Ideas for a frugal family evening

[crosses]

I'm looking for new ideas for a frugal family evening - two young teenagers, their patenents and me. If you have any favorites, please share them with me.

[34saving]

Well, I don't know if it's a new idea or not, but games. Teenagers might pretend they're above "that kind of thing", but they'll get into it.
Some favorites:

500 (cards)
Outburst
Taboo
Catchphrase
badmitton
bocci ball

Some recent "newbies" I haven't tried but might be good

Apple to Apples
poker (Okay, it's not new, but its popularity is!)

[PrincessPerky]

Apples to apples is awesome! And all kids I have played it with like it too (actually everyone I played it with)

Poker is pretty cool too if you can get coins (nothing like gipping your mom out of loot)

I think some odd ideas that teens might like due to oddity. (mind you I havn't any teens, more like a teen myself)

Street hocky, or any sport, kids against parents. (preferably not in the right spot, but keep it legal.)

Washing the car, preferably in the dark (just plain more fun)

My family happens to like working, building and such, but you have to coerce kids the first time or two (then they like it)

Movie night is pretty traditional and most teens will like it. (air popped popcorn makes it better IMO)

Computer LAN partys or Netendo like things (dunno what the current thing is) have lots of multiplayer options if you can stumach them (I can handle the RPG or diablo type, but not the shooters, well handle is the wrong word, I love those ones on computer.) And most teens already like them and would love to destroy mom or dad.

Also the old pen and paper RPGs, but you have to have the right kind of intrest for that (IMO avoid the new stuff stick with old tried and true) Most people are growing up and realizing they have no time for that sort of thing with little kids around so they are often on Ebay pretty cheap (cept D&D that is gold considerign how hated the current stuff is)

[jodi]

Definitely cards - was my favorite family activity growing up and still is. My family still gets together to play poker (especially Texas Hold 'Em!), pitch, hearts, spades, pinochle...also other games like Trivial Pursuit (get an edition that teens can play, or team up one parent with one teen), Scattergories,Balderdash, Monopoly, Scrabble, Pictionary, I could go on for hours. We have a huge game cupboard.
My sister-in-law liked Apples to Apples so much she bought it for every member of her family. And we all love it to.
Outside games - bocce ball, horseshoes, basketball (depending on space and equipment, of course), taking walks together
Going out: how about for ice cream? a small cone for everyone wouldn't cost much, especially at someplace like McDonalds, or check the papers for free local events/concerts
HTH
jodi

[mom-from-missouri]

We like to grill dogs or burgers outside, and make home made icecream. We also play crochet outside and horseshoes.

[DivaJen]

The no-frills version of Balderdash is Fictionary. You pick a word out of the dicitonary, write down the real definition, have everyone else write down their made up definitions, read them all out loud in no particular order, and let people guess which is the real definition. People who choose the correct definition get one point, and people who have their definition chosen get one point each time it's chosen.

I always have fun with this one!

[CheaplyClever]

I've never heard of "Apples to Apples" Sounds like a board game? How many players?

Washing the car in the dark sounds like fun! Especially if your'e not uptight about a perfect job. You sound like a cool Mom.

We always play backgammon. I know it's only for two players, but if there is a group, the game is quick and the winner gets to play again.

[PrincessPerky]

apples to apples is a card game (sortof) one player draws and reads a green card and other players place (face down) red cards. The green person picks which red card best suits. So you get to know people. Green cards are adjectives, like sophistocated. Red cards are nouns (proper or otherwise) and sometimes no one has a good red card so mud or bonbons wins for sophistocated or some other goofy thing. (hmm bon bons are kindof fancy arn't they?) The explinations for why you had to pick are often funny, and the opposites draw huge laughter, usually. (play rotates so everyone is green in turn, ends when a predeterminded number of red cards is collected)

BTW Thanks

[momma4]

board games or we rent movies threw blockbuster online which only costs $16.04 a month total and we get atleast 12 movies a month.