Board games for all the family

Players draw cards and move to corresponding spaces on the board, for play time that teaches children problem solving and shared decision making skills.

Plus, there are two levels of gameplay, so the game can age up with your child or so that older kids can play with younger kids. Another adorably-illustrated board game, this cooperative whodunit is a little like Clue, only for younger kids.

Suitable for ages 5 and up, Outfoxed encourages families to work together to uncover the guilty fox. Plus, even parents will appreciate the whimsical design, from the top hat-wearing fox to the on-the-hunt hens in their Sherlock Holmes-esque outfits.

The game uses matching and strategy to teach children simple educational concepts that will come in handy in a range of situations. The game is suitable for kids ages 4 and up, two to four players. So we probably already know your favorite classic game from when you were a kid.

Regardless, get Clue for your next game night and enjoy playing with up to six family members, ages eight and up. This is one the grown-ups will remember from childhood and a great problem-solving game for younger kids. It helps children develop deductive reasoning based on information gathered.

Yes, Sorry! You move your pieces around the board and try to sabotage your family members as you go. For two to four players and ages 8 and up, the game is easy to set up and start playing, right out of the box, with very little gameplay knowledge needed.

Board games are a good entertainment option when you have the extended family over. But picking a great game for situations like these can be tricky. How do you find something that everyone will enjoy? If someone else sings at least five words from a song, with lyrics including your trigger word, then they get to advance on the board. The game is simple to understand but requires strategy to master. Easy to learn, this game requires you to take turns as you race around the board, dodging danger and uncovering treasure.

Slide Quest is a unique option, as it requires a fair amount of dexterity, along with strategy. Suitable for ages 7 and up, this combination makes the board game a win with players of all ages. Players control levers and moving platforms to help guide a knight through a series of various challenges, incorporating a lot of the skills you might use in video games, but taking them into the physical world for a board game that requires fine motor skills and family cooperation. This family favorite from the pros at Parker Brothers is suitable for a near-endless number of people, making it ideal for larger family gatherings.

All you need is two people to start, and then your options are limitless from there. Are you a family of strategists? Then try out one of these strategy-based games the entire family can enjoy.

Simple and aesthetically pleasing, Blokus is easy to learn. Just place your 21 colored, square pieces on the grey board. Each block must touch another block of the same color, but only at the corners. The goal is to take up as much of the board as you can with your color while thwarting your fellow players simultaneously. The game also helps children develop their problem-solving skills, as they tend to get better with every time you play.

Another similar strategy-based game, Calliope Tsuro is suitable for ages eight and up, and as many as eight players. Using path tiles, create a path for your dragon pawn to follow. Each time you play, the path changes, depending on the moves of your opponents. A great introductory strategy game, Takenoko is a cute Japanese-themed game that centers around growing bamboo to feed some hungry pandas. Suitable for ages 13 and up, and two to four players, your family will need to use your best strategic thinking to cultivate and irrigate your land and then grow various species of bamboo to score points.

Watch out for the weather, which could ruin all of your hard work. Bunny Kingdom is a kingdom-building game, though, that requires a certain amount of strategy as you claim new territories and then defend them. Pros 50 different scenarios Perfect for horror fans. Cons Complicated rules. Product Snapshot If you have a penchant for ghosts, ghouls, and vampires, Betrayal at House on the Hill is a game you should try.

Best Collaborative Board Game. Manufacturer : Peaceable Kingdom. Pros Encourages cooperation Suitable for young children. Cons May be boring for older children. Product Snapshot Race to the Treasure is a non-competitive board game that children ages five and up should enjoy. Best Board Game for Children. Manufacturer : Gamewright. Cons Cannot accommodate more than four players. Product Snapshot With its colorful cards and custom dice, Outfoxed is a good choice for a first board game.

Best Party Board Game. Manufacturer : Big Potato. Pros Fun for adults Good for large groups 40 different topic cards. Cons Some find it hard to give appropriate clues without giving the answer away. Product Snapshot Master your poker face with The Chameleon , an award-winning game for where you must be deductive and deceptive to win.

Best History Board Game. Manufacturer : Days of Wonder. Pros Easy to learn Features Junior Edition for children and international edition sets Teaches children the geography of different cities in North America. Cons Cards are small. Product Snapshot Ticket to Ride should be on the radar of train enthusiasts and history buffs everywhere.

Best Group Board Game. Pros Good for deduction Easy to understand game rules Can be played with large groups. Cons Can be boring Not challenging. Product Snapshot Cue the intrigue and get ready to play the spy game Codenames. Poetry for Neanderthals. Betrayal at House on the Hill. Race to the Treasure! A Cooperative Whodunit Game. Great for strategy Has various expansions Junior edition available for children.

Fun for all ages No setup involved. Encourages cooperation Suitable for young children. Fun for adults Good for large groups 40 different topic cards. Easy to learn Features Junior Edition for children and international edition sets Teaches children the geography of different cities in North America.

Good for deduction Easy to understand game rules Can be played with large groups. Finding the right clue may be frustrating The inflatable club may be too intense for some.

Complicated rules. May be boring for older children. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. The 10 Best Family Games of Get ready to laugh, squabble, and bond with your crew. By Theresa Holland. Theresa Holland. Theresa Holland is a freelance writer specializing in home improvement, cleaning, and bedding. She shares her favorite life hacks on her blog The Taboo Textbook. Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process. Fact checked by Alexandra Kay. Alexandra Kay is a writer, fact-checker, researcher, and editor who checks The Spruce articles for accuracy and adds source citations.

Alex frequently writes for b2b and b2c publications. When she isn't writing or fact-checking for print or online articles, Alex is an associate professor of English at a community college. Our Top Picks. Best Overall:. Get strategic about sabotaging other players and stacking your hand in this ridiculous card game guaranteed to make you laugh. Best Board Game:. This cross-country train adventure game is both strategic and fast-paced. It's pretty competitive, but a game the whole family will enjoy.

Best Outdoor:. This is a game that will get you up and moving as you complete the fun challenges, so it's perfect to take into the backyard. Best Card Game:. This card game tasks players with matching symbols, but there's only one matching symbol for every two cards.

It's fun and develops fine motor skills. Best Dice:. This dice game is fun for all ages and fast-paced, so it's great for game nights. It's also easy to take on-the-go. Best for Young Children:. This take on bingo is entertaining and educational. It helps develop language and matching skills, so it's great for younger children.

Best for Older Kids:. This card game is perfect for younger kids with wild imaginations as well as older kids, as it requires strategic thinking and problem solving. Best Trivia:. Get to know each family member's sense of humor while you try to make each round's judge laugh at your caption and image combo. Best Drawing:. This game is not only hilarious, but it will also get your creative juices flowing as you try to draw the word on your card.

Best Physical:. This game is not only fun, but it also promotes physical activity. You can play it anywhere, but it's an especially perfect rainy day game. In This Article Expand. Our Picks. What to Look For. Why Trust The Spruce. What We Don't Like Five-player maximum. Exploding Kittens Card Game Review.