Come Together in Laughter and Fun with Games Made in USA
I was in fourth grade when my dad taught me how to play jacks. There was a resurgence of the game when I was in elementary school. Soon, both my parents, my brother, and I had a tournament going at home. The competition included a homemade scoreboard and a little trash talk. Even though I maintained a healthy last place, I didn't mind. I was having a blast with my family!
A generation later, I taught the game of jacks to my own kids. Most likely it wasn't because I enjoyed the game itself, which I did. Rather, the game held memories of being with my family. Jacks, dominoes, and a few other card games made us set aside hectic days and connect.
That's what games do: they bring us together, one of the most important benefits of playing them.
Related: Four Hobbies for Tweens and Teens Featuring American Made Products
Here are 10 benefits of playing games:
- Games teach healthy competition. Family members learn how to win and lose graciously.
- Board games teach critical thinking. As you strategize, you’re learning how to problem solve and think through cause and effect situations.
- Time together strengthens the bond between family and friends.
- Many games teach math skills, while others teach language skills.
- Still other games offer auditory and visual improvement.
- Playing games requires no screens! Take a break from all the technology.
- Board games reflect the value of teamwork. Teamwork requires everyone to pull their weight and bring different skills to the effort.
- Playing games improve memory.
- Board games require focus and concentration.
- Games provide an entry for interaction with one another. More interaction builds trust for those important, deeper conversations.
As a bonus point, an added benefit is games don't cost a lot of money. You don't have to worry about expensive gaming systems. And don't tell the kids, but they will end up enjoying these made in USA games with you more than the gaming systems that leave them feeling like zombies.
Related: Jigsaw Puzzles Made in The USA: The Ultimate Source List
Buy Games Made in USA
Not all games are being produced in other countries. Happily, we can report a number of games still being manufactured in America. That means we can feel good about our purchases because we're keeping friends and neighbors employed. We're helping our economy. And we're having fun in the process!
10 Benefits of Family Games with Games Made in USA
American Plastic Toys
American Plastic Toys makes a basketball backboard, as well as a basketball set that includes the backboard and stand, for preschoolers. The company also makes a T-ball set and a golf set for preschoolers. These
games can be played either indoors or outdoors. The company has made toys in Michigan since 1962 and even purchases plastic and colorant within the U.S.A.
Atlantis Peanuts Snoopy and Woodstock Bird Bath Ice Hockey Game
Atlantis Models makes its Snoopy and Woodstock Ice Hockey Game for kids ages 10 and up. The birdbath easily snaps together and is easy to assemble. Along with this game, Atlantis Models produces model kits for vehicles, ships, aircraft, and more.
Bicycle Jumbo Playing Cards
Play rummy, pinochle, euchre, and other family games with Bicycle Cards that have been made in the USA since 1867. For younger kids, play memory, matching, 21, and counting games. Although Bicycle Cards’ previous owner, Newell Brands, purchased U.S. Playing Card, it is now owned by a company outside the United States. Still, Kentucky is home to a manufacturing facility.
Carrom Company
Carrom Company has been making games in Michigan for over 130 years. The company makes classic games such as hockey and shuffleboard; larger games such as foosball and table hockey; and balance boards. Carrom also makes replacement parts for its games.
Channel Craft
Channel Craft manufactures, assembles, and ships toys, puzzles, crafts, and games from Pennsylvania, and they have been doing so since 1983. Their games include vintage tin games of jacks, marbles, knot tying games, and others. The company also sells Hero Decks playing cards with sports legends’ photos featured on the fronts of the cards.
Dutch Blitz
Dutch Blitz is a card game appropriate for ages 8 and up. It originated in Pennsylvania, frequently played throughout the Amish and Mennonite communities. The game fosters hand and eye coordination, speed, color knowledge, and counting.
DutchCrafters
DutchCrafters resources games, among other products, from Amish crafters throughout the USA. Find heirloom-quality wooden boards for aggravation, checkers, chess, and more. The game boards are made in the Amish communities from Indiana and Pennsylvania.
Late for the Sky
Late For The Sky makes College-Opoly in its Cincinnati, Ohio facility, using eco-friendly and recycled materials. College-Opoly features a game similar to Monopoly, but the board showcases locations around one of 33 different American universities. Late For The Sky has also expanded its boards to include animals, food, and much
more.
Lucy Hammett Games
Lucy Hammet Games are 100% made in the USA as they are manufactured in Texas. The company offers family games, teacher games, and expansion game boards, with over 30 titles to choose from. Play the games as you would a traditional Bingo game.
Maple Landmark
Maple Landmark makes wooden games in Vermont. You’ll find brain teasers, chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, cribbage, dominoes, mancala, and memory games. You can also buy replacement pieces. Maple Landmark also makes toys, trains, name puzzles, and more.
Marble King
West Virginia is the home of Marble King, where over one million marbles are made daily. Marble King is also home to the first American-made Cat’s Eye marbles. You can teach your kids to play the traditional Marbles game, or you can buy marbles for other games that require their use.
Moon Marble Company
Moon Marble Company in Kansas is the only other USA marble manufacturer besides Marble King. You will find marbles in bulk for games. The Moon Marble website features a page showing different marble sizes and their names.
Spooner Boards
Spooner Boards are balancing boards that improve core strength, coordination, balance, and stability. They come in a variety of different colors and can be used either indoors or outdoors. These boards are made in California and receive high marks from parents.
TaliCor
TaliCor, located in Michigan, was founded in 1971 and has won numerous awards in parenting magazines. Talicor is best known for The Ungame, a non-competitive game that fosters social interaction.
WE Games
Wooden Expressions, or WE Games, makes wooden, keepsake game boards for classic games such as Shut The Box, checkers, chess, cribbage, stacking towers, and more. Note: Not all WE Games are made in the USA. Be sure to search, “Made in the USA.”
Several online stores also sell the games made in the USA that we have listed. For example, Lehman's carries USA-made games online.
Do you know of a board game made in the USA we didn't include in our list? Leave a comment and link below, and we'll be sure to check it out!
Have you visited our Made in USA Shopping District? It is the place to start your shopping when you want to find the best of American-made.
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Unfortunately, not all of Late For The Sky’s “opoly” games are made in the USA (some are). I browsed them quickly on Amazon and found that, for example, their Space-Opoly is made in the USA but their Bible-Opoly is made in China.
Playing games as a family provides you with many benefits, such as providing stress release, developing good sportsmanship and fostering co-operative skills. Families can also benefit greatly from playing games together. If your children have a variety of family members, this can be very useful in developing good communication skills. You’ll find that they learn the value of compromise much more easily when they’re forced to work together in order to win.