Family board games, including tabletop games and card games, have a unique way of bringing families together. Family game night turns the kitchen table into a fun, friendly battleground where some skill, luck and a bit of strategy come out to play. This results in friendly competitive play, lots of laughter and can engage the whole family. In a world where screens dominate, ditching those screens and dedicating an evening to family board games can be a refreshing and fun change. So get ready for an evening where the tension is thicker than the rulebook for Monopoly. And to help you along the way, here are ten family board games that promise a fun, screen-free night full of entertainment, bonding and quality family time.
Let’s start with a classic game of property trading, capitalism at its best – Monopoly. Monopoly has been a family favourite for generations. Race around the board buying up streets, building houses and hotels to become the ultimate landlord, and bankrupt your fellow players in the process! And in an age of cons and scams, look out for the fake cash in Monopoly Cash Decoder. Both games are suitable for 2-6 players, age 8+.
From a classic game to a new game. Break out the mushrooms with Mycelia. A deck-building game for the family. You are in for a spore-tactular treat with Mycelia, a fungal foray into cultivating your own network of fungi, spreading spores and growing your mycelium across the board. A simple yet captivating game where fantasy and strategy work very well together. Suitable for 1-4 players, age 9+.
Squishmallows Take4 is a fast fun family game that is a card game rather than a board game, but is perfect for family game nights and will appeal to younger players, especially as it features an exclusive Squishmallows plush toy: Benny the Bigfoot. Squishmallows Take4 is a quick-thinking, fast-acting family card game where players try to build their squad of Squishmallows. It is suitable for 2-4 players, age 8+.
Another timeless classic – Connect 4. Connect 4 is Tic-Tac-Toe’s more sophisticated cousin who went to college and majored in strategy. A timeless two-player game that’s simple to learn and quick to play. A game of dropping coloured discs into a vertical grid to try and connect four of the same colour in a row, whilst blocking your opponent’s moves. Perfect for fostering one-on-one connections and friendly rivalry. Suitable for 2 players, age 6+.
All aboard! Time for a cross-country train adventure game in Ticket To Ride. Collect cards, build train routes across the vastness of North America, and try not to derail your family as you claim the last track they needed. Competitive, fast-paced and simple to play with a playing time of anywhere between 30-60 minutes. Choo-choo! Full steam ahead! Suitable for 2-5 players, age 8+.
Another fun family card game is UNO. Everyone loves UNO. A card-shedding game of matching colours and numbers to get rid of all your cards and score points. Extremely addictive fast fun. Perfect for family game nights as it can be played by as little as 2 players, or up to 10 players, age 7+.
Ah, The Game of Life. Another one of those classic family board games, this one based on life itself; growing up, finding a job, getting married, having kids and lots of decision making. Make your way through life, making those all-important life decisions to lead a happy life and ultimately have enough money to last through your retirement. Plenty of enjoyment, fun and laughter as players make their way around the board making those right or wrong life decisions. It is a game for 2-4 players, aged 8+ with a playing time of around 1 hour.
Now a game that even younger family members can join in. Grabolo – the find the match and grab it fast reaction game. Roll the dice, find the matching colour and shape in the jumbled pile on the table and grab it before your opponents can. Lot of fun, easy to play and sometimes painful (watch out for those sharp fingernails!). Great for 2-4 players, age 4+ with a quick playing time of 10-15 minutes.
Race to Escape is an escape room board game where you won’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home. A re-playable 3D escape room family board game where players must work together as a team to try and solve puzzles from hidden clues around the rooms on the board to escape – there are 80 puzzles to solve. Suitable for 1-6 players, age 8+.
And lastly, family game nights wouldn’t be complete without a quiz or trivia game and one of our favourites is Family Quiz Night as children and adults can play together – it comes with two sets of questions – one set for children and one for adults. An all-inclusive trivia game. Race around the board trying to answer questions on a variety of topics, and because there are questions for the kids as well as the adults, everyone has a chance of winning! Suitable for 2 or more players age 8+.
We have loved playing all the family board games mentioned above (you can read our full review of each game by clicking on the links above). These 10 games not only provide a break from those hypnotic screens that we all love so much but they also encourage social interaction, critical thinking and family cooperation. Whether you want a screen-free evening or simply want to enjoy time with your family, these family board games are sure to create memorable moments and lots of laughter. So, grab one of the games featured above or one from your own board game shelves, gather around the table, and let the fun begin, along with the odd friendly squabble!
Remember, it doesn’t matter what game you play it’s not about winning or losing; it’s about joining in, playing the games and having fun (and how well you hide your disappointment when your youngest beats you at Connect 4 or takes all your money in Monopoly).
So grab the family, grab those snacks, don’t forget the family board games and happy gaming!