And just like that, we’re officially on lockdown! It’s only day 1, but many of us have been practicing social distancing and staying home for a while now in order to keep our families and others safe. Hasbro sent over a few suggestions on keeping little ones entertained during this time at home, and I thought I’d share them with all you moms looking for some ideas.

Board games have always been a great way for families to spend time together and have some laughs. With all the extra time we’re going to be spending at home, it’s the perfect excuse to haul out ALL the board games. 😊

To raise the fun factor, here are a few suggestions on how to put a new spin on classic games that many families already have at home.

Jenga

It’s usually a simple equation – Gather your family together, throw in a lot of laughter and a little attitude, and get the classic Jenga party started.  Pull the block, stack it on top, and hope the tower doesn’t crash down. Simple, right? But have you tried using chopsticks instead of your fingers to move the blocks? Take it up a notch by having your family use chopsticks to pull blocks and stack them. Who has the steady hand now?

Twister

Get moving with the classic game of Twister. You’ll be tangled up and laughing out loud in no time! Be the last one standing and win, but could you pull off a win with five or more layers of clothes on?  Start the game with all the items in your winter wardrobe. Try your best to twist and tangle with the added warmth. 

Or how about Twister Sumo-Style? Tie a pillow around your waist and try to navigate the Twister board with the extra weight. 

And finally there’s blindfold twister. Have your teammates shout out directions to you while you navigate the board ‘in the dark’.

Monopoly Mzansi

The familiar family game with localised streets and properties for South African players can also have a fresh twist. Flip the rules and introduce a new approach – if you have lived on one of the streets on the Monopoly Mzansi board in real life, you automatically own that street at the start of the game. Try switching out Monopoly Moolah for IOU’s like “make the recipient a cup of tea” or, “I owe you one backrub” and claim back the IOU’s after the game. Monopoly is a great way to teach the kids budgeting and negotiation skills. 

Stay home, stay safe

I hope you try some of these game ideas, and that they give you a few “worry free” minutes during this difficult time.

This is a time of great uncertainty and anxiety. We can’t be sure of how long this lockdown will actually last. We can’t know exactly what the other side of this will even look like. What we can do though, is remain obedient to the authorities by staying home. We can use this time to really connect with our families. We can try (it’s not easy, but we try) to not be overly anxious, so that we can be the comfort our children need. Younger children especially may not fully understand what’s going on, but they definitely feel that something’s not right. We need to be that safe space they can turn to; to be able to explain the situation to them as best we can, or just give them assuring cuddles if that’s all they need right now.

Stay home, stay kind, stay safe.