What could be the trickiest parts during family game nights is choosing what game should be played. Even if it is another indoor kids game, the question what to play crops up especially if there are many kids of different ages including some toddlers perhaps.
Unless the whole family had converged on one or two favorite games, one or two kids would have divergent favorite-game-at-the-moment.
Options
There are several solutions to making a fair choice. All of them is simply to avoid conflict from any or all members.
First, try to come up with everyone listing what they want to play for the evening. Then, come up with a list for games that everyone might not be too interested but would not mind playing. The next phase would be to put this in a bag, have one member pick out a name of the game, and that would be the game to play.
The next one is the most democratic of all but is the most brutal. This one will put all the choices in the bag, including those that others completely do not like. Whatever is the game picked out (including those least liked by most) shall be the game of the night.
The main consideration for the second option is to make the children know this game-selection method beforehand and that there should be no grumbling afterwards.
The third method would have the kids themselves assigned to choose which game to play. Moreover, each child will be assigned days when he or she will have the chance to choose the nights game. (There might be less grumbling, although there will be nights when some are playing half-heartedly.)
This can be done far in advance so the kids concerned will have prepared for it. If it is a new game, he or she will take charge in orienting everyone the rules and guidelines and everything else about the game.
Learning skills
They can also have the added chore of setting everything up and cleaning up afterwards. This technique teaches them leadership and organizational skills which they will have to play by ear, including on the spot decisions and all.
Aside from these, the children shall learn structure, guidance and responsibilities like set-up and clean-up.
Another system would be to keep track on who won and who lost in the games. The winners will then have the privilege of choosing the next game on the next game night.
This is not to pamper the winner or giving him or her special treatment. Let every child know that being a winner is an achievement and worthy of feeling proud. On the other hand, let the losers feel that it is simply one more opportunity to make good the next time. (Make sure the games should not be advantageous to those with physical advantages, etc.)
Losing and winning
It is good practice to say good game to every player and congratulations to the winner. Winners probably would be given the privilege of not having to help clean up. But if he gloats over it, he will do the cleaning by himself.
After all, the whole thing is an indoor kids game, and the object of the game is simply having unadulterated fun.
