One of my favorite wisdom teachers is Jake the Dog from Adventure Time. I’m not kidding. Among other things, early in the show, he said, “Sucking at something is the first step to being kinda good at something.” Absolutely true! We come into this world knowing absolutely nothing, including holding up our own heads. We have to practice and do things for the first time and be very bad at them. Not a one of us knows everything we need when we start out, and that’s a feature, not a bug. Learning how to be just a little less sucky at something is a gift that we share with everyone around us. Being vulnerable both with not doing well the first few times, but also in asking for help—these are some of the most powerful relationship-builders we have.

I’m the board game nerd who loves reading game rules in my spare time—I love the experience of learning something new, envisioning how it might go, even being proven wrong when I actually start playing. And I love teaching them, too. Sometimes it’s easier to learn from someone who can give you the shape of the game, the story of it, so you can wrap your brain around it. And it’s important to me to do my best to teach well, by which I mean teach in such a way that players understand what they’re meant to do and have fun while doing it. A good teach is everyone’s friend!

I wrote the other week about Candy Land and how it’s a great game for teaching little ones how to play games and to develop patience. Sometimes as adults we need a reminder of those things as well! We have a good selection of family-weight games, meaning games for tables with kids who are learning how to play, but many of them are good for adults looking for something lighter or to dive into more complex games. Don’t be afraid to suck at first or to ask for a teach—we are here for you, friends!

Alice C, board game librarian

Play Super Winner!

It’s the darling of TikTok, I’m told, and for good reason! Two players use the rubberband to try to sling their pieces through the narrow opening in the middle of the board at the same time. It’s fast, it’s hilarious, it’s a great time! Super Winner is brand new to our collection and good for all ages.

Try the sliders from our kids’ menu!

Our classic smashburger but tiny! Order them with whatever toppings you like: cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. We serve them up with our crisp waffle fries, and they’re great for kids as well as adults who want a smaller but still filling meal.

Bring a friend for some sliders and a game of Super Winner or any of our other kid-friendly games!