The best family games are fantastic ways to spend quality time with those you love and make your nights more fun.
They offer a chance to unplug from electronics and connect with your family and friends in endless fun.
When it comes to finding enjoyable family games for both young kids and adults, the options can seem overwhelming.
Of course, finding activities that everyone can enjoy can be a challenge, which is why we’ve put together a list of our favorite family games.
There’s something for everyone on this list, from timeless classics to newer hits to card games to board games. So get ready to have some fun – it’s family time!
Our Top Picks For Family Game Night
For those of you looking for the best of the best, here are some of our favorites that we swear by for the best family game night:
- Best For Young Kids: Sleeping Queens
- Best Strategy Game: Catan (Catan Junior)
- Best Cooperative Game (Work Together!): Forbidden Island
- Best Surprise (With Hilarious Cards): Exploding Kittens
- Best Forgotten Classic: HiHo! Cherry-O
Best Family Games
Games are a great way to bond with your kids and spend time together, but they don’t have to be boring for mom and dad!
If you’re looking for some family-friendly game ideas, here are a few suggestions for anywhere from 2 to 8 players, so you can find ones that fit your family size and kids’ ages.
1. Sushi Go Party!
Sushi Go Party! is a card game that simulates the sushi experience, allowing players to draft various sushi dishes to create the best possible meal.
The game is designed for 2 to 5 players and takes about 20 minutes to play. It’s easy to learn and quick to play. Plus, it’s a lot of fun!
You want to score the most points by collecting the various sushi dishes. Each round, players choose one dish from their hand and pass the rest to the player on their left.
You want to pick ones worth a lot of points, but each dish has strategies for earning more points.
Once all players have used all the cards up, the round ends and points are scored. At the end of the game, the player with the most points wins!
2. Ticket To Ride
If you’re looking for a fun game to play, we highly recommend giving Ticket to Ride a try.
Ticket to Ride is another great family game that everyone can enjoy. We always have a blast playing Ticket to Ride and it’s always a close race to the finish.
Players compete to claim railway routes across America, and the player with the most points at the end wins.
You score points by connecting cities with your train cars are on your cards. The player who has the most points at the end of the game wins.
3. Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island is a family board game that’s both fun and challenging- plus, your team has to work together rather than compete!
This cooperative family board game puts players in the role of treasure hunters who must work together to find lost treasures before escaping from a sinking island.
With its mix of strategy, luck, and teamwork, Forbidden Island is the perfect game for families who want to engage and challenge their younger kids while still having fun.
Plus, with its modular board and variable difficulty levels, Forbidden Island can be played again and again without ever feeling dull.
4. Catan
There’s something special about Catan that keeps players coming back to it. Maybe it’s the fact that no two games are ever the same or that it’s the perfect mix of luck and strategy.
Whatever the reason, Catan is one of the most popular family board games in the world, and for a good reason.
It is perfect for players of all ages and experience levels, and it’s easy to learn and play. It’s also a great way to get everyone thinking strategically and working together.
Players start by placing their settlements (houses) on the board; then, they take turns collecting resources and building up their cities.
The goal is to be the first player to reach 10 victory points, but there’s a catch: players can only get victory points by building roads and cities or collecting certain cards.
This means that players have to carefully plan their moves to win.
Catan Junior is the Junior version for kiddos, which is excellent to introduce younger kids to strategy games!
5. Exploding Kittens
Nobody wants to be stuck playing Chutes and Ladders for the umpteenth time on game night!
Why not try playing Exploding Kittens?
Exploding Kittens is a card game that’s funny and strategic, making it perfect for players of all ages. People often call it a card game version of Russian Roulette!
Designed by The Oatmeal artist Matthew Inman and former Xbox game designer Elan Lee, the goal of the card game is to avoid drawing one of the Exploding Kitten cards and being blown up by a kitten – which is easier said than done.
You have cards to pick up and play to trick others into drawing kittens, picking up Diffuses to keep yourself from blowing up, and overall trying to be the last person standing.
With over 9 million copies sold, Exploding Kittens is one of the most popular games in the world, and it’s sure to keep your family entertained for hours on end.
6. Mouse Trap
The best family games are the ones that engage the whole family and provide hours of fun. Mouse Trap is one such game!
First introduced in 1963, this board game has been a favorite for younger kids and adults alike.
The game’s object is to trap other players’ mice using a variety of contraptions, but you have to design your contraptions wisely or the mice may get away!
It’s easy to learn but challenging to master, with many ways to arrange the traps, making it perfect for families with kids of all ages.
7. Rapidough
Rapidough is the award-winning game that gets everyone involved in shaping, sculpting, and guessing goofy clay creations. The game is for 3-6 players, and it takes about 30 minutes to play.
Each team gets s chunk of dough to work with. You use the dough to make a model for a secret word, and your team members need to guess it correctly.
Whoever guesses first gets to “steal” some dough from the other team, making it harder to make models for their words and upping the competition.
It’s like charades mixed with art! But you don’t need an artistic skill to be a winning team, which is great for younger players.
So round up the family and get ready to have a blast! Rapidough is a great way to get everyone laughing and playing together.
8. Spot It!
No matter what your age, spending time with family is always enjoyable with the right game. One of my favorite ways to do this is by playing a matching game like Spot It!.
Spot It! is a card game perfect for easy game nights. The game’s objective is to find the one matching image between two cards.
It sounds easy, but it can be challenging – and that’s part of the fun! We always have a great time trying to outdo each other, and at the end of the night, we always feel closer as a family.
9. What Do You Meme?
One of my family’s favorite games to play together is What Do You Meme?. It’s an entertaining and light-hearted game that gets everyone laughing.
One person is the “judge” and lays down a card with a photo with no context. The other players then have to choose a caption from their cards that they think best fits with the photo.
Think of a picture of a sad puppy- a caption in your hand that may win could be “When you reach the bottom of the chip bag, but you swear you only ate like 10 chips.”
The judge then decides which is the funniest and whoever played that card gets the photo as their “point.” The first person to reach a X number of points wins the game- my version says 10, but we hoesntly have such a good time that we bump it up to 15!
It’s a great way to spend an evening together, and it’s always guaranteed to produce some belly laughs.
10. Sorry!
Sorry! is the best board game that always tops the list for game night favorites.
Sorry! is a fast-paced board game that’s the perfect family board game for younger kids and adults to play.
The goal of this family board game is to be the first player to move all four of your pieces from start to finish, all the way around the board.
But beware – there are plenty of ways to get derailed. Whether it’s getting sent back to start or drawing an unlucky card, Sorry! is a game that always keeps you on your toes.
11. Villainous
Villainous is a good strategy board game, but with a twist- you aren’t the good guy!
Each player chooses a Disney villain, like Maleficent or Captain Hook, and then tries to accomplish their villain’s evil plan before the other players can stop them.
It’s a lot of fun, and it’s amazing how different the game feels when you’re playing as the villain instead of the hero.
The best part is that Villainous is one of the best family board games for all ages. Kids love playing it, and so do parents who enjoy it just as much.
That’s rare for a game these days, and it’s one of the things that makes Villainous so unique. There are also different versions of the game, with different characters like Marvel villains.
12. Magic Maze
If you’re looking for the perfect family board games, look no further than Magic Maze. This cooperative board game is perfect for kids and adults alike, and it’s easy to learn how to play.
Magic Maze is a challenging and fun game that will become a family game night favorite. In the game, players must work together to navigate a maze, collecting items along the way.
The catch is that each player can only move their character in certain ways, like diagonally or only to the left, and once a player moves, no one can speak!
As a result, players have to be strategic and efficient in their movements to make it through the maze before time runs out.
It took a few tries for us to win this game, but honestly, it was so entertaining trying to get people’s attention and get them to move their pieces without telling them what to do!
13. Telestrations
Telestrations is one of the best games to play! The basic premise is simple – each player starts with a secret word, which they then have to draw.
The next player then has to guess what the drawing is and write down their guess. The next player then has to draw what was written, and so on.
Hilarity ensues as the guesses get increasingly far from the original word and people rush to get their drawings done.
And, because the words are all randomly guessed based on funny drawings, you never quite know what you’re going to end up with!
14.HiHo! Cherry-O
The best board game for children is HiHo! Cherry-O. The object of this classic game is to be the first player to collect 10 cherries in their bucket.
Players take turns spinning the spinner and doing those actions to move cherries around. They may need to pick cherries from their tree and add them to their bucket, or they may need to remove cherries from their bucket and return them to the tree.
HiHo! Cherry-O is a great way to spend some time with family and friends, and we always have a lot of fun when we play.
The game is simple enough for young children to understand but can be surprisingly challenging at times. There is a lot of luck involved, but players also need to carefully plan their moves to be successful.
15. Beat That!
When choosing the best game, Beat That! is always a favorite for family fun. This fast-paced card game is perfect for families with kids of all ages.
The rules are simple: each player bets on if they can complete a challenge, and then try to complete the task. Whoever matches their bet gets the points!
There are 10 rounds, and the winner is the person with the most points.
But what makes Beat That! so much fun is that even if you’ve played it before, there’s no guarantee that you’ll fail or succeed this time.
16. Jenga
Another one of our family’s favorite games to play together is Jenga. It is one of the classic games that is perfect for all ages and can be played with as few as 2 to 6 players.
Jenga is a classic block-stacking game that always provides plenty of laughs. It only takes a few minutes to set up the blocks and start having fun.
The game’s goal is to remove a block from the tower and place it on top without causing the tower to topple over. It sounds easy enough, but it can be surprisingly tricky.
The longer you play without knocking over the tower, the more challenging it becomes.
17. Connect 4
Connect 4 is relatively simple for anyone to play, and just a little competitive and strategic to make it interesting for everyone.
Another plus is that it’s a quick game, so they can still have a good time even if someone isn’t feeling particularly competitive.
The object of the game is to be the first player to form a line of four checkers in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
But since you take turns, the other player can easily foil your plans!
You can enjoy playing Connect 4 without much setup like a regular strategy board game. making it an easy pick in our house.
18. Herd Mentality
Herd Mentality is a favorite game that brings everyone together!
The object of the game is to answer a question, like “which would you rather pick,” and think about who’s playing- you want to pick the answer that more people will pick so that you can get cows (aka the points).
The first person who gets 8 cows wins the game!
It’s a great way to get everyone laughing and talking, and it’s always interesting to see how people’s minds work.
19. Suspend (Melissa and Doug)
Playing games with family is always a blast when Suspend is on the table. This balancing game is not only great fun, but it’s also a great way to test your coordination and skill.
Suspend, by Melissa and Doug, is a challenging game perfect for ages 8 and up and is sure to get everyone thinking.
The goal is to suspend the rods on the stand without letting them touch each other or fall off. It’s like Jenda, but the whole thing can shift and move!
To play, each player takes turns adding a rod to the structure, and the person who causes the rods to collapse is out. The last player standing is the winner!
20. Betrayal At House On The Hill
Betrayal at House on the Hill is suspenseful and thrilling! A best family board game set in a haunted house, players must navigate their way through the rooms, avoiding traitors and traps.
You’ll discover new rooms, find objects and specters, and initiate a Haunt as you investigate this creepy house. When the Haunt begins, one player will turn Traitor and betray the others- this is when the real fun begins!
Betrayal at House on the Hill is sure to get everyone’s heart racing as it becomes a race to see if the regular players will survive and escape unscathed or if the Traitor will trap them forever… or worse.
The same game never gets played twice because the tiles change the house, and the discoveries you make change the Haunt scenario. This makes it one of the best board games because everyone is always excited to see what will happen.
21. Rhino Hero
Rhino Hero‘s game object is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards by playing them on the ever-growing tower.
The catch is that you can only place your card if it is higher or lower than the card on top of the tower. You have to pay close attention to the cards as they are played to make your turn successful.
If the tower ever falls, the player who caused it to collapse takes all of the cards! Rhino Hero is a great game for kids and adults alike because it requires both strategic thinking and a little bit of luck.
We always have a blast when we play Rhino Hero, and it’s always one of the first games to go.
22. The Floor Is Lava
Laughter, excitement, and memories are sure to be had by all when everyone is together playing games. And what better way to get the fun started than with The Floor Is Lava?
The Floor Is Lava! is a great way to get everyone off the couch and spend time together. This fast-paced game is perfect for kids to move around and test their knowledge.
Kids need to land on colored tiles without touching the floor, which helps them practice balance and jumping.
Then they earn bracelets by answering trivia questions, and whoever gets all 4 bracelets first wins the game.
Plus, as your kids get older you can spread out the tiles more to make it harder and make up your own questions to make it a challenge. It could even be a fun way to review class notes for a test!
23. LIFE
The Game of Life is a classic board game that families have enjoyed for generations.
The object is to travel around the board, making choices about your career, family, and finances, and have the most money at the end.
The game starts with each player choosing a profession or going to college. As you progress through the board game, you get married, have kids, and make your way (or pay your way!) through various life events.
The board game is a great way to teach kids about important life decisions. And it’s always exciting to see how your choices impact your board game.
24. Sleeping Queens
Sleeping Queens is a quick 10-minute game that is great for ages 8 and up, but it’s actually something easy to play with toddlers and entertaining for everyone!
In this game, the queens have been out under sleeping spells, and you need to wake them up.
Your cards must be used wisely to get the queens out of nap time and into your collection.
But players can steal queens with knights, knights can chase away knights, and potions can be played to make queens fall back asleep.
You need to wake up the most queens without being foiled to win the game!
25. Jungle Cruise
One game that is one of the best family board games is Jungle Cruise.
This family board game is based on the famous theme park ride of the same name, and it takes players on a journey through the jungle in search of hints for a mystery.
They will encounter various obstacles along the way, such as crocodiles, snakes, and spiders. You may even lose passengers!
The goal of the game is to reach the end first, but players must also work together to succeed.
This makes Jungle Cruise the perfect game to play with everyone as it promotes both competition and cooperation.
So gather your loved ones around the table and set sail on an adventure with Jungle Cruise, the board game.
26. Clue
If you’re looking for a classic board game that everyone can enjoy, there’s only one choice: Clue. The family board game is perfect for all ages and always provides hours of fun.
The premise is simple: someone has committed a crime, and it’s up to the players to solve the case.
Players will need to move their players around the house, search for clues, and use their powers of deduction to figure out who did the crime, where it happened, and what weapon was used.
There are also many versions of Clue, like Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, and even Clue Junior.
27. Zingo!
Zingo! is a Bingo-style, fast-paced game that will get your kids excited. It is a great way to encourage family bonding and teach kids important skills like counting and strategic thinking.
It’s easy to learn, but there’s enough strategy to keep things interesting. Plus, it’s the perfect size for a group of 4 or 5 people.
The game is played by matching tiles to the pictures on your card, rather than numbers and letters. It helps toddlers who can’t read play fun games and is still like Bingo so you may enjoy playing it too.
Players start with an empty board and must draw tiles from a bag. You can place the tiles on your board as you get matches. The first person to fill their frame wins the game!
28. Family Feud For Kids
What could be more fun than playing the game of Family Feud?
If you’re not familiar with the name, Family Feud is a game show where two families compete to guess the most popular answers to survey questions.
The survey questions are usually about pop culture or current events. But they can also be more personal, like “What are the top 10 things you would do if you won the lottery?”
So you would guess what you think people would say, and get the top answers in order to win!
Playing Family Feud is a great way to get everyone laughing and talking. And it’s a fun way to learn more about your family members. So why not give it a try?
29. Monopoly
One of the classic board games that are always a hit is Monopoly. Monopoly is a popular family board game enjoyed by people of all ages.
This board game requires players to buy, sell, and trade properties, and it’s a great way to teach kids about financial responsibility.
The goal is to earn as much money as possible through property ownership and successful investments, and not go bankrupt.
Players move around the board according to the dice roll and can purchase or trade properties along the way.
Whether playing with family or friends, Monopoly is a great game to enjoy with family. It has versions like Disney Villians, Super Mario, Pixar, and more, so you have plenty of picks that will interest your younger kids.
30. LCR Dice Game
LCR (Left, Center, Right) is a fast-paced dice game.
The object of the game is simple: players take turns rolling three dice, and they must place their chips in one of three designated areas based on the roll results.
If a player rolls an “L” (for Left), they must put a chip in the left pot; if they roll a “C” (for Center), they must put a chip in the center pot; and if they roll an “R” (for Right), they must put a chip in the right pot.
The first player to lose all of their chips is the loser. The game is easy to learn, but it’s challenging to win.
LCR is one of the dice games that the whole family can enjoy. It’s perfect for all ages and provides hours of entertainment. So gather the family around the table and roll some dice with LCR.
31. Blokus
Blokus is a board game for 2 to 4 players, with the objective being to place as many of your pieces on the board as possible.
Players pick the color they want to play with, and they have 21 pieces to fit into the board.
The catch is that you can only place your pieces adjacent to each other, not directly next to each other.
This may sound easy, but it quickly becomes challenging as the board gets more and more packed. You may not be able to get across the board and you may run out of room for large pieces.
Moreover, players can also block their opponents from placing pieces, making for a strategic and exciting game.
So if you’re looking for a board game that will test your wits, try Blokus.
Tips for Picking the Best Family Games
With so many different games on the market, it can be hard to know which ones are best for your family.
Here are a few tips to help you choose the best family games:
Consider the ages of the people playing the game.
Always check the recommended ages on boxes- not everything is fun for younger children, while others may be annoying for older adults.
Sleeping Queens could be fun for your whole family, and it’s quick, but other games like Betrayal at House on the Hill would be better for slightly older kids who don’t mind a little mystery and somewhat scary surprises.
Make sure to choose a board game that everyone in your family will be able to enjoy.
Think about the level of competition you want in a game.
If you’re looking for something that everyone can play together and have fun with, then a cooperative board game like Forbidden Island might be a good choice.
If you’re looking for a game that will test your skills and provide some competition, then a strategy game like Ticket to Ride might be better.
Keep time in mind.
Some games are quick and easy to play, while others can take hours to complete. Choose a game that fits into the amount of time available or the attention span for everyone playing.
Find your favorites and look for similar ones for next game night!
What works well for some families may not be a crowd favorite for your own family.
If you find your family fights while playing one type of game (aka- my cousins and Monopoly are NOT a good mix!), stick to ones that everyone enjoys more and look up recommendations.
For example, if your family is into Telestrations, maybe Pictionary or Cranium.
Key Takeaways
There are a lot of fun things you can do nearby, but wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy a good night in with the kiddos?
One of the best things about family games is that there’s something for everyone. Board games, card games, even some video games – the possibilities are endless.
They can be endlessly fun and educational, and even great in helping kids learn fine motor skills and creativity, providing more than just some entertainment.
So gather the family around and get ready for some fun!