I love games. All kinds of games. Really. Card games, board games, puzzles…you name it, if it is fun and creates family time, I’m down.   

Family game night can be educational, teach your child problem solving, develop motor skills, promote family bonding, and it is a fun family tradition.

While there's a good variety of family games out there, there is nothing like making your own board game. Just imagine buying your first house all over again in Monopoly, or playing memory game with family member pictures - it's fun and unique, and you're going to love making it, playing with it, and creating new family tradition.

1. Family Board Game
All you need is white cardstocks, markers, stickers and a few pictures. Create and decorate the board game together, and think about fun questions to add. This would be a great gift to grandparents, too!
Check it out here --> http://www.potholesandpantyhose.com/2011/12/diy-family-board-game/

2. Guess Who
Yes, this DIY is not as simple, but if you'll follow the instructions - you should be good. Simple wood projects are really great with young children, just let them help!
It will be a lot of fun and you will have hours of laughs. 
Find the instructions here --> http://almostmakesperfect.com/2015/01/07/diy-guess-who/

3. Family Monopoly
If you like Monopoly, but kind of bored, try this one - from the locations, to the houses, to the colors – everything can be customized! Involve the kids - add your favorite restaurants, places you visited in previous vacations and more. Plan everything together and either make it as a family, or make it after bed time, as parents screen-free quality time. 
While there are lots of ideas online, I loved this one most --> http://thecraftables.com/diy-personalised-monopoly/
If you really like the idea, but don't want to make it yourself, check out the personalized Monopoly on Amazon, Target and other places online --> https://amzn.to/2G2N0HP

4. Family Match Game
You can use pictures of family members (or even let your kids draw them themselves - just scan and print so you have 2 copies), pictures you took in previous family vacations, and pretty much anything your family is in to --> http://eighteen25.com/2012/11/family-match-game/

What is your family's favorite game? Can you make a personalized version? Please share! :-)

Make Your Own Family Portrait

Usually, it's either the kids are crafting, or we do our DIY projects after they fall asleep, but why not scheduling a fun Family Art Night? Put it on the calendar! Let everyone get excited, prepare a fun snack together and sit down to craft, as a family! 

And what could be better than creating your own family portrait? Here are a few fun ideas:

Sitting Pretties are a great project for a Family Art Night! These figures are created on metal roof flashing with collage fabric and paint. Once folded, they can sit on a mantle or bookshelf. 

This is a unique and whimsical way to display your family photos.

Check out the tutorial at The Martha Stewart Show: https://www.marthastewart.com/267614/sitting-pretties

Family Rocks! Everyone knows that, so why not paint your family portrait on rocks? There are so many inspiration projects out there, and material list is simple and short - rocks (you can go on a hike and collect yourself, or buy a small bag at your local dollar store) and paint (I personally like the markers, but any acrylic paint will do the job).

http://www.handmadecharlotte.com/7-ways-to-paint-rocks/

Frame it! Frame your wood dolly pegs family portrait! This is super easy and great for families with younger kids, who will enjoy painting and decorating the frame, and placing the dolly pegs inside. Check out the tutorial here: https://www.bakerross.co.uk/craft-ideas/kids/family-portrait/

Spooning Around - Draw your family on wooden spoons! Such an easy to find and inexpensive material, and so much fun! I think this is my favorite now.

http://viewsandpost.blogspot.in/2012/02/family-spoons-diy.html

I would love to add to this mini collection more ideas, so please share your projects!

If you missed it, this post is a series of posts preparing for Screen-Free Week. All details here: https://www.facebook.com/relomom/posts/983432191825462

Screen-Free Week Bay Area

Screen-Free Week is an annual, international celebration when schools, families, and community groups pledge to spend seven days without digital entertainment. Instead of watching TV, surfing the web, or playing video games, they read, play, think, create, get physically active, and spend more time with friends and family.  

Screen-Free Week is a fun and innovative opportunity to reduce our dependence on entertainment screen media, including television, video games, computers, and hand-held devices. It’s a chance for children - and adults - to rediscover the joys of life beyond the screen.  

The next SFW event is April 30-May 6, 2018, and ReloMom Bay Area is taking part! We will be here every day, with lots of suggestions for great family screen-free activities, including a screen-free event and other surprises for our readers.

Week 1 (March 19-23) - Family Art Projects 
Week 2 (March 26-30) - Science Experiments for kids 
Week 3 (April 2-6) - Family Outings, stay tuned for lots of giveaways this week! 
Week 4 (9-13) - National Library Week - Library wonders, and lots of reading tips and ideas! 
Week 5 (16-20) - Play with Food 
Week 6 (23-27) - The Active Family  

I will have lots of guests, surprises and giveaways, and I can't wait to share it with you all!

If you would like to share a project, donate a giveaway or write a post, email me (relomomsv@gmail.com)!
I'll love to feature bay area professionals and small businesses!  

I will also post a schedule of events including a few ReloMom events, so stay tuned, it's going to be so awesome, it will make you make you turn off the TV!