After half a dozen club meetings, I’m starting to notice some patterns about how students pick the games they want to play each week. Foremost, if there is something new and shiny, every student will be drawn to it. Last week, that was Jumanji Stampede. Perhaps in my infinite concern about which games the kids may find the most interesting each week on-theme, I overlooked one very simple fact: 7 to 9 year olds just want to have the most fun possible.

Most of my energy in board game club is not spent on teaching and playing games. As much as I can, I let the kids do that themselves. I may step in for a quick explainer or play a hand of a large group game if I have the space and time, but otherwise my role is more along the sides of the actual content itself. Most of my energy in board game club is spent building and repairing the fragile social threads woven amongst the kids.

If you ask a second or third grader what dice are used for, you will get one of two answers. Math, or gambling. Or at least those were the answers I got when I asked my board game club what they commonly use dice for. And in both answers, these sharp young minds hit the nail right on the head. Death and taxes may be the only two certainties in an otherwise uncertain life, but some element of mathematics and the uncertainty of the outcome are the only two guarantees when rolli

Back from Winter Break, the kids gave me a run for my money this week at board game club, but we still ended up enjoying some modern classics like Machi Koro and Dixit.

Jungo doesn't ask much of its players. Play card combos to beat the one on the table but don't reorder the cards in your hand. It may not be the most tactical ladder-climber but it has confident flair and just enough zest to keep me and the people I play with asking for more and more.