16 OF OUR FAVOURITE FAMILY GAMES!

If you follow our stories on Instagram, you’ll know by now that one of our family’s favourite thing to do together is play games. Our games cupboard sits prominently in our living room so the kids can easily access them at any time. Our kids are now 9 and 11 (the twins) and we’ve been playing games with them since they were toddlers. They often play games together independently, but we also play as a family and it’s become a weekly tradition for us that I hope continues throughout the years.

Below are the games that we love and play regularly and I’ll add the ones I’m tucking under the tree this year too!

  1. SKIPBO

    I remembered playing this game at a friend’s house when I was a kid and bought it when my kids were toddlers. Once you have mastered Uno, this game is a great next step. We’ve brought this game on weekends away and even the park! The kids still love to play it.

  2. RACKO

    Love this simple number ordering card game for kids. We didn’t discover it until last year but as soon as your little ones can count and order numbers to 20, 30, 40 and 50, this game is perfect. It’s quick and fun, a winning combo!

  3. BLOKUS

    A game for 2-4 players that’s recommended for ages 7+. It’s a patterning game and I love that the youngest player can win as easily as the oldest once they get the hang of it. A great intro to strategy games.

  4. SLEEPING QUEENS

    Kaia made sure I added this one to the list. She said it was her favourite a few years ago. It’s a simple concept that the kids seem to pick up quickly (and remember) but I feel liked tired Moms (that’s me!) need the rule book nearby to remember what each card does.

  5. MONOPOLY

    The classic game from our youth; our 9 year old would play this game daily if someone would play with him! We have and love the bookshelf addition and I imagine our kids playing Monopoly for many years to come.

  6. CLUE

    You likely remember this one from when you were a kid too and I had to buy the vintage edition for old times sake. Nothing like a game of mystery to keep little minds thinking! My twins especially love this game and play it often when friends come over.

  7. SCRABBLE

    This beautiful wooden version is a perfect coffee table decor piece as well as a very functional take on this classic word game. When we started playing Scrabble with our kids, we quickly learned the value of a quality board that holds the letters in place after a standard board kept getting knocked and wrecked. I highly recommend investing in a quality game of this one if you and your family are avid Scrabble fans.

  8. BANANAGRAMS

    This game was a gift and I love how it encourages flexible thinking with words. With simple letter tiles, you could use this game alongside learning to spell with younger kids. Although the concept is simple, this game requires quick thinking and is quite tricky to keep changing your words and thinking as the game progresses. In my opinion, it’s a step quicker (& harder!) than Scrabble or Lexicon.

  9. CHINESE CHECKERS

    Simple and fun. With a little strategy, this game is fun to play with 2 players and so much more complicated once you add more players. We play this game at least 3 times a week!

  10. CHESS / CHECKERS

    I have always dreamed of being an amazing Chess player, although I am not (ha!). Once we knew our family was a fan of games, we invested in this beautiful wooden game board and quality felted pieces.

  11. CATAN

    I like this game, but my kids love it. Learn to trade, build and settle the island of Catan.

  12. CARCASONNE

    By far my favourite game to play with our family! I’d say 8+ and this is a great first foray into strategy games. It’s a long game so you have to settle into this one for the evening, but it’s enjoyable and if you are like us, my husband and I can be competitive with each other while still playing with the kids.

  13. CATCH PHRASE

    Fun for a wider group and easy to sit down and play a quick round. If you are into games with friends, this one is fun for adults and kids 8+. Younger kids may have a tricky time with the speed of it and some of the content.

  14. TRIVIAL PURSUIT (KIDS VS. ADULTS)

    Fun fact: my kids almost always beat us adults! This game is great for learning random facts and testing your memory once you’ve played it multiple times. While my kids seem to remember everything they learn, they especially relish in the rounds where we’ve had the questions before and I forget the answer. Fun for the whole family.

  15. YAHTZEE

    A good game list wouldn’t feel complete without Yahtzee. A simple game that can easily travel with you, this one is great for improving math skills and teaching kids the concept of probability.

  16. TICKET TO RIDE

    This one is tucked under the tree and the reviews are great! Have never played, but can’t wait to try.

SHOP THE POST…



2022 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE: BABIES!

Since having kids, the holiday time has truly become such a significant time of the year. The first year with a baby is a celebration in itself and when it comes to what a baby truly needs, it’s really just love! Here are our trusted and true favourite items that can be put into a stocking or tucked under the tree for a special start for what will inevitably become a magical time of year for your family.

Somewhere between 12-24 months, most babies enjoy knocking down cups. These pretty stacking cups are a firm favourite and I love that they double as bath toys! Easy to stack away on the bathtub or even pop in your bag for trips to the park or holidays away.

One of the most practical baby baths for small spaces, this foldable bath was a life saver with our baby twins. I loved the modern design and the fact we could bring it along for road trips.

Another stacking toy, but also worth it! I have no idea what exactly is so alluring about this toy, but babies (and early toddlers!) seem to be so drawn to it. It’s a great toy to start imaginative play with the animals and their houses.

There is nothing cuter than a baby in a hooded towel! Made from 100% cotton, this adorable lamb hooded towel is the sweetest cozy wrap for your post bath sweet baby.

Bear Stays up for Christmas is one of our most beloved holiday reads! I gifted this to my kids on their first Christmas and 12 years later, we still love it.

An absolute hold all, for laundry or blankets or toys or anything! A lidded basket is an essential for quick clean up and this one is pretty enough to put anywhere in your home.

I did not have a play gym anything like this pretty, but if I were to do it over again, I’d buy this one!

It’s never too early to teach kids to give back and that is why I love this company so much! Cuddle and Kind is a company I love to support and this cute bear is the perfect way to do that. For every doll sold, 10 meals are given to kids in need!

This toy is a top seller and has been for over a decade! All of our kids adored this toy and I would highly recommend it. It’s so easy for tiny fingers to grasp and hold and our twins used to pass it back and forth which was the cutest!

OUR HOLIDAY DIGITAL ART COLLECTION

After working with my sister to dream up and create these holiday art prints, I am so excited to share that you can now shop the entire Holiday Digital Art Collection right here on my site!

Inspired by the spirit of the holiday season, these seasonal art prints can be mixed and matched to create a cohesive festive atmosphere from your playroom to the kitchen, kids room to the nursery, in a hallway, dining room or living room. Use them as stand alone pieces in a larger size, as part of a gallery wall or layered for a festive look on a fireplace mantel or book ledge!

This collaboration between my sister, Amanda and I was created to add a little joy in all the spaces in your homes. From the little stars art print that I designed to the wreath art print that she designed, we have worked together the entire way to bring these festive prints to you!

All 24 of these new art prints have been created as digital downloads for you to print and use throughout your homes. Each file contains a variety of sizes to print, shown in each listing. Once you purchase a piece of artwork, you will receive an email with the files ready to download to your computer. From there, you can send your files to your usual print shop to print for you. If you are in Canada, I highly recommend using Pikto, an online service that prints our artwork to the exact colours we intended! If you do use Pikto, select the ‘Deep Matte’ paper for a print that does not have any shine to it (ideal!). Once your art prints arrive, you can choose any photo frame to match the size of your print. We love the Opposite Wall photo frames (especially the solid wood ones!) as quality frames to match our prints.

We hope you love them as much as we do!

OUR FALL TRADITIONS...WHAT ARE YOURS?

With the official start of Autumn this week I have to say I am loving the crisp morning air, crunchy leaves and warm afternoons. While we’ve never really been a family with loads of traditions, as the kids get older I realize they live for special moments and eagerly await the months with holidays.

So, even though September and October are busy and full months with school starting and the change of weather, I have thought about ways to make these months special and the little things we’ve done over the years that have become traditions for our kids. They now ask and look forward to them.

mini white pumpkins for fall decor

Here are a few ways that we celebrate fall:

1. TAKE FALL PHOTOS

Every year we head to the same place with big trees and lots of leaves. While the photos are a lovely way to capture the kids growth each year, jumping in the leaves is a memory I hope they remember forever (I know I will!).

2017

kids in fall leaves

2019

kids in fall leaves

2. MAKE PLAYDOUGH

I don’t know about yours, but our kids STILL looooove play dough. Each fall, I make a fresh batch and get out the seasonal cookie cutters. I love these fall leaf and acorn ones for September and this Halloween set for October.

fall playdough
autumn themed play dough

3. FALL DECOR

When it comes to seasonal home decor, I would say that I keep it light. I love to change things up by adding a few little white pumpkins on the table, some grasses in a vase and a fresh doormat at the front door. That’s it! Traditions can be as complicated or simple as you make them.

fresh fall doormat with plants

4. BAKING

After having the oven off for most of the summer, there is nothing better than warm fall baking. My go-to’s are breakfast crumble (dessert for breakfast basically!) and our favourite pumpkin muffins are a treat muffin that the kids honestly ask me to make them as soon as the temperature drops.

pumpkin millet muffins
mini pumpkin muffins

5. A GRATITUDE PUMPKIN

This is a brand new tradition for our family! I saw this idea online and loved its’ simplicity right away. Starting October 1st (or whenever you like!), you add new words of things you are grateful for to a pumpkin (or in our case, we’ll do a mini one each!) each day. Thanksgiving is in October in Canada so this is a great way to acknowledge all that we have to be thankful for, while steering at least some of the October attention away from the excitement of Halloween. ;) If you decide to start a gratitude pumpkin, I’d love to see! Tag #WDgratitudepumpkin on Instagram and I’ll share my favourites. Who wants to join the fun?

Do you have a special tradition in your home? I’d love to hear in the comments if you do!

gratefulness pumpkin tradition

SHOP THE POST…

YOU MAY LIKE THESE POSTS TOO…

capturing kids moments

GIFT GUIDE: TOYS FOR KIDS

Melissa Barling wrapping kids christmas gifts for the holiday gift guide

I’m a little late to the party this year, but first on the list in our Holiday Gift Guides is toys for the kids. This Christmas guide includes mainly items that our kids own and love, a couple that are on the list this year and the Milton and Goose play kitchen that I can’t get enough of!

Last year, the wooden dollhouse was a huge hit as a main gift for one of our twins, and it amazes me to watch toddlers as well as older friends come for play dates and spend hours playing with it. It was a Christmas gift that will last for years. For kids over 5, the Instax camera is a fun toy that will surely be a hit on Christmas Day and the little Jacob’s ladder toy reminds me of my own childhood (and will be making itself into at least one stocking this year).

While Keva looks like such a basic toy, it (along with Magnatiles) are two firm faves that will continue to last throughout the years.

I hope you find a little something that inspires your little one to play, which is exactly what this holiday guide is for.

A holiday gift guide of toys for kids curated by Melissa from Winter Daisy

01.// Smart Game; 02.// Solid Wood Kitchen; 03.// Superhero Mouse; 04.// Ice Magnatiles; 05.// Instax Camera; 06.// KROM Kendama; 07.// Jacob’s Ladder; 08.// Micro Scooter; 09.// Fresh Mart Store; 10.// Victorian Doll House; 11.// Metal Slinky; 12.// Maple Keva Planks.

YOU MAY LIKE THESE POSTS TOO…