Top Ten Tabletop Games

One of the best things about jigsaw puzzles is their versatility. There are no rules to remember or follow, no age limits, no time limits, and an endless selection of sizes and designs.

Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to get everyone together during cold winter months when you can't get outside to play. You can put them together while watching movies or listening to music, and there's plenty of opportunity for conversation and laughter.

Whether you do a few hundred piece puzzle in an afternoon, or tackle 3000 pieces over a few weeks, there's something special about the time spent at the table, searching for that 'one' piece.

A few jigsaw puzzle tips:

Remember to start by creating the border of the puzzle (unless you're up for the challenge of a textured puzzle). Then you can fill in the middle by putting pieces of the same color or pattern together and looking for fits.

Keep the lid of the puzzle box nearby for reference, and if you get stuck, just try a different section or come back to it later. Once you've completed a puzzle, you can pack it up for another day, or share it with another jigsaw lover.

You can also donate them to a thrift store or recreation centre. If you've chosen a puzzle that is as beautiful as it is fun, you can coat it with a high gloss sealer and hang it on the wall.


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There are two types of people in the world. Those that love Monopoly, and those that can't stand Monopoly.

As far as games go, it is an acquired taste. Game play can go on for hours, stretching out until the winner has squeezed every last penny from their opponents. Although the rules and outcome can be tailored to suit everyone's tastes, the competitive real estate game is only for the most die hard board game players.

Since the original version was released in 1935, it has been played by as many as 500 million people - the game has been translated into 37 languages, and has been remade with different pop culture themes. Monopoly has been enjoyed by Star Wars, NASCAR, Sponge Bob and Disney Princess fans, with new versions being released all the time. Game concepts and terms have become clichés as Monopoly has anchored itself in our consciousness.

The latest Monopoly masterpiece is Monopoly Here and Now: World Addition, which features international city properties, eco-friendly utilities and transportation, and an electronic debit card system that replaces the paper bank. Cities include Jerusalem, Vancouver, Tokyo, Barcelona, New York and London, as well as many other interesting places around the world!

This game is recommended for ages 8 and up - players must keep track of properties and negotiate sales while managing their Monopoly money. It's a classic game that many families turn to again and again for a day of fun.

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This classic, ultimate game of strategy has been around since the 1600's, and is played for fun and competition all over the world. Players move their 16 game pieces on an 8 by 8 square checkered board. The object of the game is to eliminate the King, one of two unique pieces belonging to one's opponent. Each player controls 16 game pieces that can move around the board in different fashions, and eliminate the opponent's pieces by occupying the same square on the board.

It could be said that the game of chess influenced the popularity of computers, and helped to introduce them to mainstream society. In 1997, IBM's "Deep Blue" became the first machine to defeat a world chess champion. Today, many people play computerized versions of chess, and even compete via the Internet with other players around the world. Although technology has allowed chess players to find new challenges, the traditional chess board is still considered not only a relaxing game, but can be a conversation piece as well.

There are many different skill levels involved in chess, but once the rules are grasped, anyone can play. It's not only fun for two players - and even spectators - but is a great way to develop problem solving skills, improve memory, and learn to think ahead. Chess is a great way to spend a rainy afternoon indoors, and can even be played by mail with distant friends and family.

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Math and cards come together in this classic game of counting. Once the rules of the game are grasped, game play is fast paced and can become quite competitive.

Cribbage is played in pairs, and is often the chosen past time for family get-togethers and camping trips. In addition to standard playing cards, a cribbage board is used to keep score. Each player chooses a set of colored pegs which represent their score. Because small amounts of points are awarded often, the pegs make it easy to increase scores quickly.

For a complete list of rules and variations, visit the official Cribbage website.

While the game itself requires quick math skills, kids are often fascinated by cribbage boards. They can create their own games and ways to use the colored pegs for hours of imaginative playtime.

Older kids can get into the game to improve their addition and other math skills. Because hands move quickly, this game is a great way to pass time, and can become quite addictive.

Unlike other multi-player card games, only the cards discarded at the start of each hand can affect other players. Each player's hand and how they play it determines their score, with the exception of the dealer, who must try to find points from the discards.


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Originally based on the Middle Earth from J.R.R Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, this fantasy role playing game has been a youth favorite since 1974. Since then, it has sparked a number of fantasy and sci-fi roleplaying games, card games and video games.

The immensely popular Advanced Dungeons and Dragons is now in it's fourth edition, with new adventures and forms of game play being released every year.

The magic of D&D is in the players themselves. Each person creates a fantasy persona that they play throughout adventures that are hosted by one or more "Dungeon Master" players. These DMs set the scenes, introduce the story, and ultimately control the D&D world that the characters live in.

You can follow a pre-written adventure provided through books, or create your own and improvise your own game play. Many aspects of the world are determined using polyhedral dice with 4, 6, 8, 10 and 20 sides. Although there are a lot of different rules and guidelines, players and DMs can choose how to play and customize the game as they see fit.

While the game is most popular with teens, anyone can play as long as they use their imagination. There are many different themes and settings to choose from, and players can fine tune and tailor the gaming experience to their liking.

With anything and everything from vampires and werewolves to holy warriors and priests, Dungeons and Dragons is a great way to get away from video games and enjoy roleplaying the way it was meant to be. Players can flex their creative muscles, become their favorite character, or try out a role that they wouldn't normally take in real life. Games can be somber and serious, or down right hilarious. Every player and every game brings something new to enjoy.


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The original whodunit game is a classic that has been cherished since 1949. Also known as Cluedo, this game uses deduction and reasoning to determine which of the six characters committed a ghastly crime, with what creative weapon, and in which room of the mansion depicted on the game board and cards. Perhaps it was Colonel Mustard, in the Library, with the Lead Pipe?

Each player holds a number of cards representing the people and places that were not involved in the murder. Three cards wait in an evidence folder until one player hazards a guess about what's inside.

In addition to being an incredibly fun game, Clue has also become a source for many jokes and clichés, and was even made into a film starring Tim Curry, Christopher Lloyd and Madeline Kahn.

School aged kids can play along too, but game play requires keeping notes on what other players reveal about their game cards each turn. In order to correctly guess the contents of the evidence file and win the game, one must eliminate possible characters, rooms and weapons from the cards that are in play.


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The Cranium series by Hasbro have been wowing parents and teachers with their fun and educational games for kids since the mid 1990's.

Cariboo is an excellent children's game that helps preschoolers learn the basics of shapes, colors, letters and numbers. The inventive game board allows children to choose their own answers, and has a fun interactive aspect that also helps with motor skills.

Colored balls are hidden randomly behind doors on the game board, which players must find in order to open the secret treasure box. Each player draws a card and matches it to one of the doors by selecting one that has the same number, letter, color or shape.

Because each door has a combination of at least 3 concepts, kids have more than one option to choose from. There's no reading required, so kids can play on their own, too. Game play is quick, so that kids don't loose interest, but it's so much fun that they want to play again and again.

Although the educational aspects are great for preschoolers, the game is so much fun that everyone can get involved.

When all five of the colored balls have been collected, a treasure box opens to declare the end of the game. There are no 'winners' or 'losers', just a fun surprise every time.

Kids love to play Cariboo, because they can learn without being overly challenged, and they can play the game without help, making them feel grown up. It's amazing to see how quickly kids learn the basics once they've played the game. They'll be pointing out shapes, numbers and colors everywhere they go.


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Candy Land is a favorite with kids and parents. With simple rules, and colorful exciting pictures, everyone loves to sit down for a round of Candy Land.

The game board is made up of colored squares in a path, which players must follow to reach the end. Whoever moves their game piece to the last square is the winner.

To move, each player draws a card with a colored square, and moves into the next available spot on the board. Some squares also contain treats and candies, and special cards allow players to jump to these special squares. Sometimes this is an advantage, or sometimes a setback. With no reading required, kids can play on their own for hours of fun.

Because game play is based on chance, kids can play over and over with different results each time. As long as everyone plays fair, there's always a chance to win.

The Candy Land cards can also be used to play Go Fish or Memory if kids need a new diversion. Parents will enjoy Candy Land as well, especially if it was a childhood favorite for them.


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This word game made it's way into homes in 1988. Another Hasbro masterpiece, this game challenges players to think if twelve different words that begin with the same letter.

Each round, a set of twelve categories determines how to answer, and players must choose a unique word in order to gain points. Extra points are given for alliteration, where an answer consists of more than one word using the key letter.

This is a great party game, and can result in lots of laughter as players try to convince each other to accept questionable answers. A good vocabulary certainly helps, but there are plenty of pop culture categories to make sure that everyone can stay in the game.

School aged kids can play along too, and Scattergories is a great way to help improve spelling and vocabulary skills.

You can choose to play within the time limit, or give players extra time to complete all twelve categories. There are up to 12 rounds to be played per game, after which all the points from each round are added to determine the winner. Whoever has thought of the most original words is the champ.

Half of the fun is in hearing the answers that friends and family think of, and seeing who has the most creative vocabulary!


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Bibliophiles and crossword lovers rejoiced when Scrabble was successfully released at Macy's in 1950. The combination of anagrams and chance was a match made in board game heaven, and it's been a family favorite ever since.

To play, lettered tiles are used to create words that connect across a checkered board. Each letter and square has a possible point value, and players attempt to make the best words for the highest score. Because letter tiles are drawn randomly, chance and skill are both needed to create the winning words.

Once kids have a good grasp of language and spelling, they can join the traditional Scrabble game and improve their skills. While the game can be perfect on a quiet afternoon, it can also get quite heated, and special Scrabble dictionaries have been printed to help solve disputes about the validity of words.

The original Scrabble rules make for a fun family or party game, but there are lots of educational uses for the game as well. You can skip keeping score and just play for fun with kids and students to help them improve their language skills. It's also great as a homework helper. Students can use the tiles to practice spelling and vocabulary words assigned by teachers.

However you play, Scrabble is a great game for pairs and groups that you can go back to again and again.


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