National Game & Puzzle Week

Some people think of this time of year involving a turkey dinner and football games, others think of it as the start of the Christmas shopping season. But for many folks who like to get deeply involved with a certain type of fun, the most important feature of this time of year is that it includes National Game & Puzzle Week! 

History of National Game & Puzzle Week

Humans – especially children – have probably been playing games since the beginning of time! In fact, throughout human history and culture, games have often been an integral part of social interaction. Experts believe that dice can be traced back throughout human history, and relics of certain types of board games can be found in Roman ruins from at least 2000 years ago. Board games may have been around for as long as 1500 years and card games likely got their start in China more than a thousand years ago.

With a history of strategy and thinking, the industry of games and puzzles may have changed over the years, but the concept of creative play through games has not! And when it comes to having a week that offers a couple of days off of work and school for the Thanksgiving holiday, it’s a perfect time to enjoy and celebrate National Game & Puzzle Week as well! 

How to Celebrate National Game & Puzzle Week

It’s simple to get involved with some hard-core competitive activity – or just some easy-going fun – by taking full advantage of National Game & Puzzle Week! Check out some of these ideas for celebrating and observing this event:

Play Some Games

National Game & Puzzle Week takes place during this week because it’s a time when many people have a few days off of work or school. Board games can be an excellent way for many families to bond over strategy, action and fun. It might be fun to grab one off the shelf or pick up a new game that can be learned together.

Whether pulling out some older classics like Monopoly, Scrabble and Boggle, or jumping into some more recent games like Codenames, Votes for Women or City of the Great Machine. And don’t forget about some of those classic games played with a deck of cards such as Euchre, Hearts, Gin Rummy and more!

Work Some Puzzles

For some people, the cooler weather that typically takes place during National Game & Puzzle Week is perfect for getting out a giant jigsaw puzzle and spending time matching pieces and working on it together. It’s an excellent group activity – the bigger the better and the more the merrier!

But for others, favorite puzzles might be more along the lines of something found in a puzzle book. From word puzzles like crosswords or word searches to number puzzles like sudoku, it’s time to grab a pencil and get to work on a puzzle book. Plus, some studies have even shown that folks who do crosswords or other brain bending puzzles may even be training to improve their memories and thinking skills!

Host a Games & Puzzles Party

Those folks who are interested in sharing their games and puzzles with a group of friends or family members might want to turn National Game & Puzzle Week into an ideal excuse to throw a party. Invite guests to bring a number of their favorite games. Be sure to provide some simple snacks and drinks for everyone to share. It might even be fun to set up a marathon tournament that lasts all week long – and the winner can have bragging rights until the following year.

Watch a Movie Based on Games

After hours and hours of a game-playing marathon, some people might want to take a break from the playing and just chill out in front of some entertainment. In this case, it would still be fun to stick with the theme for National Game & Puzzle Week by viewing a film that is based on a game. Check out some of these films just for fun:

• Clue (1985). Based on the 1940s game of the same name, this film has reached cult status due to its all-star cast and evergreen humor. Plus, it offers a few alternate endings.
• Battleship (2012). Also titled after its corresponding game, this one didn’t exactly perform well at the box office, but it does feature Rhianna, so it has that going for it.
• Game Night (2018). Okay, this one isn’t based on one game, but features a number of different games in its mystery-drama starring Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams.
• Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023). Chris Pine and Michelle Rodriguez are featured in this film based on the ever-popular role-playing board game.