Games with Hayden – was great fun!

If you were traveling through a city far from home, would you consider stopping to play games with strangers in their home?

I’m not talking about playing online games or video games through internet connections. And I’m not talking about going to a board game convention and playing with others at the convention that you’ve just met. I’m talking about pulling up a chair and playing face-to-face board games in someone’s home that you’ve never been to.

Well, last week I had the chance to do just that and I loved it!

Last week I had the chance to meet the Teeter family at their home near Seattle, Washington and play Games With Hayden (and the whole family). Of course, I’m capitalizing “Games With Hayden” because that’s how he’s known online. If you haven’t heard of Hayden or seen his board game and card game videos, you really should check them out.

Games With Hayden – awesome board game video reviews

As a little back-story, I must admit that the Teeters and Hayden didn’t feel like strangers before I made the stop by their home.

Our family started doing video reviews of fun family board games and card games near the end of 2009. We realized that most board game review videos were done by adults and were watched by adults. But as parents, we were always curious what kids would think of the games. So we thought it might be helpful for other parents out there to see and hear what kids thought of these games. That way they’d be better able to judge what their own family might like.

Well, it turns out that we weren’t the only ones thinking this same thing. Because just a couple months later, we saw the first Games With Hayden video – Memoir ’44. And it was fantastic. Here, was 6-year old Hayden showing the world why he loved this great 2-player family game. He wasn’t playing Candyland, he was getting into strategy games. We immediately felt a kindred spirit.

And ever since then we’ve been in contact with the Teeters because we could tell that they shared the same love that we do and wanted to share it with the world – that board games are great for family time!

Sitting down to play

So when I found out that I’d be traveling to Seattle on business last week, I reached out to Mark Teeter and I was happy to get a great response from him inviting me to his home to meet the family and play some games. Now how cool is that!

Of course, I took him up on the offer and am so glad that I did. My only wish is that I could have spent more time with them because they’re an awesome family! Just like you’d imagine after watching Hayden’s video reviews.

We played a game of Key Largo – a cool family game where you outfit your divers and search for sunken treasure. And guess who won in the end? Yep, Hayden.

But I totally expect that his little brother Jaxsen will be giving him a run for his money in a few years.

You can judge for yourself in this video review that Hayden and Jaxsen did together last year – Gulo Gulo.

Or check out one of their more recent video reviews of another fun family board game from Gamewright – Sumo Ham Slam.

Told you they do great board game video reviews.

Keep up the happy family game time Teeters!
And I hope we get the chance to get together again!

 

P.S. If you’ve followed our site and reviews for a while you may also remember that this isn’t the first time I’ve taken advantage of business trips to get a night of board gaming in with others I’ve never met before. Last year, I had the chance to play games with some of our favorite board game podcasters as well in Indianapolis, Indiana – Game On With Cody and John and The Spiel. And earlier this year on a trip to Orlando, Florida I was able to do the same with a group of people that had invited me to do so if I was ever in their neck of the woods. And what I’ve found is that gamers are a very friendly and open bunch. Playing board games really is about the socializing – and we love to meet new people and have fun playing games!

Now I just need to find an excuse to get a business trip to Australia because I’ve heard from a number of people from “down under” who would be great to meet and play games with.