HOW FAMILY FUN CAN STRENGTHEN BONDS AND BOOST WELLBEING.
Gathering around the board game table isn't just fun — it’s a powerful way to enhance family connections and improve mental health.
Studies show that playing board games together can strengthen relationships, reduce stress, and enhance cognitive skills, making game nights a valuable addition to family life.
One shop who knows this all too well is the recently opened board game shop in Shepparton, called Little Plastic Fellas.
Little Plastic Fellas is a family-owned board game shop with deep roots in Shepparton’s growing community of board game enthusiasts.
What began as a passion project in their home in 2019 has blossomed into a business dedicated to creating fun, screen-free social experiences for families, friends, and anyone curious about the world of modern board games.
Founded by Dave Barlow and wife Nyree Curnow, they have teamed up with Quinton and Michelle Sung to combine their expertise and passion to take the business to the next level.
Together, they aim to offer something they wished they had growing up: a welcoming, friendly board game shop where people can explore, connect, and discover games that suit all ages and preferences.
Located in the bustling Star Bowl Arcade on Fryers St, Shepparton, their shop offers a curated collection of around 400 unique games, with plans to expand to over 600 as they grow.
This will be a space for everyone, from families looking for screen-free social fun to experienced gamers who want to dive into strategic, thematic or cooperative games.
Little Plastic Fellas has always been about community.
Over the years, they’ve hosted pop-up shops, such as at ShepparCon — Shepparton’s annual three-day cosy board gaming convention that has run since 2017 — and community events, like the GV Board Game Days, where families, kids, and adults gather to play and discover new games.
They plan to continue hosting smaller, more focused events at the new store, and are excited to have a space where gamers can come together, share their passion and have fun.
Little Plastic Fellas is worth checking out, but for now, they have provided us with a game list they feel everyone should have a read of, and it’s right here in this edition of Our Home.
Get ready to have some game night fun!
Best game to teach simple turn-taking with young kids (Winner: Outfoxed)
Rhino Hero – Players build a tall, unstable skyscraper and try not to topple it while placing the heroic rhino.
Outfoxed – A co-operative whodunit game that encourages working together to solve the mystery before the fox escapes.
Hoot Owl Hoot – A co-operative colour-matching game perfect for teaching turn-taking and teamwork.
Best all-ages party game that doesn't require trivia knowledge (Winner: Telestrations)
Telestrations – A laugh-out-loud drawing and guessing game where artistic skills are entirely optional.
Just One – A simple word association game that works great for larger groups, blending teamwork and creativity.
Wits & Wagers – A trivia-adjacent game where players bet on the most likely answer without needing to know the facts.
Best non-language-dependent game (Winner: Blokus)
Dobble (Spot It) – A pattern-matching game that relies on quick reflexes and observation, perfect for all ages.
Blokus – An abstract strategy game where players place coloured pieces on the board, perfect for non-verbal play.
Codenames: Pictures – A more visual version of the word-based hit, where players give clues using images rather than words.
Best two-player game (Winner: Patchwork)
Patchwork – A charming, tile-laying game where players build the most aesthetically pleasing quilt, balancing strategic decision-making with accessibility.
Hive – A strategic, chess-like game with bug-themed pieces, providing deep strategy in a quick format.
Lost Cities – A card-based game where players embark on expeditions by managing their hand, simple yet engaging.
Best quick-to-learn game for 6+ players (Winner: 6 Nimmt!)
6 Nimmt! – A simple card game where players must avoid collecting cards, perfect for large groups.
The Mind – A co-operative card game that involves no talking, as players must read each other’s minds to place cards in the correct sequence.
Skull – A bluffing game that’s easy to explain but hard to master, making it ideal for large groups.
Best co-operative game for kids and adults alike (Winner: Forbidden Island)
Forbidden Island – A race against time to collect treasures before the island sinks.
The Crew: Mission Deep Sea – A trick-taking game with a co-operative twist, where players must communicate non-verbally.
Zombie Kidz Evolution – A light co-operative game where players work together to fend off zombies and protect their school.
Best game to spark creativity and storytelling (Winner: Dixit)
Rory’s Story Cubes – Players roll dice and create a story based on the images, perfect for sparking imaginative tales.
Dixit – A beautiful, visually driven game where players use abstract images to tell stories and guess the storyteller's card.
Once Upon a Time – A storytelling card game where players work together to tell a fairytale, with some light competition.
Best game for short attention spans (Winner: Sushi Go)
Exploding Kittens – A fast-paced card game full of unpredictable fun and lighthearted humour.
Sushi Go! – A quick and simple card-drafting game, with adorable sushi-themed art and straightforward mechanics.
Love Letter – A quick, minimalist card game where players try to get their love letter to the princess.
Best game to play with grandparents (Winner: Rummikub)
Ticket to Ride – A well-known and accessible game where players build train routes across the map, great for all ages.
Qwirkle – An abstract tile-laying game that’s easy to grasp, yet offers plenty of strategic depth.
Rummikub – A classic game of numbers that’s simple to understand but offers endless replayability.
Best family strategy game without direct conflict (Winner: Kingdomino)
Kingdomino – A domino-based game where players build kingdoms, balancing strategy and accessibility.
Cascadia – A tile-drafting and puzzle game where players build ecosystems, offering plenty of strategic decisions without harsh competition.
Carcassonne – A tile-laying game where players build cities, roads, and fields, working indirectly against each other.