Hobbies And Interests
Yard Games
Multiplayer games which can be played in the backyard of a house require only a minimal amount of equipment and reasonable weather. Sports like volleyball can be played by erecting a net across the width of a yard, while a Frisbee is cheap to purchase and can lead to many hours of catch games. Youngsters will enjoy simple games like "Blind Man's Bluff," in which one participant is blindfolded, while the others must escape him. The blindfolded player attempts to catch his friends, who can dodge out of the way but can't leave the confines of the yard.
Word Games
These games test the brain while requiring no financial investment, and many are suitable for both kids and adults. Popular word games include "Eye Spy," in which players challenge their friends to guess the name of an object they can see in the immediate area by giving only the first letter of the item's name as a clue. In "Atlas," the player who begins the game chooses a letter of the alphabet and a category --- cities, makes of car or pop singers, for instance --- and then names one example of that category beginning with the chosen letter. Play proceeds in a circle until a participant hesitates to suggest an appropriate answer.
Video Games
Multiplayer video games exist across a range of gaming consoles, and typically involve two or more players connecting controllers to one console and television set. The Nintendo Wii console, for example, aims to provide an entertaining experience to people of all ages and features a remote controller. Popular multiplayer titles on the Wii include "Mario Kart Wii," a racing game, and "Wii Sports," which features such activities as basketball and golf. The Kinect software for Microsoft Xbox allows controller-free gaming; titles include "Dance Central," in which players show off their moves in time to music.
Card Games
Everyone knows one or two card games. While kids might be kept entertained by simple games like "Snap," where players attempt to be the first to claim matching pairs of cards, adults can organize evenings wholly devoted to card games such as Poker and Blackjack, with or without gambling. Rules for these games and their variants can be found online or contained within game sets, available from stores.
Board Games
Board games often require an initial investment but typically represent at least a few hours of entertainment. Popular board games include the classic "Monopoly," the property trading game which has spawned countless variants and can last for hours or even days at a time; a children's version is available. A more complex and just as involved game is "Settlers of Catan," which challenges participants to build an island colony by managing resources and trading with others.