BrainCoach Scott – Kwizniac

I’ve always been a sucker for trivia games and Kwizniac doesn’t disappoint. In most trivia games, you learn one piece of information about a subject and then you move on to the next question, but with Kwizniac, I love that you learn ten bits of interesting information. A good tip for beating Uncle Frank is to take each clue and look for individual hints within that clue. For example, the clue “From 1886 to 1902 it functioned as a lighthouse” tells you that the item existed in the 19th century, that it is big enough to function as a lighthouse and that it is near water – one clue but three hints within that clue. Combine the additional hints in your big brain and you’ll be able to correctly guess The Statue of Liberty before Uncle Frank has a chance to finish that bite of stuffing.

BrainCoach Lindsay – Bananagrams

Bananagrams is my favorite game to bring with me when I am traveling to see family and friends over the holidays.  The compact, easy carrying case (aka banana) is perfect for the carry-on. I always like word games and this one is a crowd favorite for sure.  Everyone is playing their own board individually which allows any level of complexity of word choice. Most importantly, since it is so fast paced Uncle Frank won’t have time to pay attention to any of my misspellings along the way  (Someone will catch them at the end unfortunately so word choice is key).  Even if you don’t like Scrabble—give this one a try.

BrainCoach Earl – Word on the Street

Scream and yell to keep your opponents from winning their side of the street.  Their side of the street, you ask?…Yes, six letters on either side wins the game.  Sound easy? Well, it’s not – 30 seconds to think of a word that has the most letters, in the midst of chaos with only one person moving the letters, is a Parietal Lobe-stretching challenge. One tip for taking down Uncle Frank is to think through a list of words that will be most distracting to him (Gravy! Stove Top Stuffing! Twinkies!) and shout them out as he tries to come up with winning words.

BrainCoach Elisabeth – Wits & Wagers

Wits and Wagers is the perfect family party game! Not only is it designed for everyone from the average Joe to the trivia buff, it is competitively enjoyable and incredibly engaging. Everyone has a chance in this gambling-infused trivia game. Always remember that you can fool Uncle Frank by showing a face of confidence and pretending to be a pro in a certain category but really tricking them into betting on your intentionally wrong answer. The possibilities for trickery and outwitting are endless, as are the hours of brain boosting entertainment Wits & Wagers will provide.

BrainCoach Ryan – Triviathon

Triviathon is definitely one of my favorite trivia games. Whenever I play, I learn something new and have a great time. It’s not an overly competitive game, and I actually like to give out hints if I know something that they don’t. Triviathon promotes long term memory along with occasional educated guesses which keeps it accessible for players of varying ability so no one will feel left out. The lighthearted approach to trivia and the hilarious roles of each player’s character throughout the game keeps Triviathon at the top of my game closet!

Brain Fitness Program

MindFit

Obviously not everyone’s parents are the same, and each brain fitness software program provides a unique brain workout. They have been scientifically tested and proven to work different parts of the brain. The Brain Coaches are here to help you figure out what fits you (or your parent in this case) best.

I may be a bit biased since I majored in Spanish, but learning languages can be really fun. Not only will it prepare you for an amazing trip, but it also opens up doors to new cultures. And I have made so many friends by speaking another language! In my experience, learning a language that is written with completely different characters – like Mandarin Chinese – adds an additional challenge. Not only are you working your word skills, but you are also stimulating your memory and visual perception skills as you strive to recall certain characters and their meanings.

Ultimate Chinese

The book, The Female Brain, by Dr. Louann Brizendine covers the female brain as it goes through different life points like puberty, motherhood, and menopause, as well as the emotional states like love, feelings, and sex. This may be a good pick for a guy who wants to figure out the ever-elusive female brain, but also extremely interesting and insightful for mothers who may be able to relate to many part of the book.

Little B&W Book of Crosswords

On the Dot

Lastly, I would suggest “The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain: The Surprising Talents of the Middle-Aged Mind” for all the mothers out there who feel like their brains just aren’t what they used to be. Did you know that research has shown that brains are at their prime between their early 40s and late 60s? Scientific American gives a great review of the book and explains that brains, “like certain French cheeses, get better with age.” The author, Barbara Strauch, also recently wrote a fascinating piece in The New York Times about training the aging brain.

First of all, the Gibbon Slackline gives you the chance to test your circus skills. Learn how to tightrope walk by tying the slackline to two stationary objects (like between two trees) and then step onto the line. Walking or just keeping on the line works your core muscles and improves your balance.

Myachi is also a great game for the outdoors! The Myachi Original Hand Sack combines the fluid hand motions of martial arts with the full body coordination of action sports. You can use any body part you want, except NO PALMS ALLOWED! This game can be played in a group or solo. Doesn’t it bring you back to the days of hackie sack? Well this time you have to focus on the upper body coordination.

Ogosport

Paulette: Build Your Power Vocabulary
I love this book because I enjoy learning the origins of words and why we use them. I find this to be a key component in helping me remember new words and incorporate them into my vocabulary. There are chapters on ways to improve spelling and pronunciation, the roots of words, words that are commonly misused, specialized words, and words that we borrow from other languages. The book also includes exercises at the end of each section that almost feel like games. This is a great book for people who love words or for people who just want to strengthen their vocabulary.

Emily: Play
This book shows how essential play is in everyone’s life and how we can get it back. As a parent I thought it would be about how to help my children in play and reinforce my belief that we need to incorporate more into their daily life (and it is). However, it also argues that adults, parents in particular, need to prioritize some play time too. The opposite of play is not work, but depression. When we stop playing, we start dying. Brown has some incredible research to support that in order to be successful in life you must play. Have fun!

Rachel: Brain Rules
The 12 principles outlined in Brain Rules are presented in a very interesting way that is easy for anyone to understand and often very funny. The author, Dr. John Medina is also a professor and a lot of the book discusses how we learn, and more so, how we should be taught. This book is separated into segments that each discuss parts of the brain, how they work, and how they differ from person to person. Brain Rules is cleverly written combining science with real life experience and ideas for the future.

Come visit us and we can tell you even more about our favorite things to do!

I am thrilled when people are willing to give the brain fitness software a try. It truly makes a difference and is fun!

NeuroActive Complete

I also understand if you would rather stick to something more hands-on, and so I have some suggestions for that area as well.

Set

There are more possibilities as well! Come chat with us and we will find the perfect fit for you.