Best Family Games For All Ages

Despite the advancement of gaming consoles and game-supporting devices in recent years, nothing truly beats the fun and excitement of playing a board game.

Still, with so many on the market, it can be tricky to find the right ones to add to your next game night. On top of that, it can be especially difficult to find games that are age-appropriate for your kids while still being engaging enough for you to have fun.

Luckily, we're crazy about board games and have searched high and low to bring you a comprehensive list of the best family games for all ages that you should add to your collection. From simple games for young kids to more complex and strategic games for older children and adults, we have them all!

Board Games For Young Kids (Ages 3 - 7)

Finding games for younger players that the whole family can enjoy can be tricky - but it doesn't have to be. At least, not when you have these awesome games in your collection:

First Orchard

Get ready for some fruity fun with First Orchard (based on the original board game Orchard). This delightful family game from Haba is sure to bring your whole family together for a race against time (and a sneaky raven!).

This game is perfect for even the littlest kids aged two and up. In fact, it's a great way for younger players to work on colors, taking turns, and even fine motor skills. And the best part? It's a cooperative game, so everyone works together to pick the apples, plums, and pears before the pesky raven swoops in.

With this easy game, you can grab up to four players and enjoy a relaxing yet fast-paced game with your little ones.

Spot It! 1, 2, 3

Another great game for smaller children is Spot It! 1, 2, 3. Just like the original Spot It!, this version is all about quick thinking and sharp eyes, but it has been simplified so even the youngest players can dive into the fun on your family game nights.

With numbers of all different sizes on each card, the challenge is to spot the matching number between two cards before anyone else. That means little ones can practice number recognition in a fun way while working on their reaction times.

What we really love about this game, though, is that it's compact for on-the-go fun. This makes it great for taking on road trips or vacations, and it is sure to keep everyone entertained for ages.

Candy Land

Candy Land is perhaps one of the best board games of all time for families (and a fantastic way to introduce younger kids to the world of board games). In our opinion, it's one of the best games to have in your family game room. In fact, it's a must-have addition to add to your Eolian gaming shelf.

So, why did we choose Candy Land for younger children? Well, over and above its nostalgic appeal, this game night staple can teach little kids how to recognize colors and practice their patience.

In the delicious adventure game, you'll race your Gingerbread Man down a rainbow-colored path and dodge sticky obstacles like Molasses Swamps and Cherry Pitfalls. The goal? To be the first player to reach Candy Castle and find the long-lost King Kandy!

Connect 4

Another great board game for younger kids is Connect 4, which requires only two players to get started. This strategy game is all about quick-thinking and outsmarting your opponent to be the first to line up four checkers in a row. With its simple rules and the possibility for endless fun, it's the ultimate game for younger and older kids alike.

You can play using the original rules and race to make a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal line of four. Or, if you want to make things a little more challenging, you can try the Pop Out game mode, where instead of dropping your checkers in, you pop them out of a full board to create your row of four.

Connect 4 is super compact, which makes it perfect for a quick game with the family while you're relaxing on the couch. It's also small enough to pack away and store in a board game coffee table like the Firefly.

Board Games For Kids (Ages 8 - 12)

Besides family classics like Monopoly and Cluedo, there are tons of great games your kids can enjoy at your new family games night. Here are some of our top picks:

Disney Villainous

Sometimes, you kids need to blow off a little steam. And with Disney's Villainous, being bad has never been so much fun! In this devious Disney game, each player can take control of a classic Disney villain.

From Maleficent to Captain Hook, each character has its own set of unique powers and dastardly schemes. And your objective is simple: Achieve your villain's evil goal before the other players get the chance.

Whether your kids are Ursula, putting curses on heroes, or you're capturing Peter Pan as Hook, every villain gets to play in their own way. That means that you can play and replay this game as many times as you'd like with different gameplay and outcomes.

Catan Junior

Want to set sail for adventure? Then Catan Junior is one of the best family-friendly games you can play.

This exciting, pirate-themed version of the classic Settlers of Catan game takes place on a ring of islands, where all players can build pirate hideouts, sail their ships, and gather resources like wood and swords. Just beware of the mysterious Spooky Island, which is home to the mischievous Ghost Captain.

The simplified gameplay is perfect for young adventurers since it has no complicated trading or cards to manage. Plus, it's full of pirate charm with colorful tiles and rules that are easy to follow. This makes it a great family board game to unwind and reduce screen time, with a game taking around 30 minutes.

We'd highly suggest playing this game around your Mimosa gaming table, since it's quick and easy to set up and doesn't require too much room.

Pandemic

Why not shake up your next gaming get-together with a cooperative strategy game that is potentially one of the best 3-player board games we've ever played? In Pandemic, the world is in chaos as deadly diseases are breaking out across the globe. So, it's up to you and your team of disease-fighting specialists to save humanity!

One of our favorite things about this game is that there's no competition. Instead, you and your kids need to work together. That means you'll win (or lose) as a team.

Since its release, Pandemic has become a staple in plenty of rec rooms and a game night go-to for families with children over the age of eight.

Bandpass tip: For even more excitement, why not give your team of specialists a fun group game? This extra touch is sure to make the game even more thrilling for younger kids.

Codenames: Disney - Family Edition

Codenames has quickly become a favorite for plenty of families. But what if we told you that you could spice up your game nights with the Disney Family Edition of this classic game? Oh, and don't forget to involve the whole family and invite a few friends to join you at your Dresden gaming table, since the game supports up to eight players.

This team-based word-guessing game has players racing to figure out their team's hidden words on a grid, all based on one-word clues from their spymaster. Besides being a ton of fun, Codenames: Disney encourages your kids to come up with clever clues and make careful deductions to claim victory.

And, if you really want to create some friendly competition, then why not challenge your children to an 'adults vs. kids' round of gameplay? 

Board Games For Teenagers And Adults

If you have teens at home, you can really ramp up your next game night with these incredibly fun (and sometimes challenging) games:

Betrayal at House on the Hill

Betrayal at House on the Hill is the ultimate spooky game for your teens (or yourself) and will have you on the edge of your seat from the time you set up the board. This 5-player board game allows you to explore a haunted mansion filled with dark secrets and eerie omens.

Since you and your family build the house room by room, no two games will ever be the same - one minute, you're exploring hidden corridors, and the next, you're battling ghosts! And, when each tile is flipped, the suspense only intensifies.

Since the game can accommodate up to six players, you can grab the whole family (and possibly a few friends) to enjoy a night of spine-chilling fun around your board game table.

Taboo

Taboo is a fast-paced party game that will challenge you and your teens to describe words without breaking the 'taboo' (this is a list of restricted words you aren't allowed to say!). The goal is simple: get your teammates to guess a word without using certain related words that are strictly off-limits.

This fun game is a step up from the family classic of Charades and will encourage quick thinking and creativity in your teens. What we love about Taboo is that you can play it for as long as you'd like, with shorter games being around 20 minutes long. That means you can add it to your list to play during your family game night without anyone getting bored!

Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition

If you have older kids who are tired of the same old games, then why not introduce them to the best tabletop RPG that has ever been released? Of course, we're talking about Dungeons and Dragons (5th Edition).

D&D is the perfect game for longer campaigns and can be replayed over and over again. This is particularly true if your players try different actions (when playing the same campaign) or you start a new story with new characters altogether.

Games like D&D can also encourage your teens to flex their imaginations, strategize, and learn the importance of consequences every time they roll the dice. While it may take a few games to pick up the rules, it's great for playing together as a family and exploring the unique world of roleplay in board games.

FAQs

What are the benefits of family-friendly board games?

Family-friendly board games are extremely beneficial for your children (and for yourself!). In fact, some of the most common advantages of allowing your kids to play games include:

• Encouraging communication skills

• Improving critical thinking and problem-solving

• Developing social skills

• Improving cognitive abilities

Of course, there are plenty more benefits that you can read about in more detail in our blog on The Psychological Benefits Of Board Games.

What's the best way to play a family board game?

The best way to play family board games is to use a game table. Although most people think of standard board game tables like poker or Mahjong tables, they actually come in a range of different sizes - and with different functionalities.

These tables are amazing investments if you enjoy playing games together as a family. Plus, they're incredibly versatile and can be used as traditional furniture pieces, too. So, if you want to take your game nights to a whole new level, then buying a game table is totally worth it!

Final Thoughts

Nothing brings the family together like some good old-fashioned board game fun. Although it's easy to get caught up playing video games or spending hours looking for entertainment on our devices, there's something special about gathering up the kids for a family game night.

Now, with our list of the best family board games for everyone, you can start to build your game collection and set aside time to explore the magical world of gaming as a family.