Help for the Holidays #8: A Family Night One-Two Punch

Some of my fondest memories as a child are our family game nights when the four of us would gather around the table and play some board games.

But sadly, I think that family game nights are becoming an endangered species...

Thankfully, Hasbro/Parker Brothers may have just the thing to revive it with the one-two punch of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” and “Don’t Forget the Lyrics!”

“5th Grader” works much like the TV show. You answer two questions from each grade (1st-5th) to work your way up the money board. If you get all the way up the board without missing any questions, you can try to answer the million dollar question. Of course, at any time, you can take the money you’ve earned thus far and quit the game.

Just like on the show, you have the option to peek or cheat as well as save. But in this case, your classmate (another player) can earn money for helping you.

The player with the most money at the end of the game wins.

The fun of this game is seeing just how stupid you can feel as an adult when you don’t know an answer. And playing the game with your kids will make that even more fun.

And no, I am not going to reveal the category that tripped me up the first time I played…

“Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” (SRP $19.99) is for 2-4 players ages 8+…

“Don’t Forget the Lyrics” is also fun for the whole family, but it’s for ages 12+.

Why? Because it’s hard. Fun, but hard…

Just like the show, you have to fill in the blanks in the song lyrics. But since this is a board game and not a DVD game, you don’t have to sing if you don’t want to (but it does make things more fun).

But if you’re like me, you won’t know how most of the songs go anyway…

You can always get help with Three Lines (three possible choices), Two Words and Backup Singer (another player helps you out). But, the people that help you can collect money as well.

The person with the most money at the end of the game is the winner.

“Don’t Forget the Lyrics!” (SRP $22.99) is for two teams of players ages 12+.

Both games are available in stores and online now…

Photos Credit: Hasbro