Preserving Family Memories: A Game of Stories

When FamilyFun reader Kathy Bacile and her siblings get together, the visit often includes a trip down memory lane -- by way of a homemade board game. Created by Kathy and her sister, Dede, as a gift for their mom, the game is a celebration of the neighborhoods and stories of their youth.

The object of the game is to be the first to return home with a box full of treasures collected during a trip through old neighborhoods. But the race to win is only half the fun; the real entertainment is in the reminiscing as players relive family history. Kathy, who has played the game with her kids, nephews, and nieces, says that even the next generation enjoys the experience. "The adults spend most of the game saying, 'Let us tell you the story.' Then we laugh as we tell them about the funny things that happened to us."

Kathy and her sister spent months creating their game. Our version captures much of the original's magic, but is far easier to make. We recycled a game board for the base and used game pieces and a die from a craft store. We made the game spaces and trivia cards using a computer (with Microsoft Word) and printer. Check out our how-to sheet, with construction tips and assembly details.