The Coronavirus has left everyone stuck inside longer than they are used to, especially in the northern parts of the country. As the shelter-in-place mandate keeps dragging on, we are going to look at some of the things you can do with your family to help alleviate boredom.
Now, there are always going to be those things that we do a hundred times a day. Check the weather, look at social media, watch a couple of videos online. Our tablets, phones, and computers have a dominating force in our lives, and there is little I can say here about what you can do with your family or significant other that involves a screen.
Additionally, you can also watch a good Netflix series or Amazon Prime show, there are literally hundreds of them out there, and there is nothing quite like finding a new show with your significant other or children that you can all enjoy together.
There is a ton of information out there about what to watch, what new app to download, or other things online that are in constant competition for your eyeballs and attention.
In THIS article, I am going to go through some things you can get that will not only keep you entertained but be able to spend some time with your family at the same time. And if there is a silver lining about this virus sweeping the world, is the ability to spend more quality time with the people we love.
If It’s Good Enough To Cure Boredom During Covid-19, It’s Good Anytime!
One of the most perfect activities you can do together during ANY TIME when you are locked in, whether it be due to the Coronavirus, the weather, or maybe someone doesn’t feel good… are Board Games!
Pat S. from Bucks Library has this to say about the benefits of board games…
“Playing board games increases brain function, it stimulates brain areas that are responsible for memory formation and complex thought processes for all ages. And engaging in play assists in practicing essential cognitive skills, such as decision making, higher-level strategic thinking, and problem-solving.”
And besides that, They’re Fun!!
No matter who you have in your apartment with you, whether it be a toddler, a couple of middle schoolers, or your significant other, I have put together a small guide of games you can get to play with your family.
Now, like anything, these are just my suggestions for what you should get. I have enjoyed playing all of these games with my friends and family for COUNTLESS hours and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these games to anyone!
I have broken down the guide by ages, so if you are looking for a game for a particular age, and don’t feel like scrolling through all of Amazon trying to figure out which one of the thousand games to buy, don’t fret. If you want, all the decision-making and pressure has been taken out of this scenario.
But feel free to scroll through Amazon or any other place that sells games to find the perfect game for you and your family. At some point in the near future, I will also do a guide on Which Puzzle Should I Buy For My Apartment as well, so be on the lookout for that.
Apartment School’s List Of Board Games:
2-4 Years Old
Sequence For Kids This is the kid version of the immensely popular game which is going to be featured below as well. It is touted as the “No Reading Required” strategy game, and that is true! You play Sequence just like you play the normal game, but with pictures of animals on the cards instead of playing card faces.
This is a GREAT game to start developing pattern recognition in children, it has some aspects of chance in it, and once your kids catch on, they will love showing how well they play it to other adults.
This game is easy to learn, great for kids, and it doesn’t take that long to play a couple of rounds. So, if you want to sit down and do something with your kids for just 10-15 minutes or so, this would be the perfect game!!
And with a price tag of $15 bucks, this game is well worth its cost per hour of attention it will give you and your kids!
Candyland is the game we all remember when we were kids. That and Chutes and Ladders. But Candyland is so much sweeter!!
A card-based game that needs even less explaining than Sequence For Kids. Simply draw a card and move to the next color on the board. The first one to get to the end wins!
Candyland costs all of $14 bucks to have shipped right to your apartment, and whether you are a girl or a boy, this game is an essential part of the childhood experience.
This game is also easy enough when kids can also take over and play with each other, as the game is incredibly simple and easy to follow. Candyland is a great way to teach colors, and there are several variations on the game which mixes it up and keeps it interesting.
If you need a quick break from the kids, but they still want to play, this game is perfect for quality sibling interaction.
Ages 5-7
SORRY! This is another game that virtually everyone has played. This game is basically a simplified Parcheesi, which is another solid, solid game to play and one of the world’s oldest!
Sorry! It is a great game to teach kids that sometimes they don’t get what they want, and when there are setbacks in life, they can get through them and come out on top anyway. I remember playing this at my grandmother’s house for hours upon hours when I was young, and it still sticks with me today.
Sorry! It only costs $11. Why? Because it is a simple game. Simple doesn’t mean it isn’t fun though! Ask any kid, and they will tell you differently!
The rules and pieces of the game have changed over the years. Anyone familiar with the older versions will have a few changes to deal with. People are usually split into two camps with these changes, either they like the changes, or they think the game has been made too “soft” and “genteel”. It is called SORRY! After all!!
For $11, you can’t go wrong, but if you want your kids to have the same experience you did when you were a kid, a bit of searching online and you can pick up a vintage version for not much more.
Qwirkle This is a great game for both young players AND adults. The rules of the game are pretty simple. Just use your tiles to match them according to color or shape and get points for doing to. The person with the most points wins.
Another ridiculously easy game to learn and understand. And once you know how to play, you don’t have to take the box with you anymore. Inside, all the tiles are kept in a little felt bag, so you can just take the pieces and have the game wherever you want, which is a great feature.
Qwirkle has sold over 3 million copies and won multiple awards for the game, including the Mensa Select Award, which pretty much means the smartest guys on the planet thought this game was worth playing!
You can pick Qwirkle up for about $25 on Amazon, which is a great place to get it when you don’t feel like going to the store.
Ages 8-13
The Game Of LIFE It’s what we are all playing now, right? While the new version of the games has some changes that the classic version doesn’t have, it still doesn’t have a section in it that has everyone survive a pandemic, so you still have some good escaping reality in it!
This game is kind of like Monopoly without the never-ending aspect going on. You go through the game starting from just before college, going all the way through retirement. From getting your career started to paying taxes to buying a car and starting a family. And the best part is you get to spin that wheel!! Nothing quite like it in any game that has been out for the last 50 years!
This is a tried and true classic that’s easy to set up, teaches kids about the value of money, and the gameplay is never the same no matter how many times you play.
You can pick up The Game Of LIFE at Amazon for as little as $20.
MONOPOLY I always thought that Monopoly got a bad rap for being a game that theoretically could have no end to it, and the length of the game was just “too long”. Despite the fact that you can change the game up yourself to help speed play along, this is EXACTLY what we are looking for here folks, am I right?
This is the perfect game to set up on your kitchen table and just let sit for a few hours or a few days and come back to it whenever you want to get some gameplay in. The more the players get used to the game, new strategies form and take place, and it is actually a VERY underrated game.
Finding another game like MONOPOLY is dang hard! And when you can pick up unlimited fun for $28 bucks, that’s worth it, right??
CATAN Also called “Settlers”, or “Settlers Of Catan” by those that have dipped their toe into the universe of this game. Could there be another game that has sold more copies worldwide in the last 15 years? I doubt it, and for good reason. When this game exploded about 15 years ago, they developed an absolutely RABID fan base.
Go on to YouTube sometime and see all the die-hard enthusiasts. I’m sure someone will undoubtedly correct me for SOMETHING in here that isn’t quite right, but that’s ok, being passionate about something is GREAT!!
The gameplay is fairly simple. You roll a dice, and whatever number comes up, you get resources if you are on a piece that has that number placed on it. Gather resources to build roads and settlements and even cities. You get points for everything you do and you usually go until either a point total is hit, or a specific objective is reached.
Beware, this game is very, VERY addicting. Once you do a quick run-through of gameplay for the first time, you will catch on to most everything in the game. Then it becomes just how you want to work your strategy.
The best thing about the game… You can make trades with other people for their resources!! What other game can you just talk across the table, “I’ll give you sheep for 1 wheat.”??
You will NEVER wear this game out, and you will NEVER get tired of it. It is different every single time, and each game, everyone has the chance to win if they play it right. There are also TONS of expansion packs, which, in my personal opinion, are absolutely fantastic and worth getting.
The manufacturer says ages 14+ on the box, but I have been playing this game with both my kids since they were 7, and they did JUST fine with the game once you explained how the rules work. Don’t short your kids on this game! If they can understand Minecraft, they can understand Catan!
Do you want to have your kids occupied for years on end with a simple board game that they will LOVE? Get Settlers of Catan on Amazon!!
SEQUENCE This is a game where you develop cognitive skills and you don’t even know it. Again, this is one of those games where every time you get it out, the play is never the same.
And the rules couldn’t be simpler. Put a chip on the board based on a playing card you have in your hand. The first one to make a chain of 5 in a row wins! Seriously, it’s THAT simple.
But don’t let simple fool you! This is an extremely entertaining game! Any guests you eventually have over with either already know how to play it, or you can teach it to them in a period of about 15 seconds and you are off to the races. Again, this is a game where Amazon says 8-13, but the actual BOX says 7+.
7+ is a great level to start this game. Earlier in the article, I did a recommendation on Sequence For Kids, which is great for younger kids, but even with the full adult version, even if you are playing with kids, you are simply matching the card in your hand with the picture on the board. Simple as that. Tons of fun for everyone to play!
Grab SEQUENCE from Amazon for $33 buck and you will be happy you did!!
Ages 14+
I am only putting one game recommendation down for ages 14 and up. Why? Because this game was an award-winning game from a couple years ago, and it lives up to the accolades.
PHOTOSYNTHESIS One of the most stylish games I have ever had the pleasure to unbox or play. The sleekness of its design and packaging will make you want to play just for that reason alone.
And the concept is fun. You build trees that get a certain amount of sunlight per turn. And the sun goes around in a circle. You need to build your trees so they get the most light and aren’t blocked by other trees when they grow up.
That’s essentially the gist of the game. Once you go through it once though, your mind comes up with MILLIONS of possible ways to strategize to win! It is really quick remarkable how the game sucks you in from the end of the first time you play it!
However, one of the most enjoyable experiences was the actual unboxing of the game and getting it set up for the first time. This is a game that you can be proud to display to anyone when they come over, or have a high quality, intelligent game to play with your kids or significant other.
As with most games, there are age recommendations for it. I play this with my 10-year-old who requests it on a weekly basis. But if you don’t want to explain the rules to a kid, just play with adults.
If you need help walking through the game for the first time, check out either of these two videos which will walk you through the gameplay in quick fashion.
For $38 dollars, PHOTOSYNTHESIS is the smartest, most stylish game you may have never heard of!
I hope you liked the recommendations for what to do when you are bored and stuck inside during the coronavirus.
And even if you are reading this and everything is perfectly fine in the world, these game recommendations will stand the test of time.
Go and check one or more out and have some great time with your kids, friends, and loved ones!
