Finding the right work-life balance as a new dad can be challenging. Work, family, social life — it’s not easy to fit all of these into 24 hours. Still, it’s important to find time away from your obligations. Taking breaks and participating in fun, leisure activities can help you recharge and enter each day more motivated. And if you invite your spouse, social games can also be a great way to strengthen your relationship.
If you need an opportunity to wind down and have fun as a dad, socializing with other parents is often the way to do it. Need ideas? Here are five of the best social games dads can play with other dads.
1. Blackjack
Blackjack is one of the easiest games to play. The goal of blackjack is simple – beat the dealer. The dealer deals each player two cards, and the sum total of the two cards is what you have. You can add one card to your hand by saying ‘Hit’. The sum of your cards should be higher than the dealer’s without going beyond 21. If you go over 21, you lose, regardless of what the dealer has. This is a fast, fun, easy game that you can play at home. Dads that are too busy to invite their friends over for game sessions will be delighted to know that many websites and apps let you play blackjack with strangers online.
2. Pictionary
This is a classic game where a group of friends can test their wits and talents while having fun at the same time. The game begins by forming two to four teams depending on the number of players. The game comes with a game board, a timer, two dice and cards with words on them. The goal of Pictionary is to guess what your teammate is drawing from the word listed on a card. Sounds easy, but your artistic talents will be put to the test in this game.
Since you are being timed and playing against other teams, the pressure is on to guess the word the fastest. Having fun by testing each other’s drawing skills is a perfect way to relax, socialize and have fun. And if you can’t find teammates to play with at home, you can play with strangers on websites with Pictionary-like games, such as Drawize, Skribbl.io, and Sketchful.io.
3. Poker
Poker is an absolute classic, and one of the most popular card games across the planet. The great thing about it is it can be enjoyed by practically anyone. The rules of poker can be challenging, but the game itself is pretty simple. The standard 5-card draw involves the dealer dealing 5 cards to each player. Each player then tries to form a combination within his/her 5 cards, which has the highest ranking.
The more you play, the better you get, which makes regular games with friends exciting. And with many poker apps and websites available, you can definitely put this on your list for games you can play pretty much anywhere.
4. Star Wars: Outer Rim
If you’re a fan of the classic space opera Star Wars, then you will enjoy this role-playing board game. The setting takes place in the original trilogy era. In this role-playing game, you work your way to becoming famous and known across the Galaxy.
It is fun because it can be played with 1-4 players. It also offers variety in terms of gameplay, as you can choose to either travel the Galaxy with friends, or travel alone to achieve your character’s goals.
5. Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective: The Thames Murders and Other Cases
The game takes players back to Holmes’s London. You are given a map, directory, contacts and a few other hints to start you off. It’s a challenging puzzle game for those who love to read into leads, search for clues and connect the mental dots.
You can play with up to eight other people where you can work together as a team of detectives to find clues and solve the game. This is a fun way of socializing whilst sharpening your detective skills.
Find Your Joy
There’s definitely more to life than work and household responsibilities. Dads need time to relax and play too, and the games we listed above are just a few fun ways that you can do just that.
