Balderdash

by Mama__B
(Southern Ontario)

Balderdash is all about creativity. You get a word and have to make up a meaning for it. It's wonderful fun and really stretches the mind.

Diane's Comment about Balderdash

I will never forget playing this game for the first time with friends. We laughed 'til we cried...if you know what I mean. It was so much fun!

Don't have the game, you say? That's okay. All you really need is a dictionary, paper and pencils.

Locate a word in the dictionary that no one knows the meaning for. Have one person write that word and the actual meaning on his slip of paper. (This person, BTW, is the ONLY one who knows the meaning of this word for now.) Have everyone else write the word and their made-up meaning on their slips.

Everyone turns their slip into the person with the correct meaning. Then one by one he reads them all, including the correct one. This is where it gets difficult. Sometimes the meanings are so ridiculous, that it's hard to keep a straight face. But you must! It helps if everyone writes legibly so that the reader can breeze through them. (He should also say the word before reading each meaning.)

After that, everyone must vote on which one they think is the correct answer. Each person gets a point for each vote their "meaning" received. The person with the real definition will also get a point if no one guesses it as being the real meaning of the word. So, choose a word with a very weird definition! The person with the most points (votes) at the end of the game, wins.

Try it! Let us know how your family liked it!