Staff Picks for Family Video Game Night
Growing up, my brother and I spent a lot of time bonding over our shared love of video games. Our parents mostly appreciated our hobby from a distance, but the times that they did join in were always tons of fun, and memories I treasure to this day. Playing video games as a family can be a great way to build stronger connections and to understand the media your children consume. It also gives you opportunities to model empathy and problem-solving skills, and learning to cope with losing in games can help kids build emotional resilience.
With that in mind, why not host a family video game night? Here are some video game suggestions to get the ball rolling:
Nintendo – King of family games
- Mario Party offers a board game-like experience, dice and all.
- Mario Kart has been a multiplayer kart-racing staple for decades.
Chaotic fun
- In Overcooked! 1 or 2, four people can run a restaurant together (and put out kitchen fires in the process).
Minecraft fans
- In Minecraft Dungeons your party can explore dungeons, slay monsters, and find loot, all set in the Minecraft world.
LEGO Fans
- LEGO has many 2 player games, including crossovers with Harry Potter, Batman, Jurassic World, and many more.
Outside the box
- In Untitled Goose Game you play as mischievous geese who solve puzzles and play pranks on unsuspecting humans.
Get your bodies moving
- Check out the Just Dance series and dance along to a selection of popular music.
And many more!
The library has video games available for a variety of different consoles, including several generations of PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo systems. Video games in our children’s collection have a green sticker on the spine to make finding them easy, but if you ever have questions about whether a video game is appropriate for your child just check the ESRB rating on the back. Visit the ESRB website for more information on what these ratings mean: https://www.esrb.org/ratings-guide/
Most importantly, remember to have fun! Playing video games together can offer a window into your child’s world, and you may even find yourself feeling like a kid again.
