Kids keep us young, but they shouldn’t have to do all the heavy lifting. Family board games are an easy way to introduce some youthful play to your time together.
Games are also very healthy for the brain of a developing child; a 2019 systematic review of board games found gameplay improved cognitive flexibility, activated executive functioning, and increased working memory in people of all ages.
It can also be a wonderful relief for parents and children to just take a break and spend time playing together.
Games can help create a sense of bonding between you and your child through the process of co-regulation, where emotional states are passed between two people spending time together.
But it can be difficult to choose the right game, especially if you’re bringing together very different age groups and personalities. To make the selection process a bit easier, we’ve separated games into categories and indicated the recommended age for each.
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Best classic family board games
There are so many excellent classics to choose from, but here’s our selection of favorites for family game night.
1. Yahtzee
Ages 8+
Players compete to get the highest score by creating specific combinations of dice. The game balances luck and strategy, and involves a fair bit of math for sneaky learning.
You can buy Yahtzee on Amazon.
2. Mouse Trap
Ages 6+
Move your mouse around the game board, collecting cheese for the win. But don’t get caught in the mousetrap! The set can also be played with on its own as a marble run — a ton of fun for little ones.
You can buy Mouse Trap on Amazon.
3. Codenames
Ages 10+
A word-association game where you give one-word clues to identify your “agents,” while avoiding enemy “spies.” This game is heavy on vocabulary and critical thinking. It’s also, in this author’s opinion, the best game on this list.
You can buy Codenames on Amazon.
4. Catan
Ages 10+
A strategic resource-trading game where players build settlements and compete for points. In this game, kids can learn to manage resources and negotiate. As an aside, the game may also be an opportunity to teach them about settler colonialism, if you so choose.
Best cooperative games
Some of the top games that flex your collaborative muscles.
5. Outfoxed
Ages 5+
A cooperative mystery game where players collect clues to catch a thief before they escape. It’s great practice sharpening your powers of deduction. Kids love the cute figurines and enjoy putting together the game pieces to reveal clues.
You can buy Outfoxed on Amazon.
6. Flashpoint, Fire Rescue
Ages 10+
Flashpoint might get tense, but it’s well worth the chaos. In this cooperative game, players work together as firefighters to rescue people from a burning building. The simulation-like gameplay can help kids think about what happens in an emergency.
You can buy Flash Point: Fire Rescue on Amazon.
7. Pandemic
Ages 8+
If your kids were 5 or older during the pandemic, they’re probably savvy on the topic. Put that knowledge to use in this game, where players team up to stop the global spread of deadly disease — before the time runs out.
You can buy Pandemic on Amazon.
Best educational family board games
A few of the best learning games out we found.
8. Bohnanza
Ages 10+
Another favorite of this author, this bean-trading card game requires negotiation and strategic partnerships. The best takeaway from this game is that moderate generosity can help you win big.
You can buy Bohnanza on Amazon.
9. Mancala
Ages 6+
A two-player strategy game from ancient Africa and the Middle East in which players collect and distribute stones to capture the most from their opponent. It’s a bit difficult to explain, but straightforward once you get the swing of things. Perfect for a bit of covert math practice.
You can buy Mancala on Amazon.
10. Junior Scrabble
Ages 5+
Most of us are familiar with the classic Scrabble game, which can devolve into a complex debate over dictionary technicalities. Junior Scrabble is designed to keep things simpler, helping young players build words and develop vocabulary skills.
You can buy Junior Scrabble on Amazon.
Best interactive card games
Our picks of some of the top interactive card games for family play.
11. Happy Salmon
Ages 6+
A highly social, rapid-fire card game where players find matches and perform goofy actions, such as slapping each other’s forearms in a way that resembles a fish flopping around on land.
You can buy Happy Salmon on Amazon.
12. Kids Create Absurdity
Ages 7+
This game is essentially Cards Against Humanity for kids, where your goal is to create the most outrageous responses to the questions provided.
You can buy Kids Create Absurdity on Amazon.
13. Dutch Blitz
Ages 8+
A hectic card game where players race to play cards in ascending order while managing chaos. It’s an excellent metaphor to teach your children what life is like in adulthood.
You can buy Dutch Blitz on Amazon.
Best outdoor and active games
Our picks of some of the best games that get you moving.
14. Twister ULTIMATE
Ages 6+
A larger, more chaotic version of Twister, a game where players must try to keep their hands and feet on a colored mat, moving to spots based on random instructions generated by a spinner. Twister ULTIMATE’s mat is bigger and made of a stronger material, so you can use it easily outdoors, adding a new dimension of gameplay (in the back yard! in the park! at the beach!).
You can buy Twister ULTIMATE on Amazon.
15. Family Charades
Ages 4+
Family Charades is an easy group game where players act out words or phrases without speaking while their team guesses what they’re trying to say. It’s a great family activity because it can be easily simplified for younger age groups, or adjusted to encourage exercise (e.g. “Things that run”).
You can buy Family Charades on Amazon.
16. Pass the Potato
Ages 5+
A modern hot potato, where players pass a plushy vegetable around before the timer runs out. Surprisingly entertaining!
You can buy Pass the Potato on Amazon.
Best digital and video multiplayer games for families
There are too many to give you a comprehensive list in this article, but you can’t go wrong with these gems.
17. Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Ages 6+
Popularized during the pandemic, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a relaxing life-simulation game where players collect resources, improve their environments, and socialize with locals — three of the most worthwhile skills a child can learn!
You can buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons for Nintendo Switch on Amazon.
18. Disney Infinity
Ages 7+
Players use collectible figures to unlock and explore different Disney and Pixar worlds — like Star Wars and Frozen. A great game for nostalgic parents.
You can buy Infinity 3.0 Edition for xBox on Amazon.
19. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Ages 6+
This competitive racing game is a great fit for pretty much any combination of people, because you can adjust the difficulty to the least experienced player. You can uncover new guest characters, and the new Smart Steering feature makes it easy for smaller kids to stay on the racetrack.
You can buy Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch on Amazon.
Best trendy family board games
What’s trending these days? Here’s what our sources tell us.
20. Undergrove
Ages 10+
A lush strategy game about symbiotic relationships in a forest, where players grow trees and manage fungal networks. Fans say it’s a perfect balance of strategy, science, and storytelling.
You can buy Undergrove on Amazon.
21. Herd Mentality
Ages 10+
This game operates much like Family Feud, where players try to think like the majority, in order to earn points and avoid the “pink cow,” gifted to the biggest outsider. Despite its name, the tongue-in-cheek game doesn’t actually promote groupthink. It’s more about flexing your empathy. Players are rewarded for inferring correctly what other players are thinking.
You can buy Herd Mentality on Amazon.
22. The Upside Down Challenge Game
Ages 8+
In this game, players attempt simple tasks while wearing goggles that flip their vision upside down. Can you write your own name? Give a high five? Sounds simple, right? Wrong!
You can buy The Challenge on Amazon.
Best tabletop and roleplaying games for families
Some of the best immersive social games to play with kids and teens.
23. Dungeons and Dragons
Ages 12+
A popular roleplaying game (RPG) where players create characters and go on adventures together. Typically, one player serves as Dungeon Master (DM), guiding the players through. We recommend an adult for the DM role to manage the experience, at least at first.
You can buy the D&D Essentials Kit on Amazon.
24. Hero Kids
Ages 6+
Unlike Dungeons and Dragons, this RPG is specifically designed for young players. The characters are predetermined, and the “challenges” are more lighthearted and age-appropriate for the under-12 set.
25. No Thank You, Evil!
Ages 5+
A beginner-friendly RPG designed for kids, in ways that are similar to Hero Kids. The difference is that, in No Thank You, Evil!, you are navigating the world of Storia, where anything is possible. Except cheating!
You can buy No Thank You, Evil! here.
Best games to play with adults and kids
A few top games that adults and kids alike can enjoy.
26. Throw Throw Burrito
Ages 7+
Throw Throw Burrito is perhaps the most self-explanatory game on this list: a dodgeball-style card game where players hurl soft burritos at each other. There is also an outdoor edition with huge, inflatable burritos.
You can buy the original Throw Throw Burrito on Amazon.
27. Incan Gold
Ages 8+
Introduce your kids to the joys of gambling! (Safely.) Incan Gold is a press-your-luck board game where players explore an ancient temple, deciding whether to collect treasure or go even further.
You can buy Incan Gold on Amazon.
28. King of Tokyo
Ages 8+
You’ll roll the dice again in this game — but, in King of Tokyo, players take on the role of giant monsters battling for dominance over the city. Great for older siblings! 😉
You can buy King of Tokyo on Amazon.
29. Sushi Go!
Ages 8+
Quick, cute, and plays in under 15 minutes. In this family card game, everyone picks cards all at once to put together their favorite meal combo. Each card features an adorable illustrated sushi piece or other menu item, and the game comes in what looks like a cute metal lunch box. Did we mention it’s cute?
You can buy Sushi Go! on Amazon.
How to pick the best family board games
There’s no single surefire way to please everyone, but with a little careful planning you can please most people most of the time. Think about the ages of your players, what they enjoy, and what your goals are in playing.
For example, do you want to prioritize education or bonding? Are your players fast-moving active people or do they prefer deliberate, thoughtful activities?
If you’re choosing a board game to play with smaller children or you’re working with less than 30 minutes of play time, it’s often better to go small. That could be a short game of Yahzee, Mancala, or Throw Throw Burrito (read about all of them above).
If you have more time on your hands, your family has the hang of playing board games together, and you have the time and patience to follow more complicated rules, try longer, more complex games, like Catan or Codenames for bigger people, or Outfoxed for smaller people.
If your family is highly active (or hyperactive), you might want to channel that with an active game like Twister ULTIMATE or Pass the Potato.
Check out the categories above to find the right style for your crew.
Tips for family game night
Here’s how to make sure game night with your family goes smoothly and as many people enjoy it as possible.
- Let kids take turns choosing the games, and provide a wide selection, if you can.
- Demonstrate rules instead of just reading the instructions. Reading the instructions yourself ahead of time can also help, especially if you have smaller kids.
- Pick games that require minimal downtime for players, to keep everyone engaged.
- Praise effort, teamwork, and small wins in addition to praising the winner.
- Create a comfortable and engaging gaming atmosphere by putting everyone on the same physical level — with kid-sized seating and pillows around a coffee table, for instance.
- If you’re playing with really young kids, know that they might want to change the game entirely — like hoarding all the game pieces for their own make-believe. If you can allow it, why not? If not, have an adult play with them to keep them on track.
Frequently asked questions
Answering common questions about family board games and family game night.
What is the best game to play with the family?
The best game for your family depends on a variety of factors, including group age, energy levels, and comfort with competitiveness (this goes for adults, too!). Read more of this article for our specific suggestions for roleplaying games (RPGs), outdoor and active games, classics, and more — including games that work for smaller kids.
What is the best game for a group of kids?
Look for something that requires minimal explanation and relies on a level of “chance” to determine the winner, so one particularly tactful player doesn’t consistently sweep the board. We recommend Yahtzee, Happy Salmon, Pass the Potato, or Throw Throw Burrito.
What game is popular with kids right now?
All the board games listed here are popular with kids, but Throw Throw Burrito has been a top contender for years. Sushi Go! and Mouse Trap are also big hits with simple, engaging gameplay.
The final word
Board games are a great way to pass the time with your loved ones.
The trick is to find an option that fits your crew’s personalities and age range so everyone can enjoy them together.
Ruby Anderson
Ruby Anderson (she/her) is a Brooklyn-based health writer and collaborator on projects related to prison abolition and reform. She studied English and Psychology, so she's also, unfortunately, a poet.