'Twas the late morning of Christmas and all through our house,
Not a kiddie was stirring, they sat like a louse,
For they were uncreative and lazy - they lacked pep and verve,
They declared that they were bored!, Oh how they had nerve,
So I grabbed each one by the tip of their ear,
And forced them to the table to sit and to hear,
Of my youth in the 80's and how we played games,
The kind with flat boards and straight-forward names,
Like Clue and Monopoly, Battleship too,
We played as a family and everyone knew,
That this was called "quality time", when young and old mix,
And rolling a die can give you hours of kicks.
So this dreary season when cabin fever strikes,
Gather 'round a board game that everyone likes!
 
That's my holiday poem for you and yours,
Below are some games that sure beat doin' chores...
 
I can't stop rhyming, no matter how I try,
I had better stop typing, so long and goodbye...
 
Seriously, grab any of the games featured on Canada AM and connect with family. Take the bored out of board-games, especially if you're not in a position to party-hardy this New Year's Eve. Hunker down and have some good ol' fashioned fun!

The Classics
 
Clue
Clue is a popular murder-mystery board game. The object of the game is for players to strategically move around the game board (a mansion), as of one of the game's six suspects. Each player collects clues from which to deduce which suspect murdered the game's victim, and with which weapon and in what room.
 
Monopoly
Monopoly is a classic, easy-to-play, family-fun board game in which each player attempts to become the wealthiest by buying, renting, and selling property. Players move around the game board buying or trading properties, developing their properties with houses and hotels, and collecting rent from their opponents, with the goal being to drive them into bankruptcy.
 
Battleship
Battleship is a guessing game for two players. It is known worldwide as a pencil and paper game which dates from World War I, but was released as a plastic board game by Milton Bradley in 1967. The game is played on four grids, two for each player. The grids are typically square and the individual squares in the grid are identified by letter and number. On one grid the player secretly arranges ships and records the shots by the opponent. On the other grid the player records his/her own shots.
 
Scrabble
Scrabble is a fun, and classic, word game. The object of the game is to get the most points, and players earn points by constructing words with letter tiles and placing them on a grid. Each letter has a different point value, there are 100 letter tiles, and only one letter tile can fit in a grid space.
 
Risk
The object of Risk is to conquer the world by controlling every territory on a board that's a map of the world, and in doing so, eliminate the other players. Players control armies with which they attempt to capture territories from other players, with results determined by dice rolls.
 
Chess
Chess is a very popular and widely accepted as one of the oldest games still played. Although it has a set of easily comprehended rules, it requires a lot of practice to win against skilled opponents. To win, a player must use his pieces to create a situation where the opponent's King is unable to avoid capture (a condition known as checkmate).
 
Connect Four
Connect Four is a two-player connection game in which the players first choose a color and then take turns dropping colored discs from the top into a seven-column, six-row vertically suspended grid. The pieces fall straight down, occupying the next available space within the column. The object of the game is to connect four of one's own discs of the same color next to each other vertically, horizontally, or diagonally before your opponent.

All of the above games can be found at Target.

New & Award-Winning

The Game of THINGS (Ages 14+, $29.99)
For 10 years, The Game of THINGS… has changed game night from a competitive pursuit to one of uncontrollable laughter. To commemorate the milestone, Patch Products and the game’s award-winning Canadian inventors Quinn & Sherry, Inc. have designed a special 10th Anniversary Edition with a rich, dark cherry box and over 250 new, bilingual topic cards for release just in time for the holidays! This hilarious games presents players with provocative new topics, “THINGS… that end with a bang,” “THINGS…you learned from fairy tales” and “THINGS…your pets really do when you aren’t home. THINGS… is available across Canada at Walmart and Target.

Sequence (Ages 7+, $29.99)
This is an awesome game of strategy for a range of ages, from children to adults. Players are divided up into two or three teams and cards are then dealt. When it is your turn you select a card from your hand which has an open space on the board, you then place that card in your discard pile and your piece on the corresponding space on the board. The object of the game is to get a row of 5 of your team's pieces. There are also ways of blocking opponents and of removing opponents pieces!
(plus Sequence Letters & Sequence for Kids!)

Spot It! (Ages 6+, $13.99)
Looking for a fun game for the entire family? Then feast your eyes on Spot It! This award-winning card game is a simple, fast-paced game that everyone ages 6 to 106 can see eye to eye on. There are several ways to play Spot It! but the strategy is the same: be the first player to “spot” one of the eight illustrated symbols on your card to the matching symbol on another card. Sounds simple, right? But there is more to this game than meets the eye when you consider that there is only one match for the symbol you are searching for on one of the remaining 54 playing cards. And while the matching symbols are the same colour and shape, they may be different sizes. You’ll be surprised at how the variety of images on these cards will challenge your eyes. And because Spot It! requires keen visual perception skills and quick reflexes, this creates a level playing field across all ages. So watch out for those younger players as they set their sights on the win. With lively action and endless fun, your family will only have eyes for Spot It!
 
Bellz Magnetic Game (Ages6+, $19.99)
The Bellz magnet game is deceptively simple and yet supremely challenging at the same time. Just open the travel pouch and you’re ready to play! The pouch opens to become the game arena. Inside there are 40 custom bells in 4 colours and 3 different sizes. Players use the magnet wand to pick up bells of only one colour. Make a string off the end of the magnet wand, or create a cluster — just don’t pick up bells of any other colour or the turn is over. Each player must decide how far to push their luck on every turn. The first player to collect all 10 bells of one colour wins! Let the fun RING!

Qwirkle (Ages 6+, $24.99)
At first glance, Qwirkle looks like a simple matching game, but once you start playing, you’ll soon discover that creative tactical maneuvers and a well-planned strategy are required to outscore opponents! The game consists of 108 wooden blocks with six different shapes in six colours. Using the blocks, players score points by building rows and columns that share a common attribute - either colour or shape. The key is in making strategic moves that will earn maximum points. The simple level of play allows younger players to get in on the action and helps to improve strategy, concentration and other critical thinking skills. Challenging fun for the whole family!
 
aMAZEing Labyrinth Game (8+, $37.99)
Make your way to the treasure, one slide at a time! This award-winning game is fun for the whole family! Choose a wooden playing piece and place it on the corresponding circle in one of the 4 corners of the game board. Put the 24 treasure cards face down in a pile where everyone can reach them. On your turn, draw a treasure card, being sure not to show it to the other players. Use the extra maze card to shift the maze in any of the 12 directions allowed. Your goal is to create a path for your playing piece to reach the object on your treasure card. If you can't make it to your treasure yet, move your playing piece along the path as far as you choose, and hope you'll be able to shift the maze in your favour on your next turn! Play continues to the left with each player shifting the maze in an effort to reach the treasure pictured on the card they draw from the pile. Once all of the treasures have been reached, the player who has found the most treasures wins!

Crokinole (Ages 6+, $49.99)
This gigantic, Canadian-made wooden game features a Crokinole board on one side and a checkers board on the other, for double the fun! The object of the classic game of Crokinole is to gain points by shooting (or snapping or flipping) the wooden discs into the highest possible scoring areas on the board. Crokinole 2 in 1 is the ultimate multi-purpose game board for family fun!

Mastermind Game (Ages 8+, $24.99)
Now the whole family can test their wits in this battle of logic! New Mastermind is fun for up to 5 players! Outsmart your opponents with a code that is too tough to solve. Outwit them in a head-to-head code-cracking clash to win the game! Mastermind is the original game of logic and deduction, where skill and strategy combine for compelling game play. Also improves logic and reasoning skills. Includes game board, multicoloured game pieces and instructions. Prove your powers of deduction and lay your logic on the line in the ultimate test of skill and reason!
 
Settlers of Catan (Ages 10+, $49.99)
Welcome to the world of Catan, a remote Isle rich in resources and landscapes! You and the other players each control a group of settlers who have just discovered this island and wish to tame it. Begin the game by uncovering the landscape of Catan, which changes virtually every time the game is played! Next, attempt to guide your settlers to ultimate victory by trading resources, building roads, cities, and more! Beware though, as other players can cut off your roads or build monopolies that hinder your development! And watch out for the robber who's lurking in the shadows, waiting to steal your hard-earned gains! Requiring forethought and cunning, this game is sure to keep players of all ages entertained for hours!

All of the above games can be found at Mastermind Toys.

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