Waiting Games and Amusements for Families: Turn waiting time into playing time!

170 Pages·2016·0.37 MB·English

by  Hallett

Waiting Games and Amusements for
Families
Anna Hallett
Acquinicum Press / MIDDLETOWN
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To Michael, Derek, and Jack and to my parents for
teaching me how to have fun while I wait.
CONTENTS

Forward
Word Games
Concentration
Categories
Verbal Categories
I’m going on a picnic (alphabet version)
Alphabet Game
I’m going on a picnic (and you can’t come)
Story Rounds
One Sentence Stories
One Word Stories
Row Stories
Guessing Games
Seated Charades
Visual Hide-n-Seek
Leprechaun Hide-n-Seek
Twenty Questions
Coffee Pot
Guess which hand
Up Jenkins
I Spy
I know where I gotta go
Demographics
Menu
Menu for Two…You Sank My Submarine Sandwich
Where in the World
Math Games
Patterns
Matching Chains
3 Strikes
Decoder
Pencil Games
Bocci Pencil
Draw the Tail on the Donkey
Paper Battleship
Squares, a.k.a. Dots
Amusements
What’s your favorite…
My Perfect…
If, Then
Telepathy
Operator, a.k.a. Telephone Line
Oldies, but Goodies
Conclusion
{ 1 }
Forward
Next time you are in a waiting room, line or eating out, look around you. How
many people do you see buried in electronic devices? How many family
members do you see ignoring one another in favor of cell phones and tablets?
How many in your family are mesmerized by their electronics or the television
in the corner of the restaurant?
Like so many families, when we go out, I feel we are battling the draw of
videos, electronic games, and cell phones. When my boys look back at their
youth, I hope they remember the fun we had together—playing games, talking,
and laughing—and not a collage of computer generated images. On our recent
trip to a major amusement park, much of the fun and valuable memories are the
games we played as we waited to get on the next ride. I treasure the memory of
playing Operator with my brother and sister-in-law, my nephew, my sister, her
boyfriend, my mother, and my two sons as we waited for a broken ride to be
repaired. I am convinced my nephew will be a great writer someday because he
kept us laughing at his wonderful and amusing stories. I also remember waiting
with my sons and husband for our food to arrive at a local restaurant and we
struggled to keep our laughter to a reasonable volume as we played seated
charades.
The inspiration for this book came as we planned for our trip to a major
amusement park. While we eagerly discussed which rides we definitely wanted
to try, we did wonder how we would pass the time in the inevitable lines. We
soon realized that we actually had a fairly good repertoire of “waiting” games
and thought it would be fun to come up with a few more and, ultimately, share
our ideas with others.
Some of our games may seem so simple and obvious you will wonder why
we bothered to include them. I envision this book being used as a go-to list of
ideas when you and your family and/or friends are waiting. You can scan down
the list and look for something appealing to everyone at that moment. I have put
the recommended ages, number of players, noise levels, occasions, and supplies
at the beginning of every game so you will know right away if you have the
“ingredients” you need to play. When one game gets boring, you move on to the
next. Some of the games also include variations and I wanted to set the stage
with the original version. It is all about keeping the boredom at bay. These
games may require your imagination, your wit, and sometimes a pencil and
paper.
I have organized the book around the type of game offered, but there may be
some cross-over. While there is a section dedicated to games requiring pencil
and paper, some of the other games and amusements may require them as well.
But if you are anything like me, I always carry a pack of pre-sharpened pencils
in my purse or backpack. Paper is usually any little scrap I can find, but if you
plan ahead, a small pad of paper can easily be carried as well. The section I have
titled Amusements is less about competitive games than discussion starters and
silly activities. Throughout the book, I have focused on games and amusements
that are easy to stop and start when your time limit is unknown. Any of the
activities included in this book would be lots of fun during your family game
night as well.
Waiting does not need to include electronics and does not need to be boring.
Waiting can be the start of a great family memory. Enjoy it.
Yes, going to amusement parks, out to dinner, and on long car rides is about
riding roller coasters, eating, and getting to grandma’s house. But it is also a
wonderful time to be together and have lots of fun. We hope that these games
keep you patient, amused, and help you create fond memories of “waiting
for….”
{ 2 }
Word Games
Concentration
Ages: Players: Noise Level:
5+ 2+
Loud

Occasion: