The routine of the park and short family outings are essential, but can be tiring. But it's hard to stay at home doing nothing, especially with children, who can quickly get bored if you don't keep them occupied. That's when you need to look for indoor activities or games to keep them occupied.
So we need to think of a different kind of entertainment, where our children, family members or friends can let their imagination and creativity run wild with family games.
In this article, we give you some tips on how to have a great time on holiday. Sometimes it's normal to feel a bit lazy when it comes to outdoor activities. So, for those days when you prefer not to go out, here are a few ideas for games to play at home, which are great fun and which the whole family can join in with.
1. Gabaky, the new indoor game for all ages
Gabaky, our game as you know, is an indoor activity suitable for all generations. It can be played one-on-one or in teams of two to four people. The rules of the game are very simple and everyone can quickly understand them.
It's become one of the most popular activities to play indoors at any time of day. When you feel like shaking things up a bit, or even challenging your friends and family, all you have to do is set up the room or terrace and you're ready to play Gabaky.
A mixture of curling, petanque and shuffleboard, this game consists of throwing small, flexible balls and placing them near the centre. The team with the best position and 13 points first is the winner.
Points are calculated on the basis of the balls left on the board. You have to do your best to get a better position than the other team. If you shoot at your opponent's balls, you will move them off the board and gain a better scoring position.
Winter or summer, it's always the perfect time to enjoy family activities without leaving the house. How about finally creating a beautiful space to play Gabaky "like the pros" with your friends and family?
2. Monopoly, the popular indoor game
Monopoly is a game designed for children aged 8 and over. Invented by Elizabeth Magic and released in 1933, this game will fascinate your children. Parents can also play with their children - why not?
The aim of Monopoly is to establish a property monopoly. To do this, the player tries to earn as much money as possible by buying properties that generate rental income. Houses and hotels can increase this rental income. The winner is the one who buys the right plots of land and uses his wealth wisely.
The best way to stop your children saying "I'm bored" or "I'm hungry" all the time is to have a variety of games on hand.
Don't forget to set aside some hot drinks, and you're all set to organise the best games of Monopoly in the neighbourhood!
3. Belote
Although belote has only been around for around 70 years, it is still considered one of the most popular card games in France. It is a game of tricks for 2, 3 or 4 players, making it ideal for indoor winter fun.
If you want to make the game more interesting, choose the 4-player version.
The players form two teams of two partners. The partners sit opposite each other. Distribution, calls and play are counter-clockwise.
4. Chess, the indoor game of strategy and pure reflection
How about a game of chess? Known as a game of intelligence, chess is a two-person board game. One player has the white pieces and the other the black pieces. At the start of the game, both players have 16 pieces: a king, a queen, two bishops, two knights, two rooks and eight pawns.
Here, the aim is to put your opponent in checkmate. Checkmate occurs when the king is in check and has no way of making a move without again being in check.
It is played on a board with 64 fields divided into an 8×8 grid, each field being identified by a letter/number combination. The columns are numbered from a to h and the rows from 1 to 8. The board is positioned so that the bottom left corner is marked a1 from the white player's point of view.
It's a timeless indoor game. Although it's aimed at older children, it has many advantages and benefits. Firstly, it enhances memory. Secondly, it helps with concentration. Finally, it encourages creativity and logic.
5. Draughts
Draughts is one of the most classic and exciting board and indoor games that anyone can play. Even on the terrace or veranda, you can play without a table.
This is a game for two people on a 10 x 10 square board. Basically, the game consists of moving the pieces diagonally across the black squares on the board in order to absorb the opponent's pieces by jumping over them.
Each player has 20 pieces of the same colour placed on the black squares closest to them. The ultimate aim of the game is to capture the opponent's pieces or trap them so that they cannot move.
Conclusion on the best indoor games for winter fun
If you want to keep your children occupied this winter, look out for indoor games that will keep their minds and bodies entertained. There are so many to choose from, but here we've selected just the best games for the whole family to play together.
If it's snowing or raining to play outside, you can try some of these indoor games for your kids and your friend.
Adults and children alike need indoor activities to keep them from getting bored in the cold. So why not come up with a fun activity at home that will keep your family or guests occupied and entertained?