We’ve all had those days where the weather has forced us to stay inside. For most people this also usually means a day spent on a tablet, smartphone, or computer, but this wasn’t always the case. For decades, parents and children enjoyed the thrill of board games; not only do they provide tons of fun, but can assist in educational development as well as being a bonding experience.

Most people today would roll their eyes at the suggestion of a board game – especially when they can just as easily load up a YouTube video to watch. But sometimes it’s a good idea to take a break from all the technology. The big screens, flashing lights, and overwhelming amounts of media like online pokies NZ that can often do more harm than good, especially for the younger children out there.

A big misconception among many concerning board games is that they’re often boring, and don’t provide the same stimulation as what you’d find on a computer. This couldn’t be further from the truth, and there are, in fact, plenty of modern games to choose from that can provide endless hours of entertainment.

5. Game of Thrones

This massively popular TV series has seen a huge variety of offshoots that extend into various other types of media. One of these is board games, and the Game of Thrones game in particular is definitely worth checking out.

Far from being a cheap knock-off, this is a game that brings to life the books and the series, and while not suitable for many children as the series is geared toward adults, it’s a good way to spend an evening with some friends.

4. Trajan

This game gives players the chance to learn about the Ancient Romans, while also providing some interesting gameplay.

The aim of the game is to try and gain power the same way the Romans did: through military, politics, and trading. Using these methods, players need to try and rise above their opponents.

3. Amerigo

Using some interesting props that add lots of variety to the game, Amerigo succeeds as an experience in exploration, where the players need to sail around the ocean to discover to lands and more.

2. Ticket To Ride

One of the older games on the list, Ticket To Ride should be part of any board game collection, and is suitable for the entire family. The goal here is to try and use your train to get around the cities on the map while also attempting to block other players from doing the same thing.

The competitive nature of the game means that players will soon start doing what they can to undermine their opponents. This is an easy game to learn and provides tons of replay value.

1. Euphoria

This is definitely one for adults and older kids and teenagers, but it’s also one of the most thought provoking, and requires a fair amount of strategy.

Every player has a set amount of workers, which they use to try and claim cities and artefacts while also impeding the progress of the other workers.

Most families, when school holidays are approaching, break out into a sweat at the thought of trying to keep their kids’ busy for weeks at a time.

If you have unlimited financial resources, you probably don’t experience the same anxiety as a big family holiday could easily be arranged, but for average families the idea of entertaining kids can be a daunting prospect.

While we don’t have a solution for the entire vacation, we can give you a few recipes which can be made with your kids, therefore keeping you both busy for at least a few hours.

Cooking with your kids is both rewarding and enjoyable. Have fun!

French Bread Pizzas

Ingredients

• 4 small baguettes, hotdog rolls or crusty sandwich rolls
• Jar of readymade tomato pasta sauce
• Grated mozzarella cheese
• Toppings of your choosing such as caramelised onions, ham, pepperoni, cooked mushrooms, bacon, pineapple, bell peppers, olives etc.

Method

• Cut the rolls in half and lay each half, crust side down, on a baking tray
• Top each half with the readymade tomato pasta sauce
• Top with grated mozzarella cheese
• Allow kids to add the toppings of their choice to their own rolls
• Bake at 190°C on the lowest oven rack for 8-10 minutes
• Move to the top rack and grill for 2-3 minutes until the bread is crisp and the cheese is melted
• Cut into slices so it will cool quicker so the little ones don’t burn their mouths

Pappardelle with Corn and Leeks

Ingredients

This recipe is so quick and easy that you could even enjoy online betting NZ at the same time!

• 350g fresh pappardelle
• 2 small leeks
• 1 ½ cups corn
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• ¼ cup water
• ¼ cup cream cheese
• Salt and pepper

Method

• Slice the leeks and ask your child to separate the rings with their fingers
• Ask your child to peel the garlic for you before you chop it
• Start boiling water for the pasta and add salt to taste
• Sautee the leeks, corn, and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat
• Your child can help stir the vegetables with supervision
• Cook for 7-8 minutes so that the leeks wilt and start caramelising
• Add salt and pepper to taste
• Add ¼ cup of water to the pan to de-glaze it and stir until all the moisture has evaporated
• Cook the pasta according to the instructions and drain
• Place the cooked pasta and vegetables in a large bowl
• Add the cream cheese and ask your child to mix it all up
• Add parmesan and ask your child to stir it in
• Serve immediately

No-Bake Oreo Bars

Ingredients

• 470 grams Oreo cookies
• ¼ cup butter
• 4 cups marshmallows

Method

• Place Oreos in a food processor and allow your child to push the button for blitz until ground
• Melt the butter and the marshmallows in a large microwave safe bowl until puffed – if child is old enough allow them to do this step with supervision
• Working quickly, add the ground Oreos to the marshmallow and butter mixture
• Ask your child to stir rapidly until everything is well incorporated
• Transfer mixture to a 20x20cm baking tin, level, and allow to set for 10 minutes
• Cut into squares and serve immediately.

Let’s take a look at some hidden gems from yesteryear that many people may not have ever played. While these games are from consoles from a previous generation, they are still excellent games in their own right that still stand up today.

Shadowrun Megadrive

Before Skyrim redefined what an open world game can be, we had Shadowrun on the Mega drive from the legendary Blue Sky Software. This game, based on the tabletop RPG game of the same name drops players smack dab in the middle of a dystopian future with nothing to your name expect a gun and your quest to find your missing brother.

Including elements like magic, gun play, hacking and body augmentation, this was a game well ahead of its time and that is yet to be replicated in the modern era. Not even online slots real money Canada can give you the sense of freedom present here.

Landstalker Mega Drive

With awards for Innovation of the Year, Game of the Year and RPG of the Year, Landstalker may not seem a candidate for hidden gem classification, but the fact remains despite critical acclaim, most players outside of Japan missed out on this excellent title.

With its eye popping sound and graphics and extremely engaging plot, Landstalker remains a milestone in the history of Sega’s Mega Drive console. It recently saw a modern release in the form of its inclusion in the Nintendo Virtual Console digital store.

It also received a number of changes to its story, text and in game assets when the game was localised for western audiences. The original contained a lot of content of a sexual nature and naturally Sega of America preferred to keep the game more child friendly.

Terranigma Super Nintendo

This is a game that only received limited release outside of Japan. Not only that but it was released near the end of the Super Nintendo’s life so many gamers missed out on this gem as they had already moved onto the Sony Playstation and the Sega Saturn which were both releases just before Terranigma found its way to these shores.

With incredible graphics and a truly epic story, Terranigma capped the RPG crown that the Super Nintendo has held since the release of Legend of Zelda. Today this cartridge’s value has shot up dramatically as collectors clamour for the game due to its limited release run.

Super Fire Pro Wrestling Premium

The Fire Pro series of wrestling games is legendary. It is a franchise based on the Japanese professional wrestling franchise. The catch here is that the company who developed these games, Human Interactive, never received a licence for their game so their characters were not based on the real line-up of the NJPW at the time. The characters used in these games are instead lookalikes based on real wrestlers.

The roster of characters also includes American wrestlers like Hulk Hogan and the Undertaker but of course under pseudonyms. What really made this series stand out is the realistic wrestling action that has inspired the play mechanics of wrestling games to this day.

Super Fire Pro Wrestling was never released in the west but fans have created fan translated ROMs which not only help translate the game’s menus into English, but many fans have actually changed the names and features of the in-game characters to more resemble their real life counterparts.

Being stuck indoors with your kids for hours on end is enough to drive even the most level-headed and patient parent a little batty, but don’t worry – we’ve come to your rescue!

These 10 top-rated kids’ movies of all time are sure to entertain both you and your little ones and could even provide you with some much-need downtime.

1. The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King doles out equal measures of heart-breaking and heart-warming moments as it tells the story of a young lion, Simba, who need to stand up to his nefarious uncle, Scar, in order to save his pride, with the help and guidance of his friends Timon and Pumbaa.

2. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001)

The first in the Harry Potter series, we are introduced to Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Snape, to name just a few.

Harry discovers his powers and leaves his awful family behind in order to attend a school for wizards called Hogwarts.

3. The Goonies (1985)

What happens when you take a group of childhood friends, add a treasure map, and a giant named Sloth? It’s a recipe for the perfect adventure movie, of course!

This 80’s classic has everything you would expect from a YA drama and is filled with heroic courage.

4. Mary Poppins (1964)

Finding the right nanny can be a real challenge, one that a banker and his kids know to be true in this classic.

Fortunately for them, the perfect nanny – Mary Poppins – shows up just in time to help them explore the magic of their everyday world.

5. Mrs. Doubtfire (1990)

Set your kids down with Mrs. Doubtfire to gain some much needed time to research NRL betting tips.

Sticking with the theme of the perfect nanny, we meet Daniel Hillard – played by Robin Williams – who is left without custody of his kids after a divorce.

Desperate to spend time with them, he quickly devises the perfect plan: pose as their nanny!

6. Frozen (2013)

When Elsa’s chilling powers almost take the life of her sister Anna accidently, she is confined to a castle only to emerge on the day of her queenly coronation.

Once the day arrives things naturally go very wrong and the sisters must work together to save the kingdom from eternal winter.

7. Finding Nemo (2003)

This heart-warming tale tells the story of a neurotic clownfish searching for his lost son across the lengths and breadths of the ocean and has many valuable lessons to impart on audiences.

You’ll also meet plenty of unforgettable characters along the way.

8. Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Meet Belle – labelled an outcast in her small village – who finds comfort from her widowed father.

When her father goes missing Belle sets off in search of him and discovers he has been imprisoned by a Beast.

However, Belle quickly discovers that all is not what it seems.

9. The Little Mermaid (1989)

Ariel, growing bored of life under the sea, makes a deal with the wicked sea-witch, Ursula, to trade her voice for a pair of legs and a chance to capture Prince Eric’s heart.

With only three days to achieve her goal or face a life as Ursula’s slave, Ariel must overcome many obstacles in order to have the life she’s always wanted.

10. Toy Story (1995)

This timeless film has an important message to impart: always lookout for your friends!

Told through the eyes of toys that come to life, Woody and Buzz Lightyear will discover the true meaning of friendship.

Long winter days can get all of us down in the dumps. Especially of you have a family around your feet who ae bored stupid. A great way to not only keep them entertained but fed as well is to whip up one of these old favourites in the kitchen.

Get your significant other or kids involved, get dirty, and make something yummy. Once the day is done you can serve these up as a dinner.

Get your kids to set the table with something nice, create a centre piece and put out all the best cutlery. After all, what’s the point in keeping things if you never use them?

Cook Yourself Happy – Favourite Recipes For Winter Days

Brandy Snap Cakes

These are easy to make and don’t require many ingredients. Sit afterwards with your family and scoff these delicious sweet treats in front of the TV, after a great dinner, or even as a sneaky treat at night while you are checking on your Australian sports betting.

You will need:

• 1½cups of Cream
• 3 TBSP icing sugar, for the cream and extra to dust over the finished cake
• 1½tsp Vanilla essence
• 18 Brandy snaps
• 75g Dark chocolate, melted
• 8 Strawberries, hulled and halved
  A small handful of Mint, to garnish.

Instructions:

1. Whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla essence, until you get a thick consistency.
2. Pipe the cream into the middle of the brandy snaps. Put a little cream on the centre of a serving plate to stop the brandy snaps from skating around.
3. Top each layer with another layer of 6 brandy snaps interchanging the broader and thinner ends to keep them as flat as possible
4. Keep layering until you run out of brandy snaps and you have formed a tower. Trickle with the cooled but still runny chocolate. Put the strawberries on top and dust with the extra icing sugar. You can now garnish with the mint.
5. Keep in the fridge for at least an hour before serving.

Golden Kumara And Bacon Fritters

A bit more complicated but nonetheless fun to make. These are healthy too!

You will need:

• 2 large kumara, peeled and cubed
• Oil for cooking
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 bacon rashers, chopped
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ cup grated cheese
• 1 cup silver beet, shredded
• ¼ cup chopped coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt
• Pepper
• Half head of lettuce, shredded
• 1 carrot, grated
• 100g feta, crumbled
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Frozen fries

Instructions:

1. Place the kumara into a pot of salted water. Cook for at least 10 minutes or until softened. Drain the kumara and mash roughly.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and bacon and cook both of these together 5 minutes until cooked and slightly browned. Once these are cooked and fragrant then add to the kumara. Stir well and add eggs, flour, cheese, silver beet, coriander, cumin, salt and pepper. Make sure that everything is well combined, this is a great task for the kids!
3. Heat the oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Spoon large tablespoons of mixture into the frying pan, cooking 3-4 minutes each side until golden. Don’t worry if not totally cooked through they will carry on cooking while you keep them warm and whip up the next batch. Remove and keep warm while you cook the remainder.
4. Combine lettuce, carrot and feta.
5. Serve the fritters with salad, fries and a sauce on the side such as ketchup or sweet chilli.