The Everything Tabletop Games Book


Book Description

Tabletop and board games aren’t just for rainy days or awkward family events anymore. As the game industry grows, people of all ages are jumping to play “the original social network.” In our ever-increasing technological world, playing old-school games is a welcome retreat from the overexposure to Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and the rest of social media. Over the past few years, board games have become the hot new hobby. Instead of friends sitting around the same table and staring at their phones, they are now either working with or against each other. Millions upon millions of new fans have begun to join their friends in real life for a fun game of Pandemic, 7 Wonders, or Ticket to Ride. The Everything Tabletop Games Book shows how to play some of the best tabletop games in the world, from classic strategy games like Settlers of Catan to great new games like Gloomhaven. Throughout the book, you’ll learn the different genres of tabletop and board games; how to play each game; rules and strategies to help you win; and even where to play online—including new expansions to keep your favorite games fresh and exciting. So gather up some friends, pick a game from this book, and start playing! You’ll be having a blast in no time.




The Everything Big Book of Party Games


Book Description

Tons of party games, including popular "minute-to-win" challenges! What's the secret to the best parties? Games--and the sillier, the better! Get your guests out of their chairs and into the fun with activities guaranteed to keep everyone laughing, including: Cookie Face (Who can walk the farthest with a cookie on his forehead?) Two Truths and a Lie (Which one is the lie?) Improv in a Bag (Teams come up with a skit using household items.) Mummy Wrap (A race to make the fastest toilet-paper mummy.) Human Bowling (Just like it sounds!) And many more, including scavenger hunts, truth-or-dare ideas, holiday games, and do-it-yourself challenges. The Everything Big Book of Party Games is packed with tons of games for groups of all levels and sizes and for a variety of occasions, from kids' birthday celebrations to holiday parties to vacations and more. With this book in hand, you'll have all you need to throw parties to remember!




The Everything Kids' Learning Activities Book


Book Description

Who says learning can't be fun? Using the word "educational" can be the quickest way to lose a child's interest. But the games, projects, and experiments in The Everything Kids' Learning Activities Book are so much fun, your kids won't even know they're learning! Not only will your kids be entertained and have fun, they'll learn skills in the key areas of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. With 145 indoor and outdoor activities including: Comic strip sequencing Round robin storytelling Lollipop patterns The 25-cent pyramid Cookie fractions Balloon terrarium These activities are geared for kids aged 5–12, making this a go-to resource for years to come. And most activities use materials that are in your house! This easy-to-use guide is full of creative ideas and expert advice to help you be your kids' best learning partner.




The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book


Book Description

Do you love riding on planes, trains, and automobiles but get restless on the way? If the answer is yes, take along The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book and you'll be there before you know it! Packed full of puzzles, activities, quizzes, and games, this book provides hours of nonstop fun that can be done alone or shared with other kids. There's cool stuff to do, like: Create your own postcard Invent a new automobile Play detective The Everything Kids' Travel Activity Book also gives you answers to all sorts of crazy questions: What makes your foot "go to sleep"? Why does your sister cough? Why do we daydream? On top of all that, you can draw caricatures, test your memory, and even keep a weather diary. The traveling fun is so endless you'll never ask "Are we there yet?" again!




It's All a Game


Book Description

"[A] timely book...It’s All a Game provides a wonderfully entertaining trip around the board, through 4,000 years of game history."—The Wall Street Journal Board games have been with us longer than even the written word. But what is it about this pastime that continues to captivate us well into the age of smartphones and instant gratification? In It’s All a Game, British journalist and renowned games expert Tristan Donovan opens the box on the incredible and often surprising history and psychology of board games. He traces the evolution of the game across cultures, time periods, and continents, from the paranoid Chicago toy genius behind classics like Operation and Mouse Trap, to the role of Monopoly in helping prisoners of war escape the Nazis, and even the scientific use of board games today to teach artificial intelligence how to reason and how to win. With these compelling stories and characters, Donovan ultimately reveals why board games--from chess to Monopoly to Settlers of Catan, and more--have captured hearts and minds all over the world for generations.




The Penguin Book of Card Games


Book Description

The Penguin Book of Card Games is the authoritative up-to-date compendium, describing an abundance of games to be played both for fun and by serious players. Auctions, trumpless hands, cross-ruffing and lurching: card players have a language all of their own. From games of high skill (Bridge) to games of high chance (Newmarket) to trick-taking (Whist) and banking (Pontoon), David Parlett, seasoned specialist in card games, takes us masterfully through the countless games to choose from. Not content to merely show us games with the conventional fifty-two card pack, Parlett covers many games played with other types of cards - are you brave enough to play with Tarot? With a 'working description' of each game, with the rules, variations and origins of each, as well as an appendix of games invented by the author himself, The Penguin Book of Card Games will delight, entertain and inform both the novice and the seasoned player.




Play Anything


Book Description

How filling life with play-whether soccer or lawn mowing, counting sheep or tossing Angry Birds -- forges a new path for creativity and joy in our impatient age Life is boring: filled with meetings and traffic, errands and emails. Nothing we'd ever call fun. But what if we've gotten fun wrong? In Play Anything, visionary game designer and philosopher Ian Bogost shows how we can overcome our daily anxiety; transforming the boring, ordinary world around us into one of endless, playful possibilities. The key to this playful mindset lies in discovering the secret truth of fun and games. Play Anything, reveals that games appeal to us not because they are fun, but because they set limitations. Soccer wouldn't be soccer if it wasn't composed of two teams of eleven players using only their feet, heads, and torsos to get a ball into a goal; Tetris wouldn't be Tetris without falling pieces in characteristic shapes. Such rules seem needless, arbitrary, and difficult. Yet it is the limitations that make games enjoyable, just like it's the hard things in life that give it meaning. Play is what happens when we accept these limitations, narrow our focus, and, consequently, have fun. Which is also how to live a good life. Manipulating a soccer ball into a goal is no different than treating ordinary circumstances- like grocery shopping, lawn mowing, and making PowerPoints-as sources for meaning and joy. We can "play anything" by filling our days with attention and discipline, devotion and love for the world as it really is, beyond our desires and fears. Ranging from Internet culture to moral philosophy, ancient poetry to modern consumerism, Bogost shows us how today's chaotic world can only be tamed-and enjoyed-when we first impose boundaries on ourselves.




The Everything Kids' Math Puzzles Book


Book Description

Stump your friends and family with this fun, challenging math puzzle book! Who knew that math could be so cool? Crammed with games, puzzles, and trivia, The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzles Book puts the fun back into playing with numbers! If you have any fear of math—or are just tired of sitting in a classroom—The Everything Kids’ Math Puzzles Book provides hours of entertainment. You’ll get so caught up in the activities, you won’t even know you’re learning! Inside, you’ll be able to: -Decode hidden messages using Roman numerals -Connect the dots using simple addition and subtraction -Learn to create magic number squares -Use division to answer musical riddles -Match the profession to numerical license plates




The Everything Girls Ultimate Sleepover Party Book


Book Description

It's time to party! The slumber party of your dreams is waiting for you! The Everything Girls Ultimate Sleepover Party Book is packed with ideas for throwing the most amazing sleepover party ever! From invitations to games to goodie bags--you'll find all you need for the ultimate slumber party. You can plan a simple pajama party or go all-out with a theme party, like: Glow in the dark Sugar rush Spa party Rock star diva And more! Inside, you'll find tons of ideas for colorful decorations, yummy foods and snacks, and nonstop activities for your totally unique and show-stopping celebration. This all-in-one guide has all you need to plan the epic party you and your friends will never forget!




Ultimate Book of Card Games


Book Description

Classic and comprehensive, this guide to over 350 games is sure to appeal to all ages. From Bridge to Poker and Solitaireto Hearts, card games are a beloved source of entertainment and competition (and they are recession proof!). This authoritative book is ideal for every household, college dorm, family cabin, or neighborhood bar that has a pack of cards. Designed in the style of the popular Ultimate Bar Book, this essential resource provides the rules to dozensof variations of your favorite games, and a few you've probably never heard of (Bezique, anyone?). With simple instructions and clear illustrations to guide the way, this volume will be a welcome addition to any gamer's library.