Family Favourites: Articulate and Books

When Jordan and I were dating we often played Articulate with friends. It was fast and fun and have fond memories of that time. It’s taken almost 15 years, but all our children are now old enough to join in and we absolutely love playing it as a family. In Articulate teams try to guess answers from a teammate’s clues to score points and more their counter around the board. It’s really very simple, requires very little setup and everyone can join in with guessing.

The best part about this game is hearing how the kids try to describe the word they are giving clues for. This is almost like a word association game and we’ve had a couple of cracking laughs as parents and kids get confused. Recently Jordan was giving clues about Eminem to the kids. He said: “This person is a rapper, they do rapping.” And the first guess from Odette was “Santa!” Another time when trying to get the kids to guess Arnold Schwarzeneggar he tried to use the “I’ll be back” line to lead them towards Terminator. Instead, with certainty in his voice, Jude guessed “Hamilton!”, confusing it with “You’ll Be Back”.

This is a game I’m confident will become a family favourite, a staple that will remain in your board game collection for years. So the books I have chosen to match Articulate are of the same calibre. These are books that you will have on your shelf for years and years because of their universal appeal across the ages.

All the Ways to Be Smart, by Davina Bell and Alison Colpoys

It’s really tough to think of a picture book that you will want to keep on your shelf even when the kids are past that stage. But this is a book that should be in every home because every person needs reminding that they have unique talents and gifts. Even teenagers and adults can be smart in their own way. This is a book that just by keeping around will remind family members of their own possibilities and potential. It’s a deadset modern classic. Click here to see my original review from 2018.

Roald Dahl box set

Roald Dahl is the true master of writing for children. His writing is thrilling (without being outright scary), witty, truthful, insightful, irreverent, warm, and funny. In many of his books, he cleverly got the adults out of the way so that the children can solve problems, take risks, and shine. Also, many of his books are from 40-50 years ago and have a more sophisticated vocabulary and grammar than what some modern books have, which is great for kids. We have enjoyed reading a few of his books aloud, and once kids come under his spell they are willing to read more, so having the set on your bookshelf is wise.

Harry Potter box set, by JK Rowling

This is another set that I consider a staple for a home library. One of the main reasons is that kids will dip in and out and re-read this set over the years. Because the series was written in a way that gets more mature as the novels progress, it may take years for kids to fully appreciate and get through all the books. I have read the first 3 books aloud to my kids (using the large illustrated editions), but I stopped there and let them continue on their own. One has read the entire set, another has listened to them. Some people might be put off by how popular and ubiquitous the franchise has become, but the writing is really very good (again slightly more complex and sophisticated than others).

The Terrible Two series by Mac Barnett, Jory John, and Kevin Cornell

We recently finished reading this set as a family read-aloud and it was loved by all. It is a wonderful addition to our family library as I’m confident the kids will want to re-read it over the years (Jude had already read it twice before I bought it, my original review is here). Each book is very funny with lots of little details and lines to amuse. But it wasn’t until we finished the series that I really appreciated what the authors had done. They had taken us on a journey through a friendship, but also a change of heart for one of the characters. It showed how adults can learn from kids and become someone they didn’t know they could be.