In partnership with the YMCA of Michiana and Smoke Free St Joe, we plan to host a micro-experience during South Bend's Best.Week.Ever.2018. An effort coordinated by the South Bend Venues Parks and Arts, our project adds a fun family event to encourage spending time together playing.

We can use the games to convey messages of healthy living (such as a note on a Jenga piece to "Have a drink of water" or reminding those playing Twister to stretch.)

Our idea is a game night with oversized board games played outside (weather permitting with the Y's gym as backup). We plan to build large versions of Connect 4, Jenga, Twister (on the soccer field), Hungry Hippo, Scrabble, Kerplunk, and more. Once constructed, the games are available for reuse or lending to other groups to continue the game nights.

To encourage more participation, there is to be no fee charged to join in the Best.Game Night.Ever, and competition is limited to each game (no cumulative points awarded) so players can simply enjoy the camaraderie of playing together.