How to Hold a Regular Family Game Night With a Group

Keeping in touch with friends gets difficult when you have young children and busy lives. Organize a regular family game night with a group of friends and their children so that you can all look forward to a fun night with familiar faces.

Things You'll Need

• Other couples and their children
• Space and seating for your guests
• Dinner and dessert
• Adult games
• Children's games and/or a movie

Instructions

1. Organize your group by considering which of your friends has children about the same ages as yours. Think of who might be interested in getting together on a regular (usually monthly) basis. Determine which friends enjoy entertaining and would be most likely to commit to such a regular get-together. A group of five couples and their children is probably the biggest you should consider, depending on the number of children. Keep the group to a size that is not too overwhelming if everyone attends, but still functions nicely if one or two families don't make it on occasion. Contact your potential families and garner interest in a monthly family game night.

2. Explain how the game night will operate once you get commitments from several families. The idea is for the grown-ups to have some adult conversation and kid-free fun, while the children get to see a regular group of friends.

3. Schedule family game night each month, rotating the hosts. The game night works best on a regular day and time, say on a Saturday evening, beginning at five o'clock.

4. Have the host pick a theme for the food, such as Mexican or Italian. The host may supply the main dish, while the guests could provide drinks, desserts or side dishes.

5. Hire a babysitter or two. Each family pitches in a set amount, say $5 per child, and the babysitters are paid by the entire group. The babysitters are to supervise the children with as little supervision from the parents as possible, so that the adults can enjoy the evening. What works for some groups is having the children eat dinner separately first.

6. Have the babysitters set the children up with a movie or an activity.

7. Play some games after the adults eat dinner. The host typically supplies the adult games, but a guest could bring one as well. Games that are geared toward parties or larger groups usually are hits.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider personalities when selecting your group. Make sure your children are friendly with at least some of the other kids.

• Bring your children's pajamas along. They can get ready for bed before you head home.