Family dinners are a great way for men to actively participate in parenting. Dinner time rules: No phones/electronics or unnecessary interruptions. Quality time requires focus.
The games below worked well for us in creating a fun, educational environment that engages everyone at the table.
Game 1: 'Would you rather'? (WYR)
Players take turns asking each other questions about goals, preferences and desires. The questions follow a simple format that gives the respondent two choices to pick from. Sample questions are below.
Would you rather be an 'Eagle or a Porpoise'
Would you rather be 'Old and rich or young and poor'?
Would you rather have one great best friend or a group of good friends?
Would you rather have one week on a nice boat, or one day on a luxury yacht?
The respondent picks one of the options and optionally states why they chose it.
Game Play:
Dad starts the game by asking the person to his left a question.
That person answers and then asks the person on their left.
Periodically, Dad switches play from clockwise to counter clockwise.
Game 2: 'Food chain': Teaches the kids about the primary attributes and strategies animals and plants use to eat and avoid being eaten. Each player is given a list of sample attributes and strategies (the list below can be printed) as a starting point.
Game Play:
Dad names an animal and asks the person to his left to describe its attributes/strategies.
Play continues in clockwise until periodically Dad reverses the direction.
Attributes and strategies outside the sample list are encouraged.
Optionally a list of animals can be brought to dinner and each person can choose from available animals on the list. (at which point that animal is checked off)
Attributes:
Camouflage
Protective covering (shell, thick skin, needles, etc)
Venom and means of using it (injecting, spraying)
Enhanced senses (distance vision, night vision, ability to perceive tiny amounts of motion, directional hearing, smell, etc)
Strength, speed, agility, size
Strategies:
Group hunting behavior
Group defensive behavior (Elephants, Cape buffalo)
Individual hunting techniques
Symbiosis
Parasitism
The games below worked well for us in creating a fun, educational environment that engages everyone at the table.
Game 1: 'Would you rather'? (WYR)
Players take turns asking each other questions about goals, preferences and desires. The questions follow a simple format that gives the respondent two choices to pick from. Sample questions are below.
Would you rather be an 'Eagle or a Porpoise'
Would you rather be 'Old and rich or young and poor'?
Would you rather have one great best friend or a group of good friends?
Would you rather have one week on a nice boat, or one day on a luxury yacht?
The respondent picks one of the options and optionally states why they chose it.
Game Play:
Dad starts the game by asking the person to his left a question.
That person answers and then asks the person on their left.
Periodically, Dad switches play from clockwise to counter clockwise.
Game 2: 'Food chain': Teaches the kids about the primary attributes and strategies animals and plants use to eat and avoid being eaten. Each player is given a list of sample attributes and strategies (the list below can be printed) as a starting point.
Game Play:
Dad names an animal and asks the person to his left to describe its attributes/strategies.
Play continues in clockwise until periodically Dad reverses the direction.
Attributes and strategies outside the sample list are encouraged.
Optionally a list of animals can be brought to dinner and each person can choose from available animals on the list. (at which point that animal is checked off)
Attributes:
Camouflage
Protective covering (shell, thick skin, needles, etc)
Venom and means of using it (injecting, spraying)
Enhanced senses (distance vision, night vision, ability to perceive tiny amounts of motion, directional hearing, smell, etc)
Strength, speed, agility, size
Strategies:
Group hunting behavior
Group defensive behavior (Elephants, Cape buffalo)
Individual hunting techniques
Symbiosis
Parasitism
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