Family Board Game Gift Guide

Give the gift of quality time with your family by choosing a favorite from this family board game guide. Pick something they'll love playing all year long.

My mom is the real game queen, and it runs in the family, since I grew up playing with my grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Now we play games anytime we all get together. Ticket to Ride, Telestrations, and Say Anything are the ones we reach for most, but all of these are great options!

Happy playing!

Gift Guide for Family Game Night! #giftguide

Telestrations: A family favorite in our big household! It's like the telephone game, but with drawings instead. Our family never laughs harder than while playing it. The worse your drawing skills, the better!
Say Anything: Another family favorite! Someone reads a question, everyone else writes an answer, and then you pick your favorite one. It gives people a chance to "say anything."
Apples to Apples and Apples to Apple Jr: This easy-to-learn game is perfect for all ages! We've been playing it for years and never get tired of it.
Jenga: This timeless game rewards skill, luck, and strategy. Because it's so simple, it's a crowd favorite!
Ticket to Ride: Our family got this game for Christmas last year, and it quickly became an extended family favorite! Adults love it as much as kids do. The goal is to connect routes using the trains you have and earn points. The player with the most points wins! It's a great game for teaching strategy. Think of it as a beginner's Monopoly. We loved it so much that a couple of families in our larger family bought the Ticket to Ride (First Journey) for kids, and it's so good, too!
Playing Cards: Don't forget traditional playing cards for your next game night! You can play all kinds of games with them, like poker, war, rummy, blackjack, spades, and many more.
Sequence: This fun game is another favorite for all ages. It can be played solo or in teams, and it uses strategy to win.
HedBanz: Wear a headband with a card on it, then try to guess what's on the card by asking simple yes-or-no questions. It's so easy even the littlest ones can play!
Catan: Best for kids older than 10, Catan is a game of trading, strategy, skill, and luck. Players work to settle the remote but resource-rich island of Catan, but watch out for robbers!
Watch ya Mouth: Get ready to laugh out loud with this one! A player wears a mouth guard and says a phrase, and teammates try to guess it. You won't be able to keep a straight face during this game.
Monopoly: The classic game of property trading! If you have young ones (ages 5-7), I recommend Monopoly Junior. It's a simpler game that teaches the idea of Monopoly without the complicated rules. You could also pick up the Frozen II edition, Lion King edition, Toy Story edition, or Unicorns vs. Llamas.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza: A fast-paced, highly entertaining card game. Elementary and middle school kids will enjoy this one!
Unstable Unicorns: In this award-winning card game, you use strategy to collect unicorns in your territory, but watch out for opponents who are trying to take you down.
Candy Land: A classic game for little ones who are preschool age!
Exploding Kittens: This hilarious game is a kitty-powered version of Russian roulette. Be careful of the Exploding Kitten cards, or you may end up out of the game for good. My girls, ages 8 & 4, love this one!
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: A great way to introduce family game night if you have toddlers. It helps teach matching, sorting, hand-eye coordination, and strategic thinking. My kids loved this game between the ages of 2 and 4.
Uno: A classic we all played when we were younger! It's a great beginner card game for kids. We've been playing since my oldest was 6. Uno Attack is also a fun alternative for kids, too!
Phase 10 and Skip-Bo: Both are fun card games for groups. They're similar to Uno, but with twists. In Phase 10, you work through 10 "phases," or combinations of cards, to complete. Skip-Bo uses strategy to build stacks of sequentially numbered, ascending cards. Both are fun to play on vacation or camping when you don't have room to pack large board games.
Zingo: Like Bingo, but for toddlers! Another great pick when your little ones are under 5.
Memory: My girls love a simple game of matching "memory." It's not only fun, but it helps build memory skills. If you have little ones who want to play, this is a perfect game. My 4-year-old can beat the rest of us with no trouble! Also comes in Toy Story 4, Disney Princess, and PJ Masks versions.
Sleeping Queens: Such a great game for elementary-aged kids! My girls are 9 and 5, and both can play it and love it! It's pretty quick (under 20 minutes), and it's the game we played most during quarantine.