28.3.15

20 Questions Game: A Family Tradition

When I was growing up, one of the things we would do at family gatherings and special occasions was play the 20 questions game, in which one... thumbnail 1 summary


When I was growing up, one of the things we would do at family gatherings and special occasions was play the 20 questions game, in which one person says they are thinking of a person, place or thing, and then everybody else tries to guess what it is.

The main rule to the game is that every question can only be answered by yes or no, and in the version we played, the people who were guessing were allowed one hint. Hours would go by, and we would hardly realize it because it was so much fun.

The object of the game for the person who chooses the person, place or thing is to try to think of something so obscure that nobody could possibly guess what it is. One of the more memorable moments in the 20 questions game for our family came when my sister, who was about four years old at the time and did not quite grasp the concept of the game, said, I'm thinking of a box.

We all had a good laugh at that one, and the general idea was just to have fun with the game. What I soon discovered was that it is a game that you can play at practically any age level and is something that has carried over to my own family today.

Whenever we have down time at an airport or during the holiday season, for instance, my son will usually start the 20 questions game off by saying, I'm thinking of a person.

We can usually figure out pretty easily who he is thinking about, because it is typically someone we've just been discussing or a person who's picture is up on the wall in the area we are all sitting. After he starts it, however, we all chime in with our own person, place or thing and can keep it going for hours.

I think one of the things that makes it such an enjoyable pastime is that everyone in the family can feel like they are really contributing something. My wife and I are always very encouraging to our children with the choices they make, and I can always see a little sense of pride in them when they have come up with a good answer that has taken several guesses to figure out.

Even when we have family game nights, we often will stop and play the 20 questions game, just because it is such a simple concept and is something that everybody enjoys doing.

Most of us think about meals or recreation time as a great opportunity for us to bond with our children, but playing the 20 questions game can provide the same opportunity and is something that I will try to pass down to the next generation in my family.