Board & Card Game Hall of Fame

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We are keeping busy here during the Stay at home order.  Today marks our 3rd Sunday home and this coming Friday will mark 3 full weeks!  Yesterday I put the kids in charge of going through the game closet.  They did better than I expected and were able to get rid of a box of games!

I've been meaning to write this post for a long time so what better time than now?

We play so very many games in our house (we don't allow video games in our house so we have a lot of time for board games).  Not a Christmas goes by where there isn't a new game on the Christmas list!  

So without further adieu here is our list, in no particular order because it would be nearly impossible!

1. Settlers of Catan

 You can find Settlers  Here. I'm thinking many others are playing board games right now because it seems to be sold out on Amazon at the moment! We also love the Seafarers expansion found Here.  We have a couple other expansions but this is the easiest in my opinion.  Catan is a strategy game that can last hours.  We have been playing as a family since our middle kiddo was 4 and he would actually beat us sometimes too!  The age for this game is over 10, but if your kids have patience they can learn it and love it!

2.  Blockus

Blockus is one of my personal favorites. You can find it Here.  Sadly at time of writing this one seems to be out of stock as well.  This is another strategy game and it will remind you of Tetris! There is only one rule in the game so it's super quick to learn! 

3. Qwirkle 

Qwirkle will remind you of dominos, but more colorful and fun! Super simple to learn, and a somewhat quick play.  Find it Here. 

4. Sleeping Queens

This has been a favorite of our house for a few years now, when in doubt this is the game we choose, it's easy enough for 4 and up to play, lasts about 20 minutes or less and is a lot of fun. The story behind it is cute too, a young girl had a dream which led to creating this game! Find it Here.  

5. Cover your assets 

This one is so much fun and can get a little rowdy!  Friends of ours taught us this one and we just had to have it in our collection.  It has been camping and even to Florida with us. I strongly believe this has helped our younger two with math skills as well! Find it Here. The rules say to play to the first person to reach 1Million in assets, we typically just play one round and whoever has the most wins. Although one week camping we kept a running tally every day. 

6. King Domino 

It's embarrassing to admit this sat in our closet for nearly 6 months before our friends taught us how to play.  As the name states this one is similar to dominos, but you are building your own kingdom.  If you play Catan you will feel a certain likeness to it as well.  There are a many different strategies with it which makes it fun for all ages.  Find it Here.

7.  Cauldron Quest

I have to include this game as it's a cooperative one!  Everyone playing is working together to break the spell before the wizard wins the game, which means no whining when one person loses!  Says ages 6 and up, but our youngest has been playing since she was 4 and grasps the rules easily.  Find this fun cooperative game Here.

8. Azul 

We just got this one for Christmas, but it's quickly become a favorite..  The only thing I wish for is an expansion so that all 5 of us can play because our youngest at 5 years old loves this one too! Find it Here (out of stock at time of writing).  Play time is around 30 minutes. 

9. Zingo

Zingo is slowly being phased out here as it's more for the younger set, but I included it because it was one of our ultimate faves when the kids were little. While easy enough for the littles to play it includes a bit more strategy as opposed to say Chutes and Ladders! Find it Here.

What to pack in your Disney Park Bag!

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Before our first trip I spent hours reading all the blogs I could to make sure we were prepared if not over prepared for our days in the Disney parks!

Today I'm here to save you the time and stress with a list of my recommendations. 

Let's start with the fun stuff.

1. Magic Bands: If you are staying on property you will get these for free, you may choose to pay a small fee to upgrade them to something more fun if you wish, but it's not necessary. If you are off property you will have to purchase them yourself.  They are not needed, but definitely a conveinence  worth taking!

2. Lanyards: These are the ones I purchased for my kiddos the  Mickey lanyard and a princess one. There are so many other fun options to choose from including Toy Story and Minnie Mouse.  The main thing you are looking for is that it has a safety clasp to prevent strangulation.  We used the lanyards to hold all of their pins for trading as well as buttons (which are FREE at Disney! Be sure to ask when checking in if you are celebrating anything like a first visit or a birthday!).  You will also notice in the last pic locking pins these are to ensure your disney pins don't accidentally fall off!

3. Clickable Sharpie markers in black or color.  You will need to provide your own markers/pens to get autographs.  These make it super easy for any character with big hands (Mickey Mouse) to use and you won't worry about losing any caps! 

4. Items to autograph.  We chose hats for the kids first trip, they were a hit with the characters, and since they were wearing them we didn't have to carry anything extra around!  (note: characters will not sign anything you are wearing like a t-shirt, we took hats off to autograph).  Here are ours Mickey  &  Minnie. I also brought along a book to have characters autograph on their page! 

5. Glowsticks are fun for your own kiddos, but they are even more fun to pass along "pixie dust" by handing them out to random park goers! You can find great deals at the dollar store.

6. Stroller lights: If you will have a stroller this is a great way to quickly locate it in the stroller corrals after a night show trust me! here are some fun ones! Don't forget the batteries!

Florida can be HOT and cold at night and Rainy! Be prepared so you can keep comfortable!

7. Hats and Sunglasses.

8. Ponchos  come in handy for those random rain showers that pop up as well as for certain rides like splash mountain!

9. A  Quick dry towel will also come in helpful on water rides and rain showers as well!

10. Cooling towels are a must!! We used our two often during the 90+ degree days.  The kids all got their own mini- towels in their stockings this Christmas as well. 

11. Misting fans we used these small ones, but I have since purchased one of these larger ones because we were HOT on our trip! I would also recommend a stroller fan if you are going with a baby or toddler. 

12. Sunscreen Here is my personal fave we have been using for years it's a clean choice that works great and smells amazing to boot! You don't want to have to pay park prices for sunscreen trust me.

13. Bugspray.  Although I have heard if you go to a first aid tent they can provide you with bug spray.

Misc. things to add to your bag

14. Tylenol for adults and children. 

15. Hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.

16.  Kleenex

17. Ziplock baggies to hold small purchases, or snacks. 

18. Gum:  If you need gum you will have to bring it in as it's not sold in the parks.

19.  Reusable Straws Disney has gotten rid of plastic straws which is awesome.  The paper straws however leave much to be desired so if you are picky you will probably want to bring your own straws. 

20. Portable Charger  This is not mine, but it has 10,000+ reviews on amazon.  This will come in handy because you will use your phone often to check on your plans, make fast passes, and order food using mobile order.  

21. Blister Bandaids You will be walking A LOT! I suggest you bring two pairs of comfy walking shoes to alternate between, trust me.  If you do get blisters these bandaids are amazing!

22. Stroller Hook. If you are taking a stroller with you this will be super helpful to hold your purchases and popcorn bucket!  (FYI Disney does have size restrictions on strollers be sure to check them out before you go.) I also recommend a large plastic bag so you can quickly put everything from the bottom basket into a bag when folding up the stroller to get on transportation. 

23. Snacks: Our favorites were single serve peanut butter containers with pretzels or graham crackers to dip in it, beef jerky; it doesn't weigh much but packs a lot of protein, granola bars, and fruit strips!

24.  Water bottles.  You can get free water at most snack stands, but they give it to you in a cup with no lid which is great if you need ice cold water not so great to keep water on hand at all times.  I would go for something that doesn't weigh a lot unless you have a stroller to carry them all. 


That about covers it! Am I missing anything you would add to the list?

Are you dreaming of your own Disney vacation?  Let me know I would love to plan your vacation at no cost to you! I will do all the planning you just enjoy your time!
Contact me at Jordon.kamphuis@ gmail.com