Ideas for Family Game Night
I adore board games. Somehow, my sister and I both developed a love of games, even though my parents never played them (in fact, my mom actively dislikes them). I play board games with my kids for family game night, with my friends when we hang out, with my husband for date night. During my single days, I used to frequent Atomic Billiards to play their board games while everyone else was drinking and playing pool. And a couple of years ago, I started working part time at Child’s Play, where I get to talk about games, toys and children’s books all day. I’m livin’ the dream!
Friends often ask for game recommendations, so here are some of my favorites (with links to Child’s Play, of course). Stay tuned for future posts about games!
Great Games for Wee Ones
Kids as young as two can get in on the board game action. These fun games are great for developing communication skills, fine motor skills and executive function.
Monkey Around — This awesome game comes with a stuffed banana. When you pick a card, you follow the directions, like balance the banana on your head or hold hands with a friend and spin around. Your goal is to fill up the tree with cards. I love that this gets kids moving and being silly. 2 or more players, ages 2–3
Snail’s Pace Race — My kids LOVED this game! In fact, for my daughter’s 11th birthday, she had a board game party and this game featured prominently, at her request. The slowest snail wins the race, or you can play cooperatively. 2–6 players, ages 3+
Pengaloo — A fun twist on a memory game — remember which color eggs are beneath which penguins and be the first to fill up your iceberg. You can also steal from other players, if you remember what they have collected, that is. My kids played this for years! 2–4 players, ages 4+
Beginning Strategy Games
At about age 6, you can start to introduce your kids to some strategy games. These games are more complex and don’t make you want to gouge your eyes out.
Catan Junior — Similar to Catan, but simpler. Incredible game play that makes them excited about playing the real thing with you when they are older. 2–4 players, ages 6+
Outfoxed — Every five-year-old should have this game! Use your powers of deduction to figure out which fox stole the chicken pot pie. 2–4 players, ages 5+
Dragonwood — Collect cards that enable you to roll dice to gain cards worth points. The more cards you have to play, the more dice you can roll. This game teaches some early probability (with ogres and dragons!). 2–4 players, ages 8+
Roll & Write Games
Roll and write games are like Yahtzee, where you roll the dice and write down your score. They are hot right now and have taken on more complexity than Yahtzee.
Doppelt So Clever (Twice as Clever) — This game is complicated to learn but oh so addictive. You can play it solo, which I do frequently. Each color dice scores differently, and this game has just the right combination of strategy and luck. Just be prepared to watch a YouTube video or two about how to play, then you’ll be hooked. Plus, you can play solo! I like this more than my kids but enjoy playing alone or with my long-distance sister over Facetime. 1–4 players, ages 8+
Metro X — Instead of rolling dice, you flip a card over. Everyone uses the same card to build metro lines. The more lines you complete, the more points you get. Simple concept, but not as easy as it seems. My sister and I both have a set, and we play over Facetime. This one is good for larger groups, too, as you can play with 1–6 players, ages 8+
Family Games We All Love
Quacks of Quedlinburg — Unlike any other game out there, my whole family enjoys playing this. It’s a bit complicated to learn at first, so just watch some YouTube videos of how to play. You are a quack brewing a potion to sell at the fair. Collect ingredients to add different abilities to your game play but be careful! If you go bust, you lose opportunities. A wonderful combination of push your luck and strategy. 2–4 players, ages 10+
Catan — A classic for a reason. My family will play Catan anytime, anywhere. Collect resources to expand your territory, build an army or assemble the longest road. Catan isn’t a fast game, so plan at least an hour for a game. 3–4 players (more with the expansion), ages 10+
Slamwich — Every family should own this card game. Super fast and fun, this game never gets old. We’ve been playing it for years. Flip over your cards to reveal sandwich ingredients. If it makes a sandwich, be the first to slap it and collect the whole pile of cards. Some extra cards add twists and keep this game going long after you thought someone was a clear winner, only to watch the tides turn. 2–6 players, ages 6+
Azul — Use strategy to build beautiful mosaics. Think carefully about which tiles you choose to maximize your points. 2–4 players, ages 8+
What do you play for family game night?
