As I said in my today's post title, I'm a player. A game player, that is. And certainly not in the realm of dating. Far from it, actually. But boy oh boy, do I love some friendly competition!! I have a new favorite game to tell you about - it's called Bananagrams. I alluded to it in my Christmas Recap post, and many hadn't heard about it so let me share this wonderful treasure of a game with you! Oh and Emily Jane, I am sorry to disappoint you, but it doesn't involve a person singing to me, dressed in a banana suit - but wouldn't that be wonderful!!!
So onto the game and how it works. It's quite simple. I like to describe it as Scrabble on crack or Scrabble for people with ADD. Scrabble is fun and all, but I get kind of bored when I am waiting for others to put their tiles down and form words. Well, there is no down time in Bananagrams. Each person basically makes their own little Scrabble board. Here are the basics:
- Each person draws 21 tiles - someone says split and you flip them over and start forming words. Similar to Scrabble, they have to all join together in some way.
- If you draw a dud letter and want to get rid of it, you say "dump" and put it back in the center pile of tiles and take 3 new tiles.
- When you have used up all of your tiles, you say "peel" and each person then has to draw a tile.
- You continue in this fashion until there are fewer tiles in the middle than people playing.
Ok, you probably won't have long, awesome words like this, but you get the idea. I totally rocked at this game when we played it over Christmas weekend but got my butt kicked when we reconvened for a rematch over NYE weekend.
Mandy of Knowing the Difference told me about some Bananagram exercise workbooks that Target carried so I bought them and sent one to my mom and sister since they both loved this game!! My Target only had 2 left so I couldn't buy one for myself but maybe I will treat myself to one for my birthday. They looked so fun and would be a great thing to throw in your purse and work on when you are waiting in line, riding the bus, etc.
So there you have it! If you like words - you will love this game!!
Oh, and here's a little bonus photo from our NYE weekend at the cabin. My dad is taking on Andrew, my 4 year old nephew in Candy Land.
I love the serious expressions on everyone's faces - it looks like they are solving the world's problems, not playing Candy Land. Even the 20 month old, Matthew, looks perplexed. It makes me smile. Oh how I love my dad & my nephews!
The funny thing is that my dad is colorblind... so this game is a bit of a challenge for him! Andrew had to keep helping him with the colors and then he turned to his mom and said, "Grandpa really doesn't know his colors very well!" I thought that was hilarious!!
Do you like playing games? If so, what is your favorite? My favorite kid game is probably memory, Candy Land, or Chutes & Ladders. I can't decide. I love them all! Some of my other favorite adult games are Apples to Apples, Balderdash, and Trivial Pursuit!
22 comments:
Oooohhh!!! I love playing board games. Clue is my favorite. But we have also really gotten into Mexican train dominoes! So fun!!!
I've never heard of this game but it sounds awesome! I love Apples to Apples as well. I'm actually not allowed to play Taboo all the time anymore - I get too competitive and start heckling people (even on my own team)! Chutes & Ladders was the best game when I was younger - and then when I got older I also liked Life.
WAAAAH I'm so disappointed!! Hahaha this does sound fun though - I LOVE games, but I don't know enough other people that do so my boy and I are resigned to 2-player games like Scrabble (which is still fun :)). My favourite board games would have to be Taboo and Balderdash!
I have never played this game, but I'm really interested. I love scrabble. My favorite games to play now are Spoons, Apples to Apples, and Uno.
That sounds like a lot of fun. When I was a kid I loved playing monopoly and Connect 4. I still love connect4, but I don't play board games that much anymore... it's kinda sad really. I might have to set up a board game afternoon with my family - we have DVD night, so we might as well add to it.
That picture of your dad and nephews is sooo sweet. It reminds me a lot of when I was little and playing games with my grandad - it's such a blessing that your nephews get to spend so much time with him.
Bananagrams does sound fun! And does the game really come in that little bag? I must find it. And those books too =)
I love Scattegories, Apples to Apples and another game called Who Knew (or something like that). It's fun to play with family/friends because you kind of learn something about each perrson and it's rather silly. As a kid? Chutes & Ladders!!! One of my favs. Though I must admit I'm a bit envious of the new Candyland because it's "3-D" and has cool pieces to it now.
Over the Christmas holidays, I was in a store that sold all kinds of games and I actually noticed the bananagram game you talked about today, but wasn't sure what it was all about.
It looks like fun!
Oh fun! I love playing games with Mister and close friends, but party games with a huge group of people? Forget it. I'm not in. I don't even know why, but I opt out every time lol
This sounds like a fun game! I always loved Candy Land. I also really like Life and Would You Rather.
I will be playing lots of games with the ladies this weekend at our mini high school group reunion. Can't wait!
I don't own it.. but I've played it once and gave it away on my blog.. :) My fave games are Apples to Apples, Uno and Skip Bo. Oh an Euchre.. LOVE euchre.. I like playing online scrabble but not in person scrabble. Online goes faster haha.. When I was little I liked Life.
Trivial Pursuit rocks my world!
It's totally a tradition for us to play games like Cranium and Pictionary on Christmas and New Years Eve but my family can be a bit (A LOT) competitive and this year Eric's parents were having Christmas with us so I asked (begged) them to tone it down but they did not and the claws came out. *sigh*
That game looks fun though. Sounds like you need to be a quick thinker!
bibliophile? who would come up with bibliophile? wow, we are never playing scrabble.
I love scrabble! For christmas I got apple scrabble which sounds very similar to the game you described! I have yet to play it though! So much to do and always so little time!
I'm a huge, huge Scrabble nerd..I love it! Bananagrams looks like a lot of fun..I've never seen it anywhere, but I'd like to play it! I love your description...Scrabble on crack. That just makes me want to play it even more!!
Oh Lisa, You know how much I love and am obsessed with bananagrams! So so much fun. If you only know how many times I found myself playing solo during my trip home....haha!
Love the picture you inserted from NYE -- especially your caption. That is so true. They all look soo perplexed! Love it.
That banangram book you sent me is so fun! I can't wait to sit by the pool and tan and solve the puzzles next weekend while I have a weekend between classes (just thought I'd make you jealous...)
I love Taboo and Cranium... but I haven't had a chance to play many others!
My family mostly loves card games, which I like too but I find it gets a bit boring after a while... So I'm always looking for new ones like this! Thanks!
Chutes and latters! Love that game. I also loved guess who, connect four and battleship.
I have looked for the books everywhere here, and can't find one! Dave and I are going to play the game next week, as I found our old scrabble whilst moving everything! Also, mental high five for your good words! xx
I have noticed this game several times in the store but never picked it up! Now I really want to check it out! I LOVE Scrabble! :)
I love Monopoly and Risk. Although its kind of hard to find someone to play with me who will play the game till the very end.
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