Cranium: a Family Game

My daughter received Cranium several years back as a gift from Santa. (Thanks Santa!) Nowadays we are Cranium fiends. We love this game. It is so much fun and the whole family can play. We now have in a 'treasure game chest', the original Cranium, Cranium Hullabaloo, Cranium Balloon Lagoon, Cranium Cadoo, Cranium Zippity, Conga and Tune Twister and Cranium Whoonu. Just to name a FEW. They want them all and I would almost agree.

My children are a bit to mature for the fort they now market or the Twisty Tunnel. However, your child might not be.

There are so many games from Cranium. I would love to say the original it the best, but we enjoy them all. Moreover, the more we play the games, the less the children are engaged in video game play or television viewing. Slumber parties with these games are huge and I do not mind at all-did I mention that the more the game is played the less television is watched!!!! The less sibling rivalry goes on, the more they want to stay home-with their family!!!

These games focus on imagination. It is so much fun to see children and adults have to act out words, spell words backwards, and impersonate famous people. Can your Dad act like Celine Dion? Can your six-year-old nephew think of something that offers support other than YOUR bra that is hanging on your closet doorknob? (To dry!) My daughter chose me for that question. (Yes, it did in fact bring tears to my eyes!)

Not only are they about imagination, but they are confidence building games as well. Even the most introverted children can come out of their shell when playing this game. These games encourage silliness and outrageousness.

Can your daughter and her friends spend such quality time laughing while going through the house trying to find answers to the queries?

The clay? Oh my--- the clay. I have attempted to sculpt classics out of clay--- and my family remembers. My troll doll in no way resembled a troll doll, other than to me.

The original game comes with the board, six hundred cards covering fourteen activities, a ten-sided die, a tub of cranium clay, a timer, pads, and pencils, and four play pieces.

They sell replacement packets, but you can also make up your own. When creating your own, you can come up with several cards that can even assist in cleaning the house. Make up cards that say find five items I have outgrown. Five items that are broken or five items that could be donated to charity. Whtever you can come up with.

For less than thirty dollars, your family will enjoy hours and hours of fun. Y ou cannot beat that. Cranium is not only educational, but it is FUN. Summer vacation is already looking better.