A Note from Katie 

I’m all for family peace and harmony … but let’s face it, sometimes a little healthy competition is good for the soul. And who better to challenge than your own relatives – the people who are required to love you even if the game ends in a bicker-fest (or devolves into a brawl)?
 
After summertime dinners at my parents’ cottage on Lake Michigan, my 32 first cousins (yes, 32!) and I loved nothing more than playing our own famous family game, Pounce.  Folklore has it that we created Pounce, and frankly the rules are so convoluted that it must be an original Brown Family Invention. Suffice it to say that Pounce was a fast-paced, full-contact card game, and you didn’t have a chance unless you were loud and aggressive.


 
Now we’ve passed the tradition down to our children and have even taught our spouses how to play. When my husband won the first time, I was as excited as if I’d taken the title. (Almost.)
 
You don’t have to invent your own game to give your family competitions a personal touch – what about crafting a homemade version of a classic like checkers?  For the game below, you just need a piece of slate, acrylic paint and some seashells and starfish. Make it weather-proof for the patio with a coat of masonry sealer. Game on!



 

CHECKERBOARD SQUARES

1. Using concrete glue, adhere four squares of slate to Luan.
2. Divide slate into eight equal squares per row, vertically and horizontally.
3. Starting with the first row, tape off sides of every other square. Press firmly so the paint won’t bleed through.
4. Paint inside taped-off squares. Let dry. Remove tape.
5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 on every row, until checkerboard is complete.
6. Place starfish on one side of the checkerboard, and seashells on the other.

• Get the kids involved by having them gather a collection of starfish and shell game pieces. They can write their initials on the backs of their favorites.

• To get the fishy smell out of your shells, soak them in a solution of half bleach, half water.  Soak the starfish overnight in 70 percent isopropyl alcohol, then let them dry on a paper towel in the sun. You might want to weigh down the legs so they don’t curl up as they dry. 

    

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