Some of my very favorite interactions with my kids is playing games together. For the most part the times we play games is as part of our family night. (In our church we're encouraged to designate Monday nights to having a spiritual lesson and fun with our family.) Last night we played a game I vaguely remembered playing as a kid (thanks Ryan for remember how to play)called Inny, Inny Aye Over (sp????) and Sidewalk Tag. Sidewalk tag is the game where someone stands on the sidewalk and the others try to cross the sidewalk without getting tagged by the person who's it. If they do they join the tagger until everyone's been tagged. So much fun, my kids LOVED it.
As for Inny, Inny Aye Over you divide into 2 teams and one team is in front of the house while the other is in back. One team yells "Inny Inny Aye Over!" and then throws a ball over the house. If the other team catches it they run around the house and ambush the other team. If they hit someone with the ball that person joins their team. If the other teams fails to catch the ball they yell "Inny Inny Aye Over" and throw it back over the house. We did this forever last night and had a blast. The kids couldn't throw the ball over the house so Brennan and I were the designated throwers but they helped catch and attack the other team.
As usual Ben insisted on being part of the action. He amazed me with his ability to catch on. It was the cutest thing to watch his smile come tearing around the front of the house with ball in hand ready to get one of us. He actually did hit his target more than once. So funny and cute.
Anna, Abby and Nate loved every minute of both games and that's just plain fun as a parent to watch such joy on all of your kids' faces.
We have a less than stellar track record on being 100% with Family Home Evenings and even when we do have it we still have many nights when no one can sit still or quit bickering long enough to listen to a lesson. Sometimes it seems like despite our efforts it's all very fruitless, but then we have one like last night with a sweet lesson by Abby and then just great fun together that makes me totally believe this is an inspired program.
In the past I sometimes just didn't have the energy to pull it all together, but now I don't have a choice. You see awhile ago I made this:
I know it doesn't look like much, but honestly my kids won't let us not do Family Night now, they totally know what their respective jobs are and look so forward to doing their part each week. Best cheesy thing I ever made!
7 comments:
wow first of all I can't believe you have a big enough family to play inny inny aye over, how fun! Those games made me really reminiscent of summer nights as a kid, aw what a life. Anyway, what a cute sweet family you have!
Ange, remembering regional conference--Br. Lund and Sis Lant...how can we NOT have FHE and do these things we're counseled to be. We are given such great blessings if we will be obedient. I'm so proud of what you and Brennan are doing. Do your best, and the rest will come.
sounds like so much fun! those games are great. btw, we used to sing the family night song, too, growing up. love the flower pots.
Hey, we know the song and play it often for family night! I love the games you mentioned--we're going to try them! We found a really old LDS game book that we use. It is full of really fun games.
The flower pots are awesome!
How neat to hear such a positive report on FHE. Hurray for you guys for perservering long and well enough for your kids to get excited about it. They'll probably eventually grow out of that enthusiasm, (think teenagers) but by then, the routine will be firmly entrenched!
The Brady Bunch had family night? Just kidding but I did see, "a Jan Brady classic" when I first read your post.
What fun games. I look forward to palying those fun interactive games when our family grows.
I know that song! I may never get it out of my head now...
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