🎲 11 Games To Play With Cousins
🍼 The Newborn Survival Kit
The first six months of parenthood are a blur of exhaustion. Stop trying to tough it out—these are the 5 absolute life-saving baby essentials that experienced moms literally refuse to live without. They will instantly solve your biggest sleeping, feeding, and soothing struggles.
🌙 Hatch Rest Baby Sound Machine
The ultimate sleep hack. You can entirely control this white noise machine and dimmable nightlight from your smartphone, meaning you never have to accidentally wake the baby while sneaking back out of the nursery after a 3 AM feeding.
🤧 FridaBaby NoseFrida Snotsucker
It sounds incredibly gross until your baby has their first cold and literally cannot breathe to sleep. Throw away those useless hospital bulb syringes—this doctor-invented tool safely clears congestion in seconds, and yes, the filter absolutely prevents any germs from reaching you.
💧 Haakaa Silicone Manual Breast Pump
Every breastfeeding mom's best kept secret. Simply suction this cheap, cord-free silicone cup to the opposite breast while you nurse to effortlessly catch every drop of liquid gold letdown that would otherwise leak onto your shirt and be totally wasted.
🧴 Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment
Forget buying ten different expensive, highly-fragranced creams. This is the only ointment you need. It miraculously cures severe diaper rash overnight, heals cracked nursing nipples, soothes baby eczema, and aggressively protects delicate skin from harsh winter wind.
☁️ Burt's Bees 100% Organic Burp Cloths
You will go through dozens of these a day, so do not cheap out on thin fabric. These thick, ultra-absorbent organic cotton cloths actually catch massive spit-ups before they ruin your only clean outfit, while remaining incredibly soft against your newborn's face.
Alright, listen up, because if your family gatherings are anything like mine, you’re probably looking for ways to keep the peace, spark some laughs, and maybe even get a little competitive without anyone flipping the Monopoly board. Cousin time is prime time for making memories, but sometimes those memories need a little… direction. Forget staring at your phones; we’re diving into some epic games that’ll have everyone, from the littlest tyke to that “too cool for school” teen, totally engaged. Get ready to level up your next family get-together.
1. Board Game Bonanza
You know the drill. Unearth those dusty classics or introduce a new favorite. Board games are the ultimate equalizer, bringing out everyone’s inner strategist (or their inner sore loser, but we don’t talk about that). Think Catan for trading mastery or Ticket to Ride for some friendly route-building rivalry.
Pro tip: Have a few different options ready based on age groups and attention spans. You don’t want to force a five-hour epic on a group that just wants to play a quick round of Uno.
Why it works: It’s a low-pressure way to interact, often sparking hilarious debates and unexpected alliances.
2. Card Game Showdown
Grab a deck, any deck! Card games are super portable and surprisingly versatile. From classic Rummy to high-stakes Poker (for bragging rights, obviously, not actual money), there’s a game for every mood.
Pro tip: Teach everyone a new, slightly obscure game like Pinochle or Euchre. Learning together is a great bonding experience, and no one has an unfair advantage.
Why it works: Fast-paced and keeps everyone’s brains buzzing, perfect for a quick burst of fun.
3. Outdoor Olympics
If you’ve got a backyard or a park nearby, unleash the beasts! Set up silly challenges like a three-legged race, a water balloon toss, or a hula hoop contest. Bonus points for creating a makeshift medal ceremony.
Pro tip: Designate one “referee” cousin who takes their job way too seriously. It adds to the comedic effect and keeps arguments to a minimum.
Why it works: Gets everyone moving, burns off excess energy, and creates some truly photo-worthy moments.
4. Video Game Gauntlet
Okay, okay, I said put the phones down, but consoles are different, right? Fire up some multi-player classics like Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros., or even a dance-off on Just Dance. It’s a great way to bridge age gaps.
Pro tip: Set a strict “no rage quitting” rule. A little friendly competition is good; controller-throwing is not. Maybe.
Why it works: Modern fun that everyone can understand, even if they’re just cheering from the sidelines.
5. DIY Escape Room
Get creative! Design a simple escape room using clues hidden around the house. Think riddles, simple puzzles, and a “prize” at the end (like cookies or a movie choice). It doesn’t need to be professional; the effort is part of the fun.
Pro tip: Start with one or two easy puzzles to build confidence, then ramp up the difficulty. And maybe don’t lock them in a closet.
Why it works: Encourages teamwork, problem-solving, and a whole lot of “aha!” moments.
6. Minute to Win It Mayhem
These short, high-energy challenges are perfect for keeping everyone engaged without a huge time commitment. Think stacking cups with one hand, moving M&Ms with a straw, or balancing cookies on your forehead. YouTube is your friend for ideas.
Pro tip: Have a timer and a whistle. The added theatrics make it even more hilarious, especially when someone inevitably fails spectacularly.
Why it works: Quick bursts of laughter and silly physical feats that anyone can try.
7. Blindfolded Taste Test
This one is always a riot. Blindfold your cousins and have them guess various foods. Use a mix of easy (apple) and tricky (a pickle, a weird chip flavor) items. Just make sure no one has allergies, obviously.
Pro tip: Include some truly bizarre combinations, like ketchup on a cracker, for maximum comedic effect. Their faces will be priceless.
Why it works: Engages the senses, sparks hilarious guesses, and reveals who truly has a sophisticated palate (spoiler: it’s rarely anyone).
8. Charades or Pictionary Battle
Classic for a reason. Split into teams and watch the dramatic interpretations (or terrible drawings) unfold. It’s amazing how competitive things get when someone tries to mime “existential dread.”
Pro tip: Have a mix of easy and ridiculously hard words or phrases. The struggle to act out “procrastination” is a memory in the making.
Why it works: Gets everyone laughing, thinking on their feet, and sometimes even showing off hidden artistic talents.
9. Two Truths and a Lie
A simple icebreaker that often reveals surprising (and hilarious) family secrets. Each person states two truths about themselves and one lie. Everyone else guesses which one is the fabrication.
Pro tip: Encourage people to make their lies plausible and their truths wild. “I once wrestled a bear” is a great truth if you actually did.
Why it works: You learn new things about your cousins, often leading to deeper conversations and shocking revelations.
10. Story Spine Challenge
Start a story with a simple sentence, then each cousin adds one sentence to continue it. The goal is to create the most outlandish, funny, or epic tale possible. It’s like collaborative storytelling, but with more absurd plot twists.
Pro tip: Record it! Reading it back later (or playing it if you audio record) is half the fun, especially when the story inevitably goes off the rails.
Why it works: Unleashes creativity, encourages listening, and results in some truly unforgettable narratives.
11. Epic Fort Building Contest
Gather all the blankets, pillows, chairs, and cardboard boxes you can find. Split into teams and challenge cousins to build the most impressive, defensible, or cozy fort. Then, perhaps, have a flashlight story time inside.
Pro tip: Set a time limit and offer a “prize” for the best fort (e.g., getting to choose the next movie or snack). It adds a fun competitive edge to the architectural chaos.
Why it works: Taps into childhood nostalgia, fosters teamwork, and provides a cool hangout spot afterward.
🧩 The Toddler Sanity & Learning Kit
Toddlers are tiny tornados. Instead of turning on the iPad in a moment of desperation, these 5 open-ended toys and clever tools foster independent, screen-free play while simultaneously saving your house from milk spills and crayon disasters.
🧱 Magna-Tiles 100-Piece Building Set
The undeniable king of open-ended play. It is the one single toy that a 2-year-old and a 10-year-old will both happily play with for an hour straight. They develop spatial reasoning, math skills, and independent focus—worth absolutely every penny.
🥛 Munchkin Miracle 360 Trainer Cups
Stop wiping up milk puddles. These genius, dentist-recommended cups allow kids to drink from anywhere around the rim like a real glass, but they instantly seal themselves the second the child stops drinking—even if they drop it on the floor.
🎧 Yoto Mini Kids Audio Player
The ultimate distraction for car rides or quiet time without the guilt of handing over a glowing screen. Kids control it completely by inserting physical cards to play audiobooks, music, and educational podcasts completely independently.
🧹 Melissa & Doug Wooden Cleaning Set
Toddlers desperately want to do exactly what you do. This kid-sized, highly durable wooden sweeping and mopping set redirects their chaotic energy into productive, confidence-building life skills while you actually get the real cleaning done in peace.
🎒 Montessori Travel Busy Board
The secret to surviving restaurants and airplanes with a two-year-old. Packed with buckles, zippers, shoelaces, and snaps, this soft, lightweight 'briefcase' develops critical fine-motor skills and keeps busy little hands occupied for surprisingly long stretches.
Conclusion
So there you have it, folks. Eleven ways to transform your next cousin gathering from “awkward small talk” to “legendary family lore.” Trust me, future you will thank present you for ditching the screens and embracing the glorious chaos of shared fun. Go forth and make some epic memories, because honestly, what’s better than laughing until your stomach hurts with your favorite people?
