With fall’s chilly weather settling upon our fair city, the kids and I are looking for more indoor activities to keep us busy. We’ve spent every free hour outside for the past six months, so the adjustment to indoor playtime can be tenuous. Fortunately, I recently discovered Peaceable Kingdom, a line of board and card games for kids, so our afternoons inside aren’t quite so stressful.

What I love love love about Peaceable Kingdom is that many of the games they offer are cooperative games.  Traditional board games have a winner and a loser (which makes lots of kids sad), but cooperative games encourage teamwork and inclusion.  In short, the players work as a team against a common obstacle, not against each other.

We’ve been playing Stack Up! lately. Mack smiles widely, Evie follows intently, and Vivian chatters along.  Mack has a tendency to get really mad when he loses a game, but with Stack Up! there isn’t a loser so we can all play together and have a genuinely good time.

I should also add that the kids are obsessed – obsessed, I tell you! – with Peaceable Kingdom‘s “Old Maid” and “Go Fish” card games. Yes, I realize these games can be played with a standard deck of cards, but the ones from Peaceable Kingdom are so colorful and kid-friendly.  Seriously, every day after school and every night after dinner the kids want to play a round or two. I am so grateful for the fun time spent with my precious littles.

As a busy mom with a big family, every day I vote with my dollars. What companies deserve our hard-earned money? I want to support businesses that support my family’s mission, and Peaceable Kingdom’s products encourage family togetherness and cooperation. And the fact that they use sustainable materials such as recycled papers, soy-based inks, and corn-based plastics is an extra bonus!

Check out Peaceable Kingdom here: http://www.peaceablekingdom.com/