Want to bond with your family, offer a break from screen time, and help kids develop critical thinking, teamwork, and communication skills? Bring out the family games!
A nationwide survey of more than 1,000 Americans finds 82% are having family game nights regularly and game nights are the number one way families plan to spend quality time together in 2023.
- 59% say they grew up with family game nights and almost all (55%) are working to continue that tradition for their children
- Nearly 4 in 5 believe family game nights help combat seasonal blues
- 1 in 3 gifted a game in the 2022 holiday season
We’re not one of the survey participants, but we sure love our family gamesI
And we’ve just added one to our collection. As parents of two kids, we actually pat ourselves on the back for this one, since it is… can you guess?... yep, a game for 2! Not that we don’t like playing games with our kids, we absolutely do, but this game is perfect for just the two of them: when we’re still working when they get home from school or when we’re busy cooking or doing other things around the house, or – we just found that out – when we’re traveling! The game is small enough to take on trips and it can easily be played in the car or on the plane.
And pssst, want to know what’s also great about this game? The brain behind it, Project Genius, is Austin-based and woman-owned!
Now, what game is it, you ask? This game: Head Spin!
Head Spin by Project Genius
Head Spin is brain bending fun for fast fingers and quick minds. Two players race to crack the color code on puzzle cards and dial it in on their fidget spinner. The first to get their spinner on the landing pad with the right color combo wins the round!
There are 10 different puzzle styles in the deck:
Color codes: Similar to battleship, the players have to guess the right color code using letter and number columns.
Color confusion: The colors shown don’t match their descriptions. Players need to guess the colors either as they’re written or as they’re shown.
Gumball drop: Just like a maze, players have to crack the color code based on which colored ball lands where.
Jigsaw puzzle: Players have to arrange colored train cars the right way.
Legend puzzle: Players match colored icons with their grey self.
Logic puzzle: Read the description and decipher the location of the color in relation to the others.
Missing color: Using the process of elimination, players have to find the missing color.
Safe cracker: Just like guessing the combination of a safe, players have to “turn the wheel” in their head, based on the description.
Shifty squares: Players determine the color code following the instructions.
Size wise: Players have to sort colored chains from largest to smallest or vice versa.
The game is recommended for ages 8 and up.
A similar game but for 1 player, is Chroma Cube. Challenge yourself to solve the clues on the 25 puzzle cards and find the correct spot for each colored wooden block on the tray. The puzzle cards show a starting point for some blocks and you must use logic to arrange the other blocks according to the clues. All answers are provided on the back of each puzzle card so you can check your arrangement once all blocks are in place.
Another game for 2 players: Deblockle. Players take turns tipping and hopping their blocks in accordance with the symbol on the block. Once a block is tipped onto a star space, it is removed from the board. The first player to remove their four blocks wins the game.
But, Project Genius has many more games, puzzles, and brainteasers, that are mentally stimulating and fun to discover. Check them out at projectgeniusinc.com.