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Staff Picks: Games

Watermark Community Church · Mar 18, 2020 · 10 min
Staff Picks: Games Hero Image Staff Picks: Games Hero Image

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Looking for a fun way to pass the time with family or roommates? Look no further! We know that extended time inside can be tedious, so we decided to curate a list of our staff’s favorite games! All of these titles will give you ample opportunity for laughter and making memories together.

Board Games
  • Catan – Previously “Settlers of Catan,” this classic board game has been the focus of many a game night here at Watermark. After a small learning curve, you will be rolling dice, trading resources, building settlements, and gathering the largest army in no time! Just try not to make any enemies. 3-4 players, ages 10 and up.
  • Ticket to Ride – Incredibly accessible and playable by as few as two people, we promise that Ticket to Ride never ceases to entertain! Games feel fast-paced and competitive. Before long, your whole group will be racing to complete railroads spanning North America. 2-5 players, ages 8 and up.
  • Monopoly – Monopoly is an absolute classic! Few other board games can provide quite the same mix of chance, competition, and hilariousness. And while games can certainly take a while to complete, all this extra time inside gives you the perfect opportunity to finish a game! 3-8 players, ages 8 and up.
  • Codenames – This word game tests your ability to communicate concisely with others. Use only a single “codename” to help your team guess which words are yours. Fun regardless of group size, Codenames is also incredibly fast! Expect to play 4-5 rounds before you are done. 4-10+ players, ages 14 and up.
Card/Dice Games
  • Farkle – No other game is as core to Watermark’s culture. Although you can add farkle consequences to any game you play, the original dice game is still our favorite method! This is an incredible way to make memories, and if you don’t know what we are talking about, ask another Watermark Member! 2+ players, ages 8 and up.
  • Exploding Kittens – While Exploding Kittens sounds graphic, we promise this incredibly simple game is fun for the whole family. Amid laser beams, taco-cats, and plenty more ridiculous kittens, this game will have you rolling laughing and on the edge of your seats! 2-5 players, ages 7 and up.
  • Spicy UNO – A spicy take on a classic! Spicy UNO is played with a standard UNO deck, but then a few new rules are added to make the game more interesting. There are different variations of the “spicy” rules, but here is a basic version. The winner of each round gets to sign their winning card with a Sharpie, so before you know it, your deck will be customized with everyone’s autographs! 3-10 players, ages 7 and up.
Apps
  • Heads Up! – Help your friends guess the word before the time runs out! This game is available free for download (on Apple or Android devices) and will not disappoint. With plenty of categories to choose from, Heads Up! gives everyone a chance to help out. 2+ players, ages 10 and up.
  • Drawful – Easily playable on your TV, computer, or game console, Drawful’s unique design gives every player with a phone the ability to participate live! Players draw (without an eraser) on their phones, leading to hilariously bad “art” that everyone has to interpret. 2-8 players, ages 14 and up.

Of course, there are many other games you can play; you can even make up your own. Regardless of what you play, it is important to have fun and enjoy being together—especially during this time when most group activities outside of the home are canceled. Games help you remember that even in the midst of crisis and confusion, there are still things to rejoice in!

If you make any particularly funny memories while playing these games, we’d love to hear about them. Share them on social media and tag Watermark Community Church.

Watermark Staff Picks: Things to Do at Home

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This extended time at home doesn’t mean extended time on the couch! We encourage you to use this time to grow closer in your relationship with Christ through worship, reading, and prayer. As you grow in your knowledge of God’s word, we hope your desire to honor Christ with your actions continues to grow, as well. This is the perfect time to practice being good stewards of our time, talents, and resources.

We want to encourage you to keep learning and staying active, so our staff created a list of apps, media, and activities to keep downtime fun and productive! While it’s good to keep a healthy routine this season, we don’t want the monotony to prevent creativity and fun memories. From our favorite sermons and podcasts to workouts and recipes, this all-encompassing list has something for everyone in your family and community group. Yes, even you 4s out there!

Biographies

We hope you’ll be encouraged and inspired by these biographies of Christians and their extraordinary journeys. Start a virtual book club with your friends and community groups to discuss these beautiful and captivating stories.

Physical, digital, and audio formats are available on Amazon.

Budgeting

Now you have the time to make that budget you’ve been putting off for a while! Our staff suggested these applications to help you grow in managing your financial resources. We also encourage you to share and discuss budgeting with your community group for added transparency and accountability.

New Talents

What talent have you always wanted to develop, but don’t normally have time for? Take fun breaks with your family to learn a new language or practice your baking skills. Get creative and think about how your new skills can help you serve those around you!

  • Learn a new language to speak with friends that aren’t fluent in English. Duo Lingo app
  • Learn calligraphy or how to draw. Send letters with your new artwork to someone who needs encouragement! Be your own teacher, or find a YouTube tutorial like this one.
  • Practice baking! Share your edible creations with your neighbors and community group. Recipes to start baking.
Go-To Recipes

From Keto to cookies, our staff knows how to both cook and eat well! We narrowed down a long list of dishes and found a top pick for each meal of the day. Make cooking together as a family a fun activity!

Favorite Podcasts

Extended times of solitude are incredible opportunities to learn something new. Find a podcast to listen to while you clean the house, to laundry, or talk a walk. Share the experience with friends and discuss what you are learning together.

These podcasts are produced right here at Watermark:

Here are some other favorites to check out:

Best Workout Resource

Self-care is more than just social distancing, washing your hands, and eating healthy. As we honor God with our bodies, it is also important to remain physically active. With gyms now closed, we asked staff what they recommend for at-home workouts. Here are some of our favorites.

  • The Nike Training Club App has daily workout recommendations and can also help you with nutrition and wellness advice
  • Need to burn off some of your kid’s excess energy? GoNoodle is an incredible resources for families wanting to work out together.
  • The Peloton App offers thousands of workouts you can do from home. Free for 90 days to anyone currently quarantined.
Life Hack Tips

Here are some simple hacks for making your time at home feel more at ease. Don’t forget to focus on the small things that can help make the most of every hour.

  • Keep things clean! If you are spending your time in a clean and tidy space, you’ll feel more at ease and relaxed knowing there’s one less thing to do. Plus, who doesn’t love a clean house?
  • Organize your home! Start slow. One staff member suggested organizing two shelves or drawers a day. Break up the work, and before you know it, you’ll have a fully organized closet!
  • Go paperless! Set up online bill-pay with your utilities, cell phone, rent, etc. This can help eliminate waste and keep things from piling up.
Best Game

Don’t forget to have some fun! Choose a game to play with your family or roommates. Coordinate a bracket or think of some funny consequences for the loser. Games can help break up the monotony and give people something to look forward to in the evenings. We picked some games that are sure to have you laughing and competing long into the night.

Memory Making

Games are a great way to make memories together, but it certainly doesn’t have to stop there! We encourage you to find other ways to make memories and bring some light into times of crisis. Consider things that involve everyone and have you talking about it to friends.

  • Build a blanket fort and read a book together inside it.
  • Throw a dance party to some of your favorite tunes or teach a family member some new moves. If you have downstairs neighbors, you might consider sending them some cookies as an apology.
  • Borrow a movie projector and have a movie marathon. If weather permits, do it outside!
Best Watermark Sermons

Now is an excellent time to look back through our archives at some of the amazing sermon series here at Watermark. Consider listening again to these during times where you are anxious or fearful.

Staying Connected with Community

Social distancing is no excuse for isolating from relationships and community. Try to find ways to be in each other’s lives even from afar. This is a place where technology can certainly be our friend.

  • Group Facetime (or a free Skype account) allows for large groups to video chat together all at once. This is a perfect way to move community group gatherings online.
  • The Marco Polo App lets you and your community leave one another video voicemails. It is a great way to keep one another updated on daily happenings and will definitely result in some laughs.
  • Start a book club. Find a book that you are interested in and suggest to reading it with friends. Video chat with one another as you work your way through it and discuss what you are learning.
Goal Setting

It would be a shame if you get to the end of your time social distancing and realize you spent it entirely on the couch. That is why it is so important to set goals and set them early!

  • Make a COVID-19 Daily Schedule. Planning ahead will help make the most of things
  • Create a Bucket List of things you want and need to get done with my extra time. This doesn’t have to all be work related. Consider adding the books you want to read or recipes you want to try.
  • Stay connected with the Daily Current to find out ways to help and next steps as they are announced.