PHOTO BY NICOLE GOODHUE BOYD
Kaylecia Cataloni, 12, dumps ball on her sister Madeline, 8, as they play Hungry, Hungry Hippos during family game night.
By BETHANY DOANE
LYNN — The annual super-sized family game night at the Gregg Neighborhood House is getting bigger each year, as the team finds new ways to help family members connect and have fun.
Family game night at the Gregg House, an after-school center for elementary students, has been a January tradition for four years. The designs for a larger than life, electronic device-free night were engineered by staff members Kim Ruma and Chan Nhem, and brought to life with a group effort.
“When I joined the Gregg House staff four years ago, I wanted to have a family game night, but make it different and bigger,” said Ruma.
Colorful large-scale models of traditional board games like Scrabble, Checkers and a Candy Land featuring real candy covered rooms on all three floors of the building. New to game night was a life-sized Hungry, Hungry Hippos and Lynnopoly Junior.
Another game night twist is the layers of learning incorporated into each activity. Every game is molded around literacy, with written directions for kids to read, and spelling in games like Scrabble, Ruma said. “We’re math, too with Hi-Ho! Cherry-O, which was introduced last year.”
Parents noticed the interactive features included in each game design, too. “The game night is engaging,” said Constance Porter, who was at the event with her 3-year-old son, his father and an aunt. “The staff brought a child’s love of games to life in 3D.”
Parents mingled and took photos as they watched their smiling children play, and cheered them along.
Brothers Kaiser Bodden, 8, and Chase, 5, munched on Froot Loop necklaces that they made at an activity station. “I love Froot Loops; this is my favorite thing so far,” said Kaiser.
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Other kids were more impressed with the game night designs.
“I noticed Candy Land first,” said Jae’dha McAllister, 10, who was joined by her mother, brother and sister. “The designs are the best part, but I like the real candy, too. I’m having a good time.”
Close to 10 kids at a time were in line waiting for their turn to play Candy Land.
“These rooms look awesome, the gym looks cool,” said Abbigail Little, 8, who was at family game night for the first time. “I liked playing Hungry Hippos and Candy Land best so far. It’s super awesome that they’re so big, I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Boxes of kid’s games were donated by the Christian Angel Smile Foundation for families to take home and carry on the fun.
Over 140 families participated in family game night, said Kelly O’Connor, director of the Gregg House.
“We want families to put down their devices and connect, and sitting down to play a board game together does that,” O’Connor said.
The Gregg House will be holding their next family engagement event for enrolled students on April 1.
