7 Wonders is a board game designed by Repos Productions and the winner of over 25 awards! It is one of our family’s favorite games, and best of all it’s a game that can be played with 3-7 players. There are no games in our closet that we have played more or enjoyed more than 7 Wonders. It combines strategy, resource management, city building, and minimal aggression into a game that rarely goes longer than an hour from set-up to put-up.
Game Premise
In 7 Wonders you are the leader of one of the seven great cities of the Ancient World. You will gather resources, develop commercial routes, and pillage your neighbors using military supremacy; all while developing your city and building one of the great 7 Wonders of the ancient world.
The Babylon Board with cards already Played to Represent Structures
Why We Love 7 Wonders
Our family loves this game because you remain active the entire time. There is very little waiting on other players as everyone is looking at the cards at the same time. This makes the game feel very active. Many games that support more than 4 players often have tremendous downtime where younger children can become bored or distracted (this can be true for adults as well). 7 Wonders keeps each player engaged in making decisions constantly.
Another reason we enjoy 7 Wonders is the limitation of player interactions. Each player’s primary concern is their neighbor on the left and right. For new players, this is a benefit because they don’t have to be concerned with what’s happening around the entire table. It makes a large game feel small and playable.
The third reason we really enjoy 7 Wonders is that it’s easy to learn and young people can play it and enjoy it. In general, anyone who can read without help can learn 7 Wonders. Our children started playing without much help around seven years old. This really helps when the grandparents come and visit because we can all play something together that is enjoyable.
Components
As with all games, 7 Wonders contains many components. They are not very complex, but instead are well-illustrated cards slightly larger than normal playing cards. The game also contains cardboard cutouts of coins and victory points. The final components are the double-sided individual boards representing the player’s wonder.
Rhodes boards played with coins and negative points on the board
Game Play
The game, in its base form, lasts three ages (rounds). In each age, players receive seven cards from a particular deck, then choose one card and pass the remainder to an adjacent player. Players reveal their cards simultaneously, paying resources if needed or collecting resources, or interacting with other players in various ways. Each card is played immediately after being drafted, so you’ll know which cards your neighbor is receiving and how their choices might affect what you’ve already built up. Each board has its own unique powers and costs that encourage a unique play for the players. Cards are passed left-right-left over the three ages, so you need to keep an eye on the neighbors in both directions.
Once all the actions are completed, each player then chooses another card from the deck they were passed, and the process repeats until players have six cards in play from that age. After three Ages, the game ends and you score the accumulative points.
7 Wonders Game Mechanics
Each card in each age has its own unique power, point value, and/or resource generation. Some cards have immediate effects, while others provide bonuses or upgrades later in the game. There are also cards that provide military strength to overpower your neighbors giving them negative points and your positive points. The cards are broken into four primary types that have their own associated color.
Military cards (red) are used to build for combat that happens at the end of each age.
Scientific cards (green) are used to combine symbols for extra points and playing certain cards for free.
Civic cards (blue) give points at the end of the game.
Commercial cards (yellow) give alternative ways to access resources and coins while also giving points at the end of the game.
Guild cards (purple) are only in the final age and change each game. These cards grant points based on meeting specific criteria of you or your neighbors.
Resource cards (brown) only provide resources for building other structures. At each age, the cost of a building becomes greater and greater.
Commodity cards (gray) are exactly like the resource cards except rarer and used more sparingly.
Playing 7 Wonders
Playing 7 Wonders is a simple yet delightful experience. It is one of the first games we teach people who have never played board games. The learning curve is gentle and new players will learn quickly. One aspect we love most about 7 Wonders for new players is that when they finish the game they feel accomplished.
I personally enjoy all the different strategies you can employ. There is no “One way to win.” Instead, you can employ many variants and take large risks that could lead to a great victory or more tragically a great defeat. In contrast, Christy likes the game because she can employ a consistent strategy that often takes her to victory.
Honestly, this is one of the best things about 7 Wonders, the variety! Each time you play it feels different because all the pieces and players change. Each time you play your board will be different than the last. Yet, there is some level of consistency that allows you deeper progress into the strategy of the game. We have played 7 Wonders more times than I can count and each time we get it out I’m excited to play. There are not many games I can say that about.
If you are interested in buying 7 Wonders you can find it on Amazon here.
See 7 Wonders on Amazon
Expansions
Another great aspect about 7 Wonders is its plethora of expansions. Over the course of seven years, the developers have released six expansions! Each of these expansions adds to the game in a substantial way. I’m going to go into details on the expansion in this article but I will mention our favorites. If you’re looking to buy the expansions I suggest you purchase Leaders and Armada. These two add a lot of value to the game. We also really enjoyed the Cities expansion. Our least favorite is the Wonder Pack and Babel.
As a small business, we want to encourage people to support other small businesses. One of those ways is through Etsy and the amazing things you can find there. For 7 wonders there are many options which you can see here. But the most interesting ones are these three.
There is also a really well-designed two-player version of 7 Wonders for the times when you don’t have many players. I would suggest purchasing this game over trying to play the 7 Wonders 2 player variant.
See 7 Wonder Dual and its expansions on Amazon here
Duel
7 Wonders: Duel – Pantheon (October 2016)
See 7 Wonders Dual on Amazon
Awards and Honors
2012 Awards
MinD-Spielepreis Nominee
Ludoteca Ideale Winner
Boardgames Australia Awards Best International Game Nominee
2011 Awards
Boardgames Australia Awards Best International Game Nominee
Vuoden Peli Adult Game of the Year Winner
Spiel des Jahres Kennerspiel des Jahres Winner
Nederlandse Spellenprijs Nominee
Lys Passioné Finalist and Winner
Lucca Games Best Boardgame Winner
Juego del Año Tico Winner, Tico Nominee, and Finalist.
JoTa Best Light Board Game Nominee, Best Light Board Game Critic Award, Best Light Board Game Audience Award, Best Card Game Nominee, Best Card Game Critic Award, Best Card Game Audience Award, Best Artwork Nominee, and Best Artwork Critic Award
Japan Boardgame Prize Voters’ Selection Winner
International Gamers Award – General Strategy: Multi-player Winner
Hra roku Winner
Guldbrikken Best Adult Game Winner
Gra Roku Game of the Year Nominee
Gouden Ludo Winner
Golden Geek Most Innovative Board Game Nominee, Best Strategy Board Game Nominee, Best Party Board Game Nominee, Best Family Board Game Winner, Best Card Game Winner, Best Card Game Nominee, and Best Board Game Artwork/Presentation Nominee
Fairplay À la carte Winner
Deutscher Spiele Preis Best Family/Adult Game Winner
Click here to read about Discovering your backyard!
Click here to read about making Family Night Fun!
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We only recommend products, people, and companies, we would use ourselves. All opinions expressed here are our own. Posts within our site may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn us a small commission. See the full disclosure here.
In our home, we have at least one, if not two nights a week that are exclusively reserved for Family Night. These nights are not extensively planned or complicated. Instead, they are simplistic in focus, yet surprisingly rich in enjoyment. I’m a pretty easy-going person and I enjoy NOT planning! Most of my work life is built around structure, deadlines, and planning. The last thing I want to do is overthink our weekly family fun nights. Occasionally we do go all out to plan a fun adventure or special outing, but on a weekly basis, the focus is on togetherness, and simplicity for kids and adults. However, I do have a consistent goal, delivering fun to the kids while simultaneously causing as little work as possible for Christy and me!
1. Pizza Family Night
Pepperoni Pizza. The Family Night Favorite.
Yes, it’s a little cliché… but it checks all the boxes. Rarely will you see more joy on my children’s faces than when I bring home hot pizza for dinner! Not because my wife isn’t a good cook, she is an incredible cook and can make a mean homemade pizza, but bringing home pizza is one of the easiest ways to meet my goal. The kids are going to have fun (probably because pizza night usually involves a movie, see below) and Christy doesn’t have to cook or clean. It’s a win-win for all!
One potential issue with pizza night is that it can be expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. For us, we lean towards Domino’s pizza because they have had a large pizza for $8 all year. Or one of my children loves Little Caesars (I know…) $5 pizza. Either choice is better than the price you pay in a store and it’s already cooked. If you have the finances and their pizza is good we would always suggest you support a local pizzeria when possible. Places like Joe’s Pizza in Mesquite Texas or Strongs Brick Oven in Newport Kentucky (Yes I know they aren’t even close to each other, but I don’t know where you live or where you’re traveling). No matter how you get your pizza the key is to make sure it’s tasty and it’s easy.
2. Movie Night
Movie Night is a classic. Cliché again? Perhaps, but highly effective. During the week our family strives not to watch movies or TV shows at night. So when the weekend comes around everyone is excited and ready to simply sit, cuddle, and watch a movie. On movie nights our children gather the nuggets and lay them out into a massive pallet in front of the couch. Then they get every pillow and blanket they can find and pile them on. Once the couch is made up we all pile on, usually with Christy and me in the center and the kids on and around us.
Our movie selection can vary from the newest Disney film, like Onward, or a classic like Singing in the Rain! Whatever your taste is in movies try to make it enjoyable for all while remembering that children can enjoy many different types of film. We are currently working our way through Musicals. You don’t always have to choose an animated film, extend their minds with other genres of films as well. This may take a while for them to enjoy, but start with more recent films and work your way back into the classics. There is a good post over on SilverScenes about this exact topic, go check them out for some good film suggestions.
3. Board Game Family Night
When it comes to board game night a lot of families stick with the classics like Monopoly or Trouble. And though those games have a rightful place in the pantheon of games, they are pretty low on our personal list. Instead, when we play games with the kids we are playing more modern strategy games. We started the kids on games like King Domino and King of Tokyo and have slowly moved them into more complicated games like Rise of Tribes and Dominion. Our all-time favorite being 7 Wonders and its myriad of expansions. Whatever your game preference, make sure you do the following to make it fun for the whole family and easy on you. When we have had a couple of babies or toddlers they have had something fun to play with besides the game-playing family members. Possibly extra game pieces, a pile of blocks or Legos, a special coloring book, or Play-Doh. The littlest ones move from their special project to team-playing to having their own place in the game as they show aptitude and desire. This happens quicker than you would think! A couple of years of watching and observing make for some mighty opponents in your five, six, and seven-year-olds!
Make sure you know the rules before playing
Have the kids set up the game so they are mentally preparing and getting excited
Have simple snacks like popcorn, chips, or healthier alternatives
Don’t start too late
Don’t drag the game out
For younger children make sure the game is age-appropriate
For older children make sure the game is challenging
Do your best to complete the game-make sure all who start finish!
4. Video Game Family Night
This one may not be for every family. For those of us who grew up playing video games, this is a great family night. The only complication being that most games only support two players or a maximum of four. So it can be hard to find a game to play. There are options that exist, especially on the Nintendo Switch. Games like Super Mario Party or Super Smash Brothers are good fun competitive games that families can take turns playing.
The key to a fun video game night is figuring out the game ahead of time (Don’t let the kids argue over what’s going to be played) and not forcing anyone to play. Maybe not everyone in the family enjoys playing. So make them the cheerleader, snack coordinator, or get them a fun book to read beside the group.
5. Reading Family Night
This is my wife’s favorite family night. Where the others are focused on interaction and laughter and fun, this Family Night emphasizes silence, close proximity, and relaxation. For us, these nights happen mostly in winter and in front of a blazing fire. No tricks to this one. Just have everyone find their favorite book, a blanket, and a cup of tea then find a place to sit, cuddle and enjoy a great read. Sometimes my wife starts out with one of the Read-Alouds in her rotation and then we move to individual books as the night goes on. Often these nights end in a lively discussion on one or more of the books being read. Occasionally, we even put on an audiobook for the whole family and just cuddle while drinking hot tea or chocolate.
6. No-Media Night
This Family Night is one of our favorites and it’s simple enough but often harder to execute than you would think. The emphasis is on no electronics, media, or screens, for the whole family. This means parents putting away their phones, turning off the TV, and focusing on conversations. I remember growing up and even after becoming an adult how often my family would sit around and talk. Now for us, we lived in Colorado and so settling in front of the fireplace to talk was natural during the winter. Now that technology is increasing we have found how important it is to make time to talk. The hard part is starting the conversation without being awkward. Hence why you need some really simple ice breakers. As an example try…
Where would you fly if you had wings?
If you could eat one food right now what would it be?
How would you describe your mom in three words?
How would you describe your dad in three words?
What book are you reading (Why?)
If you could speak any language, what would it be?
Name one quality you love about each family member etc…
We discovered that we really like the nights where we focus on connecting with the kids. We want them to grow and become people who can engage with others easily in conversations. If you have never done this we would highly suggest you try as soon as possible. You will be surprised how much your children and spouse have to say when you turn off the cell phones and other distracting technology,
Outdoor Opportunities
We really enjoy family night, but we know how important it is to get your family outside and exploring the world around them. If you would like to read about an incredible way to Discover Curiosity in your own backyard I encourage you to check out the article below by the Social Clownfish.
Discover Your Curiosity
Family Night Wrap Up
What are some things you do on your family nights? What ideas can you share with us that we can try?
Affiliate Disclosure
We only recommend products, people, and companies, we would use ourselves. All opinions expressed here are our own. Posts within our site may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may earn us a small commission. See the full disclosure here.
These are the restaurant’s I consider to be the best places to eat in Summit County Colorado. Just from my own experience, memories and preferences. I have plenty other restaurants that I need to delve into but haven’t had the chance yet.
Best Places To Eat In Silverthorne
Sauce On The Blue
This Italian restaurant is a bit higher priced Italian but the quality of the food speaks for its self.
You can dine in their lovely yurts which is a neat experience within itself or even outside on their patio.
Their food is fresh and they have a good size wine list as well as a full bar with multitude of spirits to create whatever mix drink you desire.
They have a well rounded menu no matter what you are craving. Its a nice spot for a romantic evening with your partner and can be elegant enough to dress up for dinner but also casual enough you would be fine in jeans and a t-shirt.
Like I said this is more expensive restaurant, and the food prices can be divided between single or family meal prices. But you are looking between $22-$40 depending on the item. Website here Menu here Location
The Bakers Brewery
Fresh quality food and Summit Craft beers from scratch.
Their menu is subject to change but the quality of food is always fantastic!
The first time visiting for me I had some amazing pesto noodles with chicken! Unfortunately they did not have that on the menu the next time I visited. But every time I’ve been back I’ve never been disappointed.
Friendly atmosphere. And we’ll priced food for great quality.
They have 3 beer awards and have their beer in 5 different bars!
This restaurant is by far my favorite! Possibly because I have great memories here with my parents and how we always make it a point to eat their mouth watering French onion soup!
They have amazing burgers as well as French fries. They used to have really good ranch but the last time I visited they had changed their ranch recipe.
Also their mountain man Mac and cheese is to die for! Warm melty gooey goodness.
They have a multitude of lagers and ales they brew in house.
They have beers flavored after Palisade peaches and even some beers distilled in whiskey barrels. All sorts of flavors you are able to taste.
The most expensive item here is a New York strip for $27. Other wise nothing exceeds $15 per item.
This casual arcade bar and restaurant is a must go if you’re looking for a fun relaxing evening.
They have 25 flat screens, 27 arcade games, 30 beers on tap and 48 beers in a bottle.
Its kid friendly and gluten friendly!
Plenty of booths to sit with your friends and family and enjoy the environment or play games while waiting on your food. Customer service is great and friendly and the food is wonderful with another well rounded menu!
The most expensive item is a large pizza for $23. Other than that your range will likely stay between $10-$13 individual item.
Is a welcoming environment that give you large portions of amazing comfort food meals. It is kid friendly and late nigh pub grub friendly as well!
Legend has it Ollie was a lumberjack who milled wood for the growing mining town of Breckinridge. But to feed his men he built his tavern with hospitality and homemade food that he called “pub & grub”. This restaurant still has the same spirit the legendary Ollie did during his time as well.
I personally built my own Mac n cheese that was delicious and delightful I must say! They have great wings and burgers as well!
Theres nothing on their menu that exceeds $16 individually
This unique restaurant with homemade recipes, joyful workers and lively atmosphere will makes you feel all warm and happy inside and out! Just like being part of the family.
Summit County is a great area to delve into all different restaurants with amazing flavors no matter your preference or budget. Next time I plan to spend more time in Breckinridge area because they do have a lot of options. Maybe I should do a restaurant crawl! What do you all think? If you have any suggestions on restaurants I should try out please leave a comment and let me know! Until next time! -Dass
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