The Best Board Games the Whole Family Can Play Together
Family board games are the best!
Playing a game with my family is one of my favorite activities but it can be a challenge to find a family board game that everyone can enjoy, especially with four kids ranging from elementary to high school.
Card games are an excellent solution to the family game dilemma and we love our favorite family card games. But sometimes I am in the mood for a board game. The reality is that it’s been a bit more challenging to find family board games, but that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
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Our Favorite Family Board Games
Playing games is important to our family whether it is part of our school day or just a game we pull out and play for fun. It’s important to me that everyone can participate and have fun, so it gets harder as your kids get older if you still have little ones.
We like to pick games that we can help the youngest child pretty easily or games that allow a smaller portion of the family to play together. Not everyone is here all of the time, so keeping lots of great options available works well in our home.
Family Board Games
Family board games are often fantastic group games for my kids and their friends. I keep plenty around the house and easily accessible for a family game night or a social occasion with friends.
Pente
(four players) My husband and I loved this game long before we had children. We played with my cousins in one of our most memorable moments in Wilson Game Playing History. But THAT is a story for another time.
Now that our children are older, we enjoy it with them. Of course, the limit is four players so we often have to play in pairs, but no one minds as I just usually team up with the youngest child. There are two ways to win which adds an element of strategy that we all enjoy.
Splendor
(2-4 players) I know that I am technically cheating because this game doesn’t technically involve a board. But it is my absolute favorite and the cards sort of form a gameboard, so it works.
I will play it anytime. Anywhere. With anyone.
I have already introduced this game to two friends who immediately joined me in my addiction. Which means that a few moms might have played it in the waiting area of the trampoline gym while the kids jumped. Hypothetically speaking, of course.
But that is just how much fun this game is!
The rules are simple enough that my six-year-old can participate right alongside his siblings. Simple, yet strategic. It is a fantastic mix.
Sorry Sliders and Sorry
(2-4 players) We purchased Sorry Sliders for Christmas YEARS ago when it was all the rage. It still maintains its place in the game cabinet because it is a favorite that we cycle through.
Simple to play and fun for everyone makes this one a winner.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem to be easily available and it is quite pricey at the time of this posting. Keep it on your list for yard sales or Christmas time at Walmart. Maybe it will return at a reasonable price under $30.
There is always the option of the classic game of Sorry as a great family board game. The format of this game allows older kids and parents to easily assist a younger child.
Ticket to Ride
(2-5 players) I have learned that great board games don’t come cheap. This is one case in point. But it has been well worth it for our family.
The game involves plenty of strategy, a bit of geography, and just the right amount of competition throughout the game. Once again the basic premise is simple enough for my younger boys (6 and 9) even though the adults in the house enjoy it as well!
We enjoyed the USA version so much that we have now added the Europe Edition to our collection and we prefer the twists involved in the Europe Edition.
Hues and Cues
(3-10 players) This is the latest edition to our family board game collection and we love it. It is a pretty simple concept, but there is something fun and challenging to the entire concept.
We like it because our entire family AND grandparents can play together. It’s hard to find board games that accommodate such a large group.
Blokus
(2-4 players) Classic. This one is like playing Tetris on a board, so if you were a fan of Tetris, then you are going to love this one!
Best of all, this one is simple enough for even a 4 or 5-year-old to play. Younger kids might need some help or suggestions to feel successful. You can also assist younger kids by playing this game with only two people while they learn. It is much easier to fit all of your pieces on the board when there are only 2 players instead of 4.
Yes. This one is only up to 4 players as well. It does make it harder on large families, but my kids are happy to play this one in smaller groups.
(It might be stretching it to call Blokus a “board game”, but it certainly isn’t a card game, so it landed a spot on this list)
Wits and Wagers
(3 or more players – use teams) This is our brand new family favorite. The game is designed for 5 players, though once you have more than 5 you can make teams instead.
The questions all have numerical answers and everyone has to make a guess and write it on a whiteboard. Then all of the guesses are displayed and everyone has a chance to vote on the answer that is closest without going over. This means that every player has a chance to adapt if they realize their answer was completely off base.
It’s also great for all ages because the questions are zany enough that no one will know the exact answer in most cases but the questions are interesting enough that it is fun to learn the facts!
Pay Day
(2-4 players) This is another classic that my family likes to pull off the shelf and play. It’s another good one that allows you to easily help a younger child while playing with older kids.
And everyone enjoys it!
Clue: Discover the Secrets and Harry Potter Clue
(3-6 players) The Discover the Secrets version of Clue offers a few more twists than the classic version I grew up with as a kid. The new twists include a special “power” for each character as well as intrigue cards with additional twists.
The game concept is still a bit challenging for my youngest (just turned 7) though he can hang in there with some help. He usually teams up with me or I do a little coaching for him as he plays on his own.
The Harry Potter Version of Clue also has quite a few fun twists, such as “moving staircases.” It’s been a great addition to our family board games.
Sequence
(2-12 players – use teams) My kids have recently pulled this one out almost daily. It seems to be the favorite family board game of the week.
The concept is simple (five in a row). The play has a few twists (the Jacks). The game is fun for the whole family. Best of all, you can play in teams so a youngest child doesn’t feel alone in their play.
Monopoly Junior
(2-4 players) There aren’t many junior versions of family board games that I actually enjoy playing, but Monopoly wins that prize. This one is shorter and more basic than the original. The money values are smaller too, which is helpful to younger kids as they calculate the math ($1-$5).
Although this updated version has a different look, the basic premise is still the same. Thankfully, the game is still engaging enough for the older kids to enjoy with the youngest family member! Once again though, only four of us can play at a time.
Labyrinth
(2-4 players) I had no idea how much we would enjoy this game or I would have purchased it much sooner. It’s simple enough, but so much fun. I love the way the board moves each turn and the way you are forced to move it in your mind as you plan your own turn.
Have a great family game night!
What are your favorite family board games?
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She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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Love this list. We own several of them, but of the ones we haven’t tried, Wits and Wagers looks most interesting! Adding to Amazon list!
You won’t regret it!
My kids love to play board games. One of our favorites is Ticket to Ride.
I have to say, I must up my writing game (pun intended) to include more references and links to creepy clown sightings. You make me laugh! This is a great list; Splendor is going in my Amazon cart asap. Many of these work for the wide range of ages in my house…Blokus is awesome! When Em was 3 she could play it if we reminded her that the corners have to “kiss”.
I am glad someone appreciated my clown reference. Totally crazy, creepy! I love it! I hope you guys love Splendor as much as I do! The “kiss” analogy is perfect!!!
Biggest problem we have in my house is that I was pretty terrible at board games as a kid so I don’t remember the rules to even basic games anymore. To add insult to injury, my husband is French and never played most of the typical American childhood games so we are always trying to figure out the rules via YouTube. We’re a mess! ?
Oh my goodness. That is hysterical. If it makes you feel better, I remember some of the rules incorrectly at this point (or played incorrectly as a kid) so I have to find rules online too 🙂
We love Farkle and Rat a Tat Cat as well as Sequence and Ticket to Ride.
Actually my son ( who is 8) also loves the game of Scrabble. The regular version not the junior one. I got him interested in playing when he began to spell words as a six year old and he loves it.
Yes, he is homeschooled 😍
I just bought Carcassonne (the basic version), but we haven’t tried it yet because my grandkids are off at camp this week. Has anyone tried it, and if so, how does your family like it?
Qwirkle is one of our family favorites – no reading required! My kids really like Wits and Wagers. We taught my 6yo to play Blokus Trigon this week. We have the Cats version of Sequence which let’s you learn about different breeds as you play. I think there are a few themed versions.