With so many games to choose from, finding the best ones for your family can be a challenge.
Our family has field tested more than 50 games!
Here are the best: board games, card games, and other hands-on and screen free games that we have played, enjoyed, and recommend.
Best game for preschoolers: Memory
If you’re going to buy one game for a preschooler, this is it.
Object of the game: to find the most matching pairs
There are dozens of versions of this game. They all work the same way, so it’s really just a matter of preference. If your 3 year old loves animals, dinosaurs, or Paw Patrol, there are memory games designed just for them!
We have the original from when our kiddos were small, and we pull it out when nieces and nephews come to visit…and we’ll have it when grandchildren come along. It’s that kind of classic, timeless game that’s fun for all ages.
Accommodating for toddlers or loved ones with special needs: You might start with just a few pairs and turn one of each pair face up. Then draw from the remaining cards. Find the match and place the card on top of it.
You don’t have to use all of the cards initially. As their confidence increases, add more cards.
Best board game for preschoolers: Chutes & Ladders
Chutes & Ladders introduces little ones to the concept of 100, important in their numeracy understanding later on. They need to be able to count to six or do so with help.
Object of the game: Be the first player to reach Square 100.
Game play is simple and straightforward.
Kids love when they get to climb the ladder and even sliding down the chute (which moves you backward on your quest to reach the 100 square) is entertaining.
This game is 100% chance, no strategy involved, and that’s okay.
The game teaches lots of other important skills, including…
- taking turns
- number recognition
- 1:1 correspondence
- counting
- relative concepts up/down
Best game for multi-generational families: Bingo
Spinning the bingo wheel is probably one of the highlights of the game, lol.
You might need a system for who gets to spin each time to avoid arguments!
Variations: Instead of just getting B-I-N-G-O in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line, you might complete one of these in order to win…
- make an X on your game board
- create an L in any direction
- completely fill your board
- find just your 4 corner spaces
- make a straight line in any 2 directions
Bonus: Create “prizes” for the winners.
- You could buy things, but where’s the fun in that?
- Have each player bring 3 things to give away (maybe a toy, stuffed animal, or book that they don’t want any longer).
- Food prizes such as a 99 cent box of movie candy, a bag of popcorn, or dum dum lollipops are fun.
- Make coupons for the winners such as not having to do a certain chore or getting to choose the movie for movie night.
Bingo is a game based on luck! There’s a little concentration involved, but no real skill or strategy. It’s something young, old, and in-between can play together.
Best family board game: Sorry
Sorry is simple to learn and kids, from Kindergarten age and up, can play.
Object of the game: Be the first player to get all four of your pawns into the home space.
Sorry requires some skill, but there’s lots of luck involved. This makes it even better for families with young kids…the younger ones have a decent chance at winning.
{Sometimes their lack of strategy and skill in playing games limits them from winning when they play games with older players.}
One of the most fun parts of it is kicking people off the board and sending them back “home,” lol.
There are also spaces where you have to move backwards or slide forward.
These aspects give an element of surprise and fun to the game.
Sorry is also the kind of game that’s good to play if you don’t want to have to think too hard! So it’s the one to suggest if you want to spend some quality time with your kids, but you’re worn out from your day!
Best board game for two players: Checkers
This is a game that often turns into a tournament! It’s hard to play just once.
Great for a rainy day.
My kids have fantastic memories of playing Checkers with their granddaddy. He taught them strategy. He never “let” them win.
And they loved it.
Don’t underestimate children. They are often smarter than we give them credit for.
And they know when someone is treating them “like a baby” or treating them with respect.
Thanks to all the granddaddys, pawpaws, and pops out there who already know this! 😀
Runners’ Up board games for two players: Sequence, Life, and Scrabble
Best board game for teens and adults: Catan
This was the uncontested choice by my 16 to 20 year olds. We’ve played as a family many times and in teams of up to 8 players.
Object of the game: To reach 10 Victory points first
Victory points are earned by earning, building, and trading resources in order to “build” roads, settlements, and cities.
There’s a definite learning curve, but it’s not a difficult game once you get the hang of it.
YouTube has tons of videos to help you and the game itself comes with an entire booklet to get started.
Ours has a QR code on the box itself that links you to a free app called Catan Game Assistant. It teaches you how to play the game without having to read the rules. Neat!
The board changes every time you play, so it doesn’t get old…but your skill level still improves with every game. Which is cool.
I love that.
When my kids played with their cousins, it turned into an all night game and the cousins loved it so much, they bought it for themselves…with an extension pack!
Speaking of those, there are several versions: Be sure you’re getting the base version of Catan first. The link above is for that one. The others will all say something like “extension” or “expansion” on the box.
They’re great, too, but you can’t play those without the base version.
Games that are similar to Catan: Avalon and Shadows Over Camelot
Best game for fine motor skills: Tricky Fingers
This game is from Discovery Toys, a company known for its developmentally appropriate toys and games for kids.
Object of the game: To move the marbles into the correct spaces as quickly as you can
One of the things I love about a lot of Discovery Toys products (and good educational toys in general) is that the game is open ended. You can play with it using preset cards or you can customize it, limited only by your imagination.
The game comes with 14 cards to try to “copy” by moving the marbles around to match the display on the card.
The back of each card is printed so that you can create your own design. So the game can end up with 28 different designs to copy.
Talk about endless play.
We’ve had this game for 20 years, and it’s still a fun one to have sitting around the living room.
This is the perfect activity for kids who are having screen-free time but want to do something that’s like a puzzle or maze type of video game.
Best game to play on Zoom or Facetime: Charades
Figuring out the logistics of this doesn’t have to be complicated. Just pick the method that works best for your situation.
Here are two options:
- Have each player make their own list of ten things from five different categories. Then when it’s their turn, they’re not stumped trying to come up with something on the fly.
Here are some examples to help you get started.
- Movies
- Songs
- Activities (such as jumping in puddles, putting on sunscreen, or watching tv)
- Items found around the house
- Animals
- Famous people
2. Another option would be to take a picture of a bunch of the cards from a Charades game you’ve purchased and send it to the people you’re going to play with and then let them choose the card they’ll do for their turn.
If you send them ten photos with 20 cards in each one, you’re unlikely to have too much advantage…just take care not to read the cards as best as you can. Then they’ll have a ton of options.
Best game to take to the pool: Uno Splash
We bought this game by mistake! Lol, I thought it was just regular uno, but when we got it home and took it out of the box …well, it was not what we expected! 😀
But hey, it has come in handy over the years.
The Uno cards are just like the classic version and the play is the same…except that the cards are all laminated with a thick plastic!
So they’re designed to get wet. Pretty smart.
The game even comes with a little ‘biner so that you can clip it onto your beach or pool or lake bag.
It’s perfect for those long, wonderful summer days on the water when you need a little break from swimming or other water activities.
Or when Mom or Dad or Grandma won’t let the kids back in right after eating! 🙂
Best board game under $10: Sorry
Sorry is entertaining for the whole family. So much so, that it made our Best Games post twice.
Object of the game: Move your four pawns into the home space before your opponents do.
Little kids can learn it quickly.
There’s not a ton of strategy, so that’s another reason younger children often like this game as much as older kids and adults….they have a good chance of winning!
This is also a game in which you can play several games in a short amount of time if you want more of a tournament style.
Honorable Mention board game under $10: Skipbo
Best board game using marbles: Mancala
The simplicity of this game pairs so nicely with the level of strategy involved.
Object of the game: Collect the greatest number of stones
Mancala has been played for thousands of years and is played widely on the African continent and in the Middle East.
My daughter became quite a pro at this, at least within our family, when she was around 13 years old. I couldn’t beat her, but it was still a fun game to play.
Tips: This game is for two players. Buy the most basic version if you’ve never played before. There’s no advantage that I can see to buying a fancier one, other than aesthetics.
Honorable Mention board game using marbles: Aggravation (the classic version)
I don’t recommend the newer version, but my daughter, Rees does. Its name fits it, lol! We agree, though, that the original Aggravation is simple and fun.
Best game with dice: Yahtzee
Yahtzee combines luck with strategy. It’s a great study in probability as well.
Object of the game: Earn the most points
That doesn’t tell you very much, does it?
In Yahtzee, you have 5 dice that you can roll 3 times per round. After the first round, you can roll all of them again or choose to keep 1, 2, 3, or 4 of the dice and only roll the remaining ones.
If you happen to roll 5 dice of the same number, then you have Yahtzee!
After the 3 rolls, you have to score yourself with the dice as is.
There’s a whole host of possible ways to score points. There’s a little chart for each player to complete as you play.
Little kids can easily play with a little guidance on strategy and scoring from older players, so it’s a great game for the whole family.
Honorable Mention game with dice: Sharp Shooters
Sharp Shooters doesn’t utilize quite as much strategy as Yahtzee, but it’s still a factor.
Object of the game: To earn the most points by completing rows on a board with your rolls of the dice
It’s a pretty simple game to play, so it doesn’t take long to get started.
We enjoy watching each others’ decisions as they play…and frankly, second guessing everybody’s moves.
It makes for an entertaining time. Up to 4 players, according to the box…but we’ve played with all five of us, and it seemed to work out just fine.
Best board game with cards: Sequence and Sequence for Kids
We played Sequence for Kids early on in our family…and I still prefer it to the regular sequence game, haha!
Everyone else, though, prefers the regular version, and I agree that it’s a fun one, too.
Object of the games: To get a sequence or row of 4 (for the kids’ version) or 5 (for the regular version) of your chips on the board
Sequence for Kids
Play a card from your hand by matching your chip to that animal on the board. You don’t have to be able to read in order to play.
Kids learn to strategize by choosing which animals to play. They’ll want to choose animals near animals on the other cards in their hands or near the chips that they’ve already played.
This increases the likelihood of getting four in a row to win.
They can also strategically block their opponents!
Kids aged 3 to 103 can play.
Sequence
This game is played individually or in teams. The instructions guide you on which version to play, based on the number of players you have.
The overall premise and most of the game play is the same as the kids version.
As you can see, the game board has many more options, and the cards appear almost identical to a standard deck of playing cards.
The jacks, though, are wild and add a fun element to the game.
Best classic board game: Candy Land
Candy Land is cheery and colorful. It’s simple to play.
Object of the game: Reach King Kandy’s castle first!
And kids won’t even realize that they are developing a pre-reading skill as they match the color on their card to the next (same) color on the game board path.
There are fun obstacles along the way and shortcuts that also make the game more interesting.
I remember how excited I would get as a little girl when I drew one of those specialty cards, lol.
Our game box has long gone by the way-side, but all you really need are the character pawns, the color cards, and the Candy Land board itself.
This one’s a keeper even though my kids are {pretty much} grown. We keep it in the house for nieces and nephews and future grandkids.
Best easy-to-learn game: Spot It
I’ve recommended this one many times to friends and family.
Object of the game: Be the first to spot the object that two cards have in common.
This sounds so simple. And it is. You’re simply looking for the one object that appears on both of the playing cards.
The math behind this is amazing to this former math teacher.
It doesn’t matter which two cards you draw out of the 55 in the box…none of them have more than one object in common…but they all have that one match. Very cool.
Spot-It is a fast-paced game. You can play a round in less than five minutes.
Because of its compact size and the fact that it comes in a small tin, it’s a cinch to throw in your bag or purse to keep with you.
So it’s perfect to have with you when you know you might be waiting somewhere with kids.
If I’d known about this game when my kids were younger, I would have taken it to doctor appointments or to play while we waited on a sibling at the dentist.
Great for screen free entertainment.
Variations: Practically endless.
There are so many ways to play Spot It. The game suggests 5 different versions, along with ideas for tournament play and scoring.
It’s also a fun low cost birthday gift, and Santa told me that he likes to put it in kids’ stockings.
Best educational board game: Monopoly
Surprising choice? This game is a great study in Economics.
Social studies teachers everywhere will tell you that kids don’t know enough about the basics of economics, spending, budgeting, investing, etc…and this simple, classic board game can be a fun jumping off point for all of those topics.
When many of us {me included} think of Monopoly, we think: It’s such a loooong game to play.
One simple solution for this is to play Monopoly for a preset amount of time, say 30 minutes or an hour. Then, set a timer, and see who can accumulate the most $$$ by the time it goes off.
If you need a truly shorter version of Monopoly, try Empire.
It’s hard to find, but you might luck up and find it at a yard sale or Goodwill store.
Best version of Monopoly
With so many varieties out now, it can be difficult to find the classic version of Monopoly.
My daughter, Haley, loves Monopoly in all of its forms. If you ask her what game she wants to play, she’ll say Monopoly even though she knows that most of the time she won’t get any takers, sadly! So I asked the Reigning Monopoly Queen for her favorite version of Monopoly for familes to play. 🙂
Haley’s pick: Monopoly Electronic Banking
It uses credit cards instead of cash, so it’s just fun to do all of the banking with the gadget that makes sounds and feels like you’re all grown up because it uses a credit card.
The Electronic Banking version has been updated to the Monopoly Ultimate Banking Version, shown here.
We haven’t played this version but wanted to include it because it’s a better price. The Electronic Banking version is now considered a collectible, so the price is higher.
As with lots of other board games, you might be able to find it at a yard sale or consignment shop. Good luck!
Honorable Mention best version of Monopoly: Monopoly Here and Now
This version is basically more realistic as far as the numbers and pricing go, than the classic version. So, if you’re a die hard original Monopoly fan, then this might be your best bet.
Best game for when you’re riding in the car: Wiz Kidz
This is another fantastic game from Discovery Toys. You can play it in endless ways.
Our favorite way to play was to draw a clue card and a letter and see how fast we could name 3 things. Or how many things we could come up with before drawing new clues.
These two variations were a more “cooperative” way to play, which is better, in this mama’s opinion, when you’re riding down the road.
Competition in the car leads to having to pull over to sort out fighting children.
Or maybe that’s just our family? 😀
Alternate ways to play:
- Play using the points where the first person to call out a correct answer gets the points. First person to 10 points wins.
- Have each player try to say as many as they can in 30 seconds or a minute. New players draw new cards.
- Variation for younger kids: Don’t use the clue cards. Just draw the letter cards and try to come up with words that start with the letter B, for example.
- For even younger kids, just use the clue cards. How many “things to drink” can they come up with?
You’re only limited by your imagination with this one.
It’s similar to I Spy, except kids are having to rely on memory and conceptualizing rather than actually seeing and describing something they’re looking at.
And, just like I Spy, it’s also great to play while you’re waiting at a doctor’s office.
Best game for laughing at yourself: Speak Out
We played this with extended family recently and let me tell you…I laughed until I cried. This is the game where you put this huge plastic gadget in your mouth essentially to make it so that you can’t close your mouth completely, and then you have to read a random, nonsense type of phrase to your team. They have to figure out what you’re saying before the timer finishes.
It’s a cinch to learn to play, but not easy to do!
It was hilarious and we had all ages playing, from 6 to 60.
It was so funny to see how good at it some of us were and how awful the others of us were!
Best board game for a party when you know each other well: Imaginiff
Imaginiff is played by reading a card and deciding which of the six answers best fits the person in question.
For example, a card might read, “Imagniff [Garrett] is a cartoon character. Which one would he be?”
This game is better played by teens and adults if you’re not going to censor some of the cards. Not that they’re too risque, but some were a little suggestive.
The reason this game wins this category is that if you know each other well, it’s so funny to choose the answers. Everyone is thinking of “that one time when…” or everyone immediately knows exactly which one makes sense.
If you don’t know each other well, it makes the game much more difficult to play…and I don’t think it would be as much fun to play.
Imaginiff brings out tons of stories and back stories and is just so much fun for reminiscing and for building relationships.
Highly recommend!
Best game for a party when you don’t know each other well: Mexican Train Dominoes
Object of the game: Be the first player to use all of your dominoes
You can play this with different sized sets of dominoes (9’s, 12’s, 15’s). We like playing with the 15’s, but it works with any of the sizes. If you have lots of players, you probably want the 12 or 15 size.
We played Mexican Train Dominoes at a dinner party with sweet neighbors who we knew fairly well and their adult son and daughter-in-law, whom we had just met.
It was the perfect game because
- It’s pretty easy and quick to learn if you haven’t played before.
- It allows for plenty of conversation as turns are going.
- Lots of people can play at a time; we had nine playing that night!
Best family game with cards: TIE! Uno and Skip-Bo
Uno’s name comes from the part of the game where, when you’re down to one card, you yell out, “Uno!”
If another player catches it before you say it, you have to draw two more cards.
Uno’s the kind of game that young kids can play. You don’t have to be able to read, although you do need to be able to recognize numbers and colors.
It’s also a quick game, so most of the time people play several rounds in one sitting.
Uno comes in lots of versions, and they’re all fun. Uno Attack varies a little bit in terms of play, but otherwise they all seem to play the same. And most of them are less than $15.
Skip-Bo is slightly more challenging than Uno…and just as much fun.
In order to play, kids need to be able to count to 12 and recognize the numbers.
Object of the game: Use up all of the cards in your “stockpile” before anyone else.
This game can be quick or longer with a simple variation: At the beginning of the game, deal out the number of stockpile cards in proportion to how long of a game you can play.
A stockpile of 5 cards will probably be a really quick game.
Most of the time, you’ll probably want a stockpile of 10-15 cards. Games take a half hour on average, I’d say.
It’s good for up to six players.
Games provide your family with a great opportunity for family bonding.
They’re also fantastic for learning social skills (think: taking turns, being a good sport about winning and losing, playing fairly) and academic skills.
So, invest time in building strong relationships with each other by starting a great tradition: family game night.
You’ve got this!