If you can't remember the last time you got together with your girlfriends and really let your hair down, you're probably long overdue for some fun. As women, we always have a million and one things on our "to do" list, but we need to make time for the camaraderie, support, and sustenance we get from our friends. One of the easiest and most fun kinds of get-togethers is a game night.



Planning a Game Night

The key to a successful game night is making sure it's stress-free. Find a night when you and three of your girlfriends are available, and then make childcare arrangements. If you're hosting the game night, it works well to have the teenagers watch the younger kids at one of your friends' houses. Ask each friend to bring over one or two appetizers, and you can provide the drinks and games.

Great Games for Women

There are several terrific games that give women friends an opportunity to deepen their bond and learn more about one another in the process. Here are just a few:

Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth - This game is the epitome of a women's game. The board is a map of the Southwest that illustrates the milestones and challenges in a woman's life, such as Career Move Hill and Menopause Mountain. Each player gets her own horse, and as she moves around the board, she lands on spaces that correspond to categories that relate to her life. She then has to draw a card and answer a question like, "What would I like to tell a co-worker?" or "Have I ever turned a frog into a prince?" Cowgirls Ride the Trail of Truth reveals ambitions, disappointments, tales of the past, and hopes for the future.

Go Goddess! - Like Cowgirls, Go Goddess! is designed for women to explore their feelings and beliefs. Question cards challenge you to find your personal power and to honor the other players. It's a wonderful game that enables you to share your life experiences and reinforce the bonds of trust between friends.

Therapy: The Game - How well do you know human nature, and how well do your friends know you? With a therapist's couch as your playing piece, the object of the game is to collect a peg from each of life's stages, from infancy to the cosmos (death). Along the way, you have to answer questions based on actual psychology research, interpret "thinkblot" pictures, and go into (and get out of) therapy by answering questions about your life experiences. It's both hilarious and insightful.

Bunco Party Game - If you want to include more friends, you can buy a Bunco Party Game in a Tin that includes invitations, score pads, bunco dice, and more. For the uninitiated, bunco is a mindless dice game that brings out every player's competitive streak. It's a hoot, and a great way to spend time together.

A women's game night is not only fun, but it also reminds us to nurture our inner child. Let her come out to play on a regular basis, and strengthen your friendships in the process.