Ancient Lewis chess set
Currently, the oldest board game of the world is the Egyptian Senet, dated 3500 BC. Senet is mentioned in the Book of the Dead, the Egyptian funerary text which describes the afterlife believes of this ancient civility.
It was believed that winning players of Senet were protected by the tree most powerful gods of ancient Egypt: Ra, Thoth and Osiris.
The Senet is played on a bridge of thirty boxes, while on the back, a second plank of twenty boxes were used for another game called Tjau, but we don’t know with certainty the rules of the game.
King chess piece
Senet game board really similar to the chess one and for this reason many scholars think that this ancient Egyptian board game is the great-great-grandfather of the game of chess.
Four sets to play Senet, handmade carved in ivory, were discovered in the tomb of Tutankhamen in 1333 BC.
Another ancient board game is the chess set of the Scottish island of Lewis, consisting of 78 pieces of Nordic origin made with Ivory and whale bones. The Isle of Lewis Chess Set is a really piece of games archaeology and dates back to the twelfth century (1150-1170 AD) and perhaps, it is the only examples to date of existing medieval chess. Read the rest of this entry »
heroScape the board game
For Christmas and News Eve holidays we shall meet the family: children and adults together around a big dining table. That’s a good occasion to play the best board games and party games for all the family. Certainly among the most classic games are always fun and Monopoly, Risk, Scrabble and bingo, where the legendary Grandma usually scoops the jackpot.
Do not despise even the Quiz Trivial Pursuit, in all the sauces and classic party games. In short, these are the classic board games to buy this Christmas, but if you look for the latest games releases, you can buy Heroscape and Settlers of Catan.
Heroscape and Settlers of Catan are two role plays / board games that bring fun to all family, adults in particular.
Heroscape is a game branded Hasbro and it’s a little bit pricey (around 60 pounds). But this board game is really fun to play an d will appeal to those who love heroes and monsters and the fantasy genre with special missions and quests to do. A Master will follow the whole story, managing the game with its beautiful miniatures and settings. Many cards and dice look very similar to Dungeons and Dragons. Read the rest of this entry »
board games
Christmas holidays are a time to play family board games, never so in vogue as this year.
Tombola and not only: the Christmas holidays are a time of social and family board games, never so in vogue as this year. There are some new entries this year among board games as the new Force 4X4 and Clue Harry Potter, but the evergreen classics board games are always the most played games, with millions of fans around the world.
Beginning with the dear old Monopoly, with the little green houses, so worldwide famous that Ridley Scott is adapting it into a movie. Monopoly, distributed by Hasbro, has incredible numbers: it was played by some 750 million people since 1935, making the “most played board game in history .
Starting in 1935, has sold over 250 million copies of Monopoly in 106 countries and 40 languages. Have been published over 200 editions of the game, but the most popular is the classic number nine which is based on the streets of Atlantic City and is nearly identical to the original version by Charles Darrow presented to Parker Brothers. 74 years of history always renewed: from simple board games iPhone application has become the most downloaded, for PC. Read the rest of this entry »
Party games for adults and kids, such as board games and skill games, are increasing their presence online. There are many websites totally dedicated to the world of gaming, board games and skill games with reviews and advices for online buying.
If you have original gaming ideas you can also create your own party game with paper and pencil or amaze your friends with magic card tricks.
You can showcase your skills with party games kids and adults and thes are the top games to challenge your friends: Read the rest of this entry »
Kids at play are happy kids and group games (or sports) can really be great educational activities for your children.
Group games ask players a personal participation and at the same time involve groups’ dynamics and interpersonal relationship. When kids play group games, they create and interact in a climate of cooperation and fun. In group games, every child is an important member of the team and determines the success of the group. Group games can be organized in outdoor open spaces or indoor, and are great during children parties and kids’ birthdays. The number of children and participants in the game can vary. Read the rest of this entry »
kids at play sign
Party games, gaming, playing strategies recreation and leisure are nowadays object of increasing attention. The educational value of party games and gaming activities plays a certain role in the education and growth of the child. New studies and disciplines train teachers and educators more prepared and professional in offering party games and gaming activities to support the educational development of children.
The best party games for kids and adults can be divided into group games, outdoor and indoor games, skill games and board games. Party games and tournaments are also great occasions to improve group socialization and discussion and to establish solid team works. Read the rest of this entry »
online games for kids
For this reason I decided to post this free online games top list, to flag some interesting and educational flash games websites found online. This is my personal free online games top list, but if you have other suggestions or you think I’ve missed some important resources feel free to add them in your comments.
All these free online games for kids listed below can help your children to improve different skills and abilities especially those regarding scholastic education.
Free educational online games are developed to support kids learning and help them to go deep to the earth of the school subjects (math, literature, reading and writing, history, geography, music, geometry).
Educational videogames
The use of educational games, e-learning and videogames in school education became one of the main objectives of many research centres around the world.
In United States Microsoft, Columbia University and New York University had started a partnership with the Games for learning institute, to conduct different researches on educational games, e-learning and videogames.
In Europe the need for an implementation of new educational tools in school education is the new scientific research’s challenge.
The aim of all these organizations is to conduct differnet researches on the use of games, e-learning and videogames as learning tools, trying to find the perfect implementation of these new digital tools in school education.
The European Schoolnet recently completed a survey project called Games in School, developed to analyze the use of educational videogames in European schools.
Read the rest of this entry »
New Rubik 360 puzzle game
Thirty years ago, a Hungarian professor named Erno Rubik invented one of the most famous brain teaser of the world: the Rubik cube. Last February was released the successor of the popular cubic puzzle game: it’s called Rubik 360 and it is a Sphere!
The mythical Rubik Cube became a symbol of the 80s with millions of puzzles sold worldwide (one of the best-selling toy in history) and millions of hardcore players challenging themselves in leagues and tournaments.
One sphere, six balls and only one possible solution make the new Rubik puzzle game quite different from its cubic father.
So The Hungarian architect Erno Rubik tried to tease again millions of people with this apparently innocuous spherical puzzle game, trying to repeat the success of his previous brain teaser.
The Rubik 360 is a sphere within a sphere within a sphere, really simple to play but very difficult to solve.
The object of the game is to get the small coloured balls from within the central sphere into the matching colour holes of the external sphere (it’s easy to say, but less easy to do).
Read the rest of this entry »
Expensive old toys
Old toys and classic games are nowadays part of famous collections.
Trains, planes and cars models, dolls and dollhouses, rocking horses, optical toys, wood construction, and all other kinds of old toys and classic games are collected from nostalgics and amateurs in desperate need for a dip into past amusements.
Today, many old toys and classic games of our great-grandfathers, are considered real artefacts , and are collected by many amateurs willing to preserve our history and traditions.
Old authentic toys (There are a lot of fakes in circulation) can be really expensive; for example the value of a rare small toy made between 1880 and 1940 can cost from £400 to £1500, and there are some unique pieces valued thousands of pounds.
Old Toys and classic games can sometimes be interpreted as a cultural phenomenon, that reflects mores and traditions of a particular historical period.
However some old toys and classic games, seem more fashionable than others, and probably contributed to shape a old but still alive cultural heritage common to many countries and people.
This is true also for old toys and classic games whose origins are lost in history, like dolls, rocking horses and toy soldiers, and for more recent inventions, such as metal cars and trucks models.
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Games for your mind 
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