one is catch phrase and the most fought over game has to be scrabble my kids never used a dictionary as much (until they started checking out the others word isnt made up) Family night is a dying Tradition but we love it!

We play UNO, or Friends and Harry Potter versions of Trivial Pursuits.

Friends Draw It is a new addition.

We also like TV nights with HP and Friends being favourites. I like introducing DD to old favourites of mine

Popcorn!

We like collaborative games - escape rooms in a box have become a huge hit. So there isn't a winner or loser as such, you work together.

Family night in requires a fire pit, marshmallows and chocolate bananas for the kids and lots of drink for us! Blankets on the bench. We have at least a thousand board games so often crack one of those out, either a two player for us when DC in bed or with various adult family members we love (topical!) pandemic and catan

I love a good game night - our favourites our Monopoly, Snakes & Ladders, Boggle &.. my personal favourite.. Labyrinth!

Now the nights are drawing in.. it's the perfect time to snuggle down round the table, switch the TV off & indulge in some yummy snacks while we get rolling those dice!

I do have to be careful not to let my competitive streak run wild - I'm told it's important to set a good example to our son & make it clear that it's not all about winning!! Oops :)

My husband is in charge of snacks though & manages to keep the peace by distracting us with a variety of sweet & savoury treats!

We get our projector out of the loft, attach it to the TV and watch a movie on the living room back window - with microwave popcorn and cupcakes. After the movie we attach the Wii to the projector and play Mario Karts - it's just the best night - and a second hand projector come very cheap nowadays.

We love to do crafty things - one thing we love to do is hand print cards for birthdays and Christmas - if you put lots of newspaper down, and get the glitter out - you can have a lovely evening - no televisions allowed

We enjoy all sorts of games, but love playing them together, especially on the weekend. We like Uno, and Carcassonne is also great. It's fun hanging out when it's raining, playing a game with some tasty snacks, like popcorn or chocolate nearby.

We love a games night in our house! We take it in turns to decide what type of food we want - e.g. Mexican or Pizza.

We make up special drinks and of course there has to be tortillas and dips to snack on!

Lots of snacks and a cosy room. We tend to have a regular dinner and set up in the living room. One of the children choses the game for the evening to avoid arguments on a rotating bases!

For a great movie night I recommend drinks, snacks, cushions, blankets and banning the use of mobiles.
For games nights I recommend not having overly competitive children who get cross if you buy a property they're collecting in Monopoly.

We have a family games night every Saturday - we have snacks and a kind of fun meal, tacos etc and all sit round the table together - the kids get to pick the games sometimes - last week it was harry potter dobble and dixit! i think the key is make it fun so as long as you stick to the night then anything goes - a short game can be fun if people aren't that bothered that night

We take turns to plan family night! One person is responsible for choosing snacks (or making them from scratch if they’re able too, e.g. cookies) and a board game!

We order a takeaway and watch a film together. My 12 year old loves board games so we sometimes play monopoly or game of life.

Definitely a break from the TV and consoles - they all remember family time and the attention you give them when there is no other form of distraction, so we have guess who, Pictionary and the cutting up a block of chocolate game with the dice, gloves hat and scarf.

we play games at the weekend. mainly rummikub and card games like trumps.

My children love board games. They make a mess, lose the parts and somehow always persuade me to play (even when I have so much to do). But it really is the best way to take time out and spend family time together. So my top tip is make time to play, even when you think you are too busy

We try and have games night once a month, pizza followed by something like Snatch, it is good to see my daughter’s word skills developing and her snatching words off us.

We love Cluedo but the children can't be to tired else it gets stressful. Helped many a lockdown evening before bed! Popcorn and films or takeaway and boardgames (Monopoly also good). We also love shorter games like Uno and Dobble.

My little girl is only 2 months old so she's not involved with games nights yet but my husband and parents love a games night. We turn the tv do no distractions and have snacks like chips n dip to share. Games are usually trivial pursuit then a few rounds scattegories which is guaranteed to have us in stitches with the inventive answers!

My top tip is to have lots of small games in the kitchen - playing cards, old maid, top trumps, dobble - so we play a couple of quick games after we've eaten our evening meal. Only takes 10-15 mins - or sometimes much longer - but is a lovely way to spend a bit longer around the kitchen table. Food-wise, we get the children to occasionally cook a meal - so they get to choose the menu (we get to wash up, obviously!0

Good food is at the centre on any fun night for our family!

Our boys are too young to concentrate on complex games as yet, but they love playing quick board games and I'm fully intending to get them on to full games nights when they're older!