Family Faith and Fun Fridays: The Family that Plays Together…
For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.
-Hebrews 4:12
Welcome to Family Faith and Fun Fridays! As the week winds down and I anticipate more family time over the weekend, I often ask God for one good idea that will enable me to bring the Word to life and bring our family together. Usually, the activity overflows out of something the Lord has been teaching me through His Word during the week. I’d like to invite you to join me and my family in the adventure. Sometimes I’ll post things we’ve tried; other times I’ll post an idea in the works. If you’ve got thoughts to add or suggestions on how to adapt or improve the activity, please don’t hesitate to comment. Enjoy!Life-Sized Board Games
Sometimes the best dose of family fun involves an abnormal twist on a normal routine. At our house, we’ve got a closet crammed full of board games. But after a housebound week like ours, even a favorite board game can feel like a lackluster BORED game. When typical family fun turns into a chore, it’s time to add new life to an old past time. Literally, bring that board game to LIFE!
With a long cold day stretching ahead of us, we decided to create a life-sized Candyland game board all through our basement. Dozens of sticky foam squares stuck to the carpet created our rainbow trail and pitfalls along the way added excitement to the journey.
Our beanbag became the chocolate fudge swamp where players got “stuck” and lost a turn. Our train table turned into the candy express railroad where the adventure slowed to a halt for passing peppermint trains.
Star stickers on random squares allowed players to “roll again,” while pirate stickers demanded that the unlucky player roll again and then lose ground by moving backwards. 
Blankets stretched between foam squares served as “slides” and shortcuts, quickly moving players further along the game board. Various challenges along the way slowed the pace and kept everyone dancing in anticipation. Players had to “feed the hungry lion” who guarded Rocky Road Mountain (We fed the lions by tossing ping pong balls into buckets).
They had to complete the dangerous chocolate bunny hop on stepping stones (large boxes and step stools)and then satisfy the crocodile in the cupcake swamp by hitting a golf ball into his dangerous domain.
Whoever survived the sticky challenges reached the Candy Castle and delighted in the sugary sweet shingles that awaited the lucky winners. 
No big faith lesson or poignant string of Bible verses this time, just a whole lot of laughter and a hefty dose of fun.
Of course, the Lord showed up as He always does when we invite Him into whatever we’re doing in the confines of our ordinary lives. And before we packed away that luscious Candy Castle, we enjoyed a lively conversation about whether or not Heaven’s houses will be shingled with candy 🙂
I’m hoping that my mansion is laced with chocolate! But whatever sweet treat I find when I make it home, I have no doubt that I’ll spend eternity appreciating the command to taste and see the Lord is good!
How about it, friends? Anyone up for a life-sized game to battle boredom this weekend? Give your kids the creative license to transform a chosen room into a family game board and see what they can concoct with a little time and a lot of giggles!
Post your story here so we can all be inspired. I think next week, we’re going to try a life-sized game of SORRY, since that’s a word my two-year-old needs to learn SOON! 
