The decision to buy everyone Nerf guns for Christmas, was part impulse decision, part act of desperation.

Every year, I make it my goal to give my family something that’s more than just “a thing.”  I prefer something that will give them a unique experience – like an indoor skydiving lesson or a cooking class – that they’ll  remember long after the novelty of a possession has worn off.

Finding an activity that everyone will enjoy is a challenge.  That’s especially true when you’re buying for a family with ages that range from 2 years to 42 years.

The Nerf guns were a stretch. Technically they were “things” – a huge box of plastic guns and foam darts that had the potential to clutter the house.  But the potential payoff  (if the toys were a hit) would mean hours of family bonding while we gleefully blasted one another with rubber tipped darts.

$200 later, I was opening a shipment of assorted weapons and ammo clips that were  going to outfit World War III, or at least put me on the list for man-child-nerd of the year.

In case you’ve never seen a Nerf gun, they are marvels of toy engineering.  Basically, they shoot lightweight darts (think a swimming pool noodle about the size of your finger) that are just heavy enough to fly straight and true, without being heavy enough to do  damage to your house (moms, here’s where you give a sigh of relief).

The guns range in size and capacity, with single shooters running less than $10 and battery-powered machine guns running over $200.  Many are a pump-action varieties that cost around $40.

I set up an empty cardboard box and stood across the living room unleashing my clip, hitting the target with a sharp whap-whap-whap.   My gun was surprisingly accurate yet when I shot myself in the hand , I could feel the dart, but it certainly didn’t hurt.

It was then that a smile slid across my face.  Soon I would be wreaking Nerf terror on my young nephews.

A few weeks later, we were assembled together for our annual winter cabin in the Cascade Mountains.  Cabin fever had definitely set in.  The house we’d rented turned out to be a lot smaller than it had looked in the advertisement, and we were stuffed to the gills.  To top it off, a deep freeze had set in, making it uncomfortable to play in the snow for more than a few minutes at a time.

We turned the downstairs area into our war zone, and after a few minutes spent learning how to operate our guns, we embarked on our first indoor killfest (Now before you write me angry letters saying we shouldn’t encourage war, I’ve learned that these games are less like war, and more like a playground game of tag).

Macy goes “Hunger Games” with her outfit during a recent family game

Soon, I stepped back and listened to the sounds coming from our battle.  Shrieks and peels of laughter emanated from every corner.  A dart flew across the room and tagged one of the adults squarely in the jaw followed by someone rolling on the ground with gut busting laughter.

I realized just how rarely I took part in activities that left me rolling on the ground laughing.  For that matter, how few recent family events had been filled with laughter of any kind.  More often, it seemed like we had our noses planted in devices.  Somewhere along the way we stopped having fun together.

Taking inventory the morning before a battle

Since that first winter cabin, Nerf guns have become something of a family tradition.  It’s been two years, and we frequently break them out for special events like holidays and cabins weekends.  Our arsenal has grown and the games we’ve invented have become more creative (for suggestions on organizing games, read Part II: 7 Great Indoor Nerf Gun Games).  We’ve included dozens of friends and even organized games at our outdoor baby shower this summer.  At times, we’ve been able to convince the grandparents to play, making the experience a three-generation event.

And the best part, is that the laughter continues to flow rich and heavy.  Everyone knows whenever the big  box of plastic and foam  makes an appearance, hearty bouts of fun are sure to follow.

If giving the gift of an experience was the goal, then it was a smashing success.

Three generations of “kids” took part in Nerf games during our baby shower this summer