Family Strategic Session as a Board Game: Review the Year and Set Goals Together

Here is another idea I want to share — this time for running a family strategic session in a game format.

Every year, my family creates a board game together. It is a wonderful way to spend quality time as a family. First, you design a game board — usually a step-by-step path — then come up with challenges for each cell, add some bonus mechanics and extra points. And then you play.

This year we tried a new format: a family strategic session as a board game. It turned out to be an excellent way to reflect on the year and map out plans for the future. The results exceeded all expectations, so I am sharing this idea with you.

The whole family should play — and will want to. In terms of age: my son Platon is 7 years old and he was totally into it. My daughter Alisa is 13 — even more so.

How to Prepare Your Family Strategy Board Game

Make the game board:

• Take a large sheet of poster paper and divide it into two halves: “The Past Year” and “The New Year”.
• Draw a step-by-step path from the past into the future.
• The number of cells = number of players × 10 (for a family of four, that is 40 cells).

Stage 1: Retrospective — Looking Back Together

The retrospective helps you understand which events and decisions shaped the past year, what worked and what did not. This is an important step for drawing lessons and building a solid foundation for future goals.

• Step 1: Each player recalls 3 negative events from the past year. Draw symbols or pictures associated with them in any cells on the past-year side of the board. Important: no discussion! Events should be either family-related or personal.
• Step 2: Repeat with 3 positive events. Drawings only — no talking.

Stage 2: Planning and Goal-Setting for the New Year

• Draw 3 goals or dreams for the coming year. Same rule applies: either personal or family-related.
• Come up with a barrier — something that could prevent you from reaching your goals. There was a brief pause at this step, but even seven-year-old Platon handled it and honestly wrote: “Not enough money for a snowboard.”

Stage 3: Introducing Forces (Resources)

• Decide what will represent “Forces” in your game (we used poker chips).
• Each player starts with 5 Forces.

Stage 4: Play Your Family Strategy Board Game

1. Choose your player token (a small toy or figurine).
2. Roll the dice and move along the cells:

– Negative event: Takes 1 Force from both the cell’s author and the landing player.
– Positive event: Adds 1 Force to both the author and the landing player.
– Dream: Both the author and the landing player gain 1 Force.
– Barrier: Takes 1 Force from the landing player.

1. If a player runs out of Forces, other participants can share some of theirs.

What You Get Out of This Family Strategy Board Game

1. Retrospective and awareness:

• You talk through all the meaningful moments of the past year.
• You visualize emotional experiences and expectations through associations.

2. Goals and dreams:

• You learn more about each other’s goals and dreams.
• You discover that family plans and aspirations often overlap.

3. Obstacles and resources:

• You identify the barriers standing in the way of your goals.
• You realize that one family member’s challenges affect everyone — but can be solved together.

4. Joy and achievements:

• You learn to celebrate each other’s wins as a team.
• You see that there is more good in life than it sometimes seems.

5. Emotional connection:

• You strengthen family bonds through shared conversation and play.
• You spend time together with real depth — and a light, playful energy.

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Give it a try and share how it goes!