Jordan
When you picture summer, you probably imagine yourself beachside, laying by the pool, hiking, or doing other outdoor activities. But what about those days when the heat or humidity (or worse, both) are simply too much to bear? Many of us think of summer days spent inside as boring or a waste of a perfectly sunny day; however, spending some time indoors doesn’t have to feel that way. Whether you’re taking a break from the sun due to a sunburn, escaping an especially hot day, or are entertaining some friends in the evening, there is plenty to do inside that’s fun and worthwhile.
In addition to classic board games, try these 3 enjoyable indoor games to keep the summer fun alive:
Chase the Ace
There’s nothing simpler and more classic than card games, and one fun option that’s also family friendly is Chase the Ace. All you need is a set of magic playing cards and three or more players. The object of the game is not to have the lowest card. Whoever has the lowest card each round loses a life. When someone loses all their lives, the game is over. The number of lives given to players is determined by the dealer at the start of game play. For more exciting game play, only give players a few seconds to decide.
How to Play:
One person acts as the dealer and administers the game play as follows:
- Each person is dealt one card
- Players do not flip the card over but they can look at their card
- The dealer then deals another round, with the players deciding whether they want to hold onto their card (which is advisable if it’s a 10 or higher) or if they want to swap with the person to their left
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- If a player has an Ace, they hold onto it
- Game play is continued until only 1 player is left standing as the winner
Codenames
For those who are intrigued by all things James Bond and espionage, this game is for you. Codenames is played by two teams—a red team and a blue team—who are acting as spy organizations trying to find their agents in the field.
How to Play:
- Each team assigns a spymaster who provides clues to help operatives (their teammates) find their ally agents
- Set up Codename cards in a 5 by 5 card grid, you will use the provided key to establish setup
- The spymaster then chooses a word as clue a for each round, as well as the number of cards that correspond to that clue
- Field operatives (teammates) then discuss amongst themselves which cards they think match that clue
- Once they come to a decision, one of the field operatives will touch a card (signifying that’s their guess)
- If their guess is right, they get another guess, otherwise game play moves onto the other team
- This continues until one of the teams uncovers all their ally agents
You can also download Codenames to play online.
DIY Pictionary
Pictionary is a fun game that can be played in a group, which makes it great for family night in or having friends over for an impromptu party. The great thing about it is that it can be kid-friendly or just for the adults and still bring the same amount of fun to any summer day. Here’s what you need to make your own DIY Pictionary:
- Large whiteboard (or sketchpad)
- Dry erase marker (or pen)
- Your phone’s stopwatch feature or a timer
- Notecards (have someone write out a bunch of prompts ahead of time)
How to Play:
- Teams are divided into two and the first team will send their artist up
- The artist will draw what’s on their notecard while their teammates guess
- If their team guesses before the timer goes off (about 1 minute), then they get a point
- The next team plays and game play continues, first team to X points wins (we recommend 10 points)
Start Playing
In the digital age, many of these games can be played virtually with nearly anyone in the world thanks to video conferencing like Zoom, which has become a popular solution for those who are currently under stay-at-home order in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Pandemic or not, having the option to play with friends and family across the globe makes these indoor game options perfect for those summers overseas or at your own home.
