Wherever people are found, board games aren’t far behind. From the Egyptian game of Mehan to the ancient Chinese game of Go (Wei-Ch’i in Chinese), the basic premise has always been the same: get together with family and friends, show off skills of strategy and intelligence and, sometimes, put your faith in the fate of a roll.

But why settle for the pre-packaged deal when you can create a game of your own? “I started weekly game nights with my kids because I love playing games,” says teacher and mother Allison Brand. “We take turns picking a game each week.”

Here’s what you’ll need to create your game:

• PC equipped with the Microsoft Office suite
• Internet access
• digital camera
• scanner
• printer
• 8.5” x 11” paper
• 11” x 17” paper
• cardboard or bristol board
• glue

The experts at Hasbro, by way of their web site, (its stable includes favourites such as Monopoly and Scrabble) believe board games give a social experience unmatched by other entertainment options. Before they agree to produce a game, Hasbro pros ask five questions:

• Is the game fun?
• Is it challenging?
• Is it non-frustrating?
• Is there a reward?
• Does the game give a fresh experience each time you play?

Print the board game template and cut it out.

Draw inspiration from what you did during the week to develop the concept of your game. Was there an unfinished storyline on your favourite show? Is your family planning an amazing holiday somewhere? Use ideas like these to put together your plot.

Step 1: Personalize and print the board game template.

• Download our template and open it in Word.
• Want to personalize what you see? Click on each space to change the colour with the Fill Color tool, change the shape with the Draw tool, or add text wherever you’d like with the Text Box tool. To get even more intricate details, try playing with WordArt.
• Print the templates onto 11” x 17” paper. Quick tip: To make the board sturdier, glue it onto a piece of cardboard or bristol board.
• Windows Vista bonus! Go to maps.live.com for a 2-D or
  3-D map of a large number of countries. (You must have Visual Earth 3D installed to see 3-D views.) Use the “screen capture” tool to make the map a game board, adding pushpins, drawing paths, sharing with friends and saving it in your Windows Live account. Perfect for a road trip board game.

Step 2: Create game pieces.

The pieces in a game represent each player, so make yours as much like you as possible.

• Why not use a photo of yourself for your game piece. If the photograph is printed, start by scanning it into the computer. Then print the picture and attach it to a piece of the bristol board so it will stand up straight.
• Quick tip: While you’re taking pictures, look for other things that might have to do with the game. It’s easy to insert these digital shots onto the board. In Word, go to Insert > Picture > From File. See “Finding Pictures Online” for tips on where to get other pictures to spiff up the board.

Step 3: Make up the rules.

• Decide how the game will progress, and create cards to reflect those ideas. Click on the playing card template to make printable personalized game cards.
• For a trivia game, write a list of questions that relate to your game’s topic. Try to make enough for each player to be able to finish the board (about 12 questions for each).
• For an adventure game, come up with a list that gives instructions (go forward, stay put, etc.). Add action cards for bonus points: have players draw or act out something related to the game to allow them to move forward.
• Quick tip: Be sure to keep a sheet of correct answers to the trivia questions.

Now you’re ready to play! And who better to do it with than your family and friends?

Brand says her family game night has always given her insight into her children. “For parents, it’s a great way to get to know your kids — things come up that wouldn’t in everyday conversation. And kids learn how to interact with people, how to be a good winner and also how to be a good loser.”

Education? Social skills? Learning how to win and lose? All important lessons for sure. But remember, these are merely bonuses to having fun playing the game.

Published November 2007