Game Night Fun

Most weekends, I host a small and casual 'game night' at my house with friends. I love these nights--they bring drinks and dessert, we supply dinner and games, and we all have fun. (It's also a great excuse to get the kids to help me clean, and a fun way to end up with a clean house for the weekend.) I've always been a big game player because I love good, cheap fun. In my own life, I use games to help my children learn facts and skills, I have a 'game night' about once a week--I'm lucky enough to know some great, fun people--and I recommend games to others for good reason:

• Games can bond you with your friends. (Read about the benefits of social support.)

• Games can provide a sense of 'flow'. (Read about the benefits of flow.)

• Playing games and having fun can provide a break from stress, and some much-needed 'down time'. (Read more about the importance of having fun.)

• Fun and games can promote happiness and life satisfaction. (Learn more about this by reading up on positive psychology.)

So, understandably, I'm a big proponent of playing games--I recommend 'game nights' pretty regularly, and enjoy them in my own life. Recently, a reader asked me about my favorite games to play, and to recommend to people. I quickly came up with a list of my top few, although there are many more wonderful games out there that have been left off the list for the sake of brevity. So I'd like to share with you my list of fun group games, and invite you to share your own favorites with me and the other readers (there's a link at the end of my article for you to swap game recommendations). This should give you some great food for thought in case you want to plan a game night with your friends soon.

Do you get enough fun in your life? What do you do for fun (if not games)? Leave your tips in the comments section.

_{Want to use it to start a discussion with your friends? Pass it on!}