Do you need some fun games to play with the family this holiday?

Games that....

• you can play with lots of people?
• require as little as paper and pencils?
• are easy to learn?

Then I've got some games for you!

My brother Vince and his wife Katie always come down to visit and when they do, they usually bring new games for us to play. These are just a few of our favorite games to play as a family. We didn't know the real name of the games, so just know that they might have a different name!

1. "Family Game" or "Name Game"
      at least 4 players

Materials Needed:
Evenly cut out pieces of paper
Pencils or Pens (not both)
Bowl

Set-up:
All players sit in a circle

Instructions:
First, everyone takes one piece of paper and writes down a name. ANY name. It can be Disney Characters, regular names, name of a person in the room, etc. You don't want the name to have any relation to you. (i.e. I wouldn't want to put Harry Potter down because everyone would guess my name and I'd be out).

Second, the names go into a bowl and are mixed up. One person in the group (usually someone who doesn't know everyones handwriting) will read through each name ONCE. *Be sure to remember the names read* When all the names have been read through, pick someone to start. That person will ask another person in the room if they are one of the names read. If it is the name they wrote down they say, "yes". If it is not the name they wrote down they say, "no". Guesses continue around the circle.

Example Round:

Players:
Chase
Bailey
Vince
Phill

Names read:
Cinderella
Lance
Ralph
Ronald

Chase starts. Chase says, "Vince are you Ronald?". Vince then says, "No".
It is now the person next to Chase that guesses.
Bailey guesses, "Phill are you Ronald?" Phill then says, "Yes".
Now Bailey and Phill are on a team, and they can converse with each other who they think everyone else is.

How to Win:
The way to win is by guessing everyone elses name before they guess your name.
Once you have everyone in your "family" then you win!


2. "Gossip"
     even number of players
     1 coin tosser

Materials Needed:
A quarter
Chairs (for each player and 2 extra)
Blanket or soft surface
Cup or Ball

Set-up:
Line the chairs up in two rows facing each other with room to walk in between.
Set the 2 extra chairs on either side of the two rows. These are the two teams.
Place the cup or ball on one of the end chairs. (side B)
The coin tosser sits at the opposite end of the cup or ball with a blanket or soft surface on their lap. (side A)

Instructions:
The player closest to Side A watches closely at the coin tossers lap where the coin will land.
The rest of the players are looking at Side B.
All players on each team are holding hands.
The Coin Tosser will then flip the coin.
Heads you squeeze your hand
Tails you don't squeeze your hand
If it is Heads you are sending that signal down your row. Once the last person on Side B feels his/her hand get squeezed then they try to be the first to grab the cup or ball.
If it is Tails the coin tosser will flip again until Heads is shown.
If you squeeze and it is not Heads then you have to rotate backwards.
If your team successfully grabs the cup or ball, your team rotates forwards.

Rules:
The coin tosser is the JUDGE, "false starts" "who grabbed it first?" etc.

How to Win:
The first team to get back to the position they started in wins!


3. "Mafia"
    at least 6 players

Materials Needed:
Pieces of paper (can be used with a deck of cards)
Bowl
1 person Narrator

Set-up: (set up for 12 players) (change numbers depending on how many players therer are)
On 3 pieces of paper write M for Mafia
On 3 pieces of paper write D for Detective
On 6 pieces of paper write C for Civilian
Players all sit in a circle.
Narrator walks around circle with the bowl of papers and each player picks out one paper, NOT showing what it says to anyone.

Rules:
Only the Narrator can talk until he/she gives permission for accusations.
If you are dead,
*You are not allowed to talk the remainder of the game, but you are allowed to keep your eyes open.*

Dialogue for Game Play:

Narrator-
Everyone close your eyes
(once all eyes are closed cont.)
Mafia open your eyes
(point out who each one is in case they can't see each other)
Mafia who do you want to kill?
(mafia being silent point to who they want to kill off first, making sure the Narrator can see who they choose)
Mafia close your eyes
(once all eyes are closed again cont.)
Detectives open your eyes
(point out who each one is in case they can't see each other)
Detectives who do you think is in the Mafia?
(detectives being silent point to who they think is in the mafia)
*Nod yes or no to the detectives depending on if they chose a Mafia member or not*
Detectives close your eyes
(once all eyes are closed again cont.)
Everyone open your eyes
insert persons name you were killed by the Mafia. (come up with a fun death story if you'd like)
What were you? (M, D, C)

Okay, it is now time for everyone in the circle to start accusations on who they think is in the Mafia
Once you have narrowed the accusations down to 2 or 3 people, have those 2 or 3 people plead their case.
Now have a re-vote. Whoever has the most votes is killed and they reveal what they were (M, D, C).

Continue the game by starting the Dialogue for Game Play again.

How to win:
Mafia wins by killing all the Detectives before all the Mafia die.
Everyone else wins by killing the Mafia before all the Detectives die.

Well these are just a few of the fun games we love to play when we all get together!

I will probably continue posting new games in the future!