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70+ Family Board Games for Every Age and Occasion

Home / Products / 70+ Family Board Games for Every Age and Occasion

Nasreen Stump, Updated February 18, 2022

boys playing board games
Photo credit: Shutterstock
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and buy, SheBuysTravel may receive a small commission at no additional charge to you.
Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
  • Best Family Board Games+−
    • Monopoly
    • Monopoly Junior
    • Scrabble
    • Scrabble Junior
    • The Game of Life
    • Jenga
    • Clue
    • Trouble
    • Sorry
    • Guess Who?
    • Connect 4
    • Perfection
  • Test Your Knowledge+−
    • Family Feud Trivia Card Game
    • Trivial Pursuit 
    • Trivial Pursuit Family Edition
    • Trivial Pursuit Friends Edition
  • Family Board Games for the Under 8 Crowd+−
    • Chutes and Ladders
    • Candy Land 
    • Operation
    • Pretty Pretty Princess
    • Don't Break the Ice
    • Memory
  • Games of Strategy+−
    • Ticket to Ride Board Game
    • Catan
    • Qwirkle
    • Mattel Apples to Apples
  • Educational Games for Family Game Night+−
    • Dabble Word Game
    • Boggle
    • Sequence Numbers
    • Balderdash
    • Jeopardy! Card Game
    • Wheel of Fortune Game
    • Proof! Math Game
  • Great Games for Travel Enthusiasts+−
    • Continent Race
    • Who Knows Where? 
    • Explore the World
  • Family Board Games for Disney Lovers+−
    • Disney Codenames Board Game
    • Disney Song Challenge
    • Ravensburger Disney Villainous Strategy Board Game
    • Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It
    • HedBanz Disney Edition
  • Card Games for Family Game Night+−
    • Uno  Uno Flip  Dos
    • Exploding Kittens
    • Llama Drama Card Game
    • Taco vs Burrito
    • Clue Suspect Card Game
    • Our Moments Families: 100 Thought Provoking Conversation Starters
    • Gamewright Slamwich
  • Games for Grown Ups+−
    • Cards Against Humanity
    • Never Have I Ever
    • What Do You Meme?
    • What are your family's favorite board games? Share with us!

There’s something inherently wholesome about a family game night. No screens. Everyone together. Whether it’s a planned event, a rainy day substitution, or a ploy to keep everyone busy during your coronavirus quarantine we’ve got a list of favorite family board games and card games to start you off.

Looking for new family board games to entertain your family? We’ve got a list of family board game favorites including classic board games, new strategy games, engaging card games, and travel-related fun from your living room.

Best Family Board Games

Monopoly

Monopoly has been bringing families together since 1935. Now produced by Hasbro, numerous versions of Monopoly are available so we’ll share some favorites. If you’re looking for an updated twist on the classic, check out the one with debit cards. That’s right! No more waiting for your 7-year-old banker to sort money. It’s game-changing!

Photo credit: Target

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Monopoly Junior

Kids as young as four will enjoy this kiddie version of the game. One money denomination simplifies banking while still teaching counting. Games can be finished quickly and kids love the cute animal tokens.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Scrabble

In my opinion, the most classic family board game is Scrabble. Scrabble is a great educational game for the whole family. If your kids know how to spell, you can play Scrabble. With limited tiles for them to work from they’ll learn problem-solving and strategy as they create words. With younger kids, we’ve found setting a time limit on the game and then scoring it works best. For older kids, play all the way through so you can strategically shed your Qs and Zs at the most opportune time.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Scrabble Junior

In this version for younger kids, players match tiles to letters printed on the board. If your kiddo can identify and match letters this game is age-appropriate.

Photo credit: Amazon

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The Game of Life

Go from “Start” to “Retirement” in The Game of Life where the wealthiest player wins at the end. Just watch out for unexpected surprises. If you’ve got a Disney lover on your list, buy this Disney Parks version of the The Game of LIFE board game.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Jenga

Who doesn’t love to knock things down? Yes, we know the object is not to knock down the blocks in this classic game, but let’s be realistic. If the idea of your kids playing this game in the house sends you running for out-of-stock Ibuprofen, don’t fear. There is a giant yard version that you can have them play outside and a Kindle version they can play virtually. Don’t have a Kindle? This Fire 7 Kids Edition with child case comes with a year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited with access to 20K+ apps, games and books. Little kids can check out this Jenga-like Pidoko game with bright colors. Worst case? They just play with them like blocks.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Clue

Professor Plum in the library with the candlestick! If that brings back nostalgic memories of a time when board games involved murders then we’ve got the game for you. This game is best for kids ages 8 and up. Get the whole family involved for the best experience. It’s more fun with more players!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Trouble

This “pop-o-matic” classic involves rolling dice to move around the board. Up to four players can play and it’s easy to involve younger kids. We assign my 3-year-old to a “team” and he pops the dice bubble on his turn.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Sorry

Mixing strategy and luck, players as young as six can draw cards and move pawns around the board. The first player to get all four pawns home wins.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Guess Who?

This game of questions is best for players 6 and up. Two players take turns asking each other questions to reveal their mystery character.  There’s even a retro version.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Connect 4

This popular game has opponents racing to “Connect 4” by dropping tokens into a stand. Want to send the kids outside? There are huge yard versions of this game!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Perfection

This classic game has a haunting, ticking timer that counts down the moments until the board “pops.” Try to put the pieces in their matching spot as fast as you can! Younger kids can play without the timer and just focus on the matching aspect. This smaller version of the game is great for travel.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Test Your Knowledge

Love trivia? Working your way through memorizing the states? These games are perfect for the whole family.

family feud card being held up in RV
Family Feud has a card game that is great for travel or at home. Photo Credit: Breeze Leonard

Family Feud Trivia Card Game

Perfect for the car, RV or at home, these cards are set up just like the TV show Family Feud. Cards contain the question and top five answers. One player acts as the host and other players try to guess the answers. While it’s good for ages 8 and up, younger kids may have trouble with pop culture questions.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Trivial Pursuit 

Who doesn’t remember trying to fill up your Trivial Pursuit pie? I have fond memories of playing Trivial Pursuit with my grandparents which I’m sure kicked off my Jeopardy addiction. Make those memories with your kids while testing your ability to retain information. The original version of the game is best for teens and adults and features more than 2,400 questions in the following categories: Geography, Entertainment, History, Art and Literature, Science and Nature, and Sports and Leisure. You’ll need knowledge in all categories to win.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Trivial Pursuit Family Edition

Playing with younger kids? The Trivial Pursuit Family Edition is a perfect choice. With two sets of cards for older and younger players it engages kids ages 8 and up. Bonus: the game rules on the family edition make game play go faster for shorter attention spans.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Trivial Pursuit Friends Edition

Have you seen every episode of Friends? Do your teens watch the reruns? This Trivial Pursuit version for ages 12 and up will test your Friends knowledge from the obvious to the obscure. This edition does not come with a game board or individual pies. You can use the board from an existing game or do a modified play with the included die.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Family Board Games for the Under 8 Crowd

Let’s face it: we want to spend time and play games with our kids. But if we have to spend the whole time contradicting, reading rules and explaining moves, it won’t be much fun for anyone. These family-friendly options for ages 8 and under will keep you stress-free.

two girls playing operation with a stack of board games next to them
Expand your board game collection with this list of old games, new games, Disney games and card games. Photo Credit: Nasreen Stump

Chutes and Ladders

Perfect for kiddos 3 and up, this Hasbro classic doesn’t involve reading. Spin the spinner, move up ladders and down chutes until someone reaches the top to win. There are 100 numbered squares on the board to practice counting.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Candy Land 

This childhood Hasbro game is great for practicing colors and counting. Perfect for ages 3 and up. Up to four players can join the game.  Numerous versions of Candy Land exist including Retro 1967 Candy Land and Candy Land Disney Princess.

Photo credit: Walmart

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Operation

Everyone seems to love this classic. You “operate” on the game board with tweezers that buzz if you aren’t precise enough. Even my 3-year-old loves it. It builds fine motor skills. To adapt for younger kids you can add a timer and let them try for a specific amount of time without counting the buzzing.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Pretty Pretty Princess

This game for four players is a fun one for toddlers. You take turns spinning to see which piece of jewelry you’ll be putting on. Once you have two earrings, a necklace, a bracelet, a ring and the tiara you’ll shout “I’m a pretty, pretty princess!” to win.

I’m not releasing the video for public consumption but my mother, sister and I played this with a few bottles of wine and had a blast. The video of me yelling “I’m a pretty, pretty princess” is epic. It was my Oscar moment complete with tears.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Don’t Break the Ice

This classic is perfect for younger siblings who want to play a game together. The object is to keep the penguin on top of the ice.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Memory

Perfect for kids of all ages, we love this animal-themed set. The premise is simple: flip cards over on your turn and try to make a match. To keep games quicker, play with fewer matched sets of cards. You can also find Wonder Forge Super Hero cards and camping-themed ones.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Games of Strategy

family board game catan strategy game
Strategy games like Catan teach valuable skills to tweens and teens. Photo Credit: Breeze Leonard

Ticket to Ride Board Game

In this game, the strategy is to build your train routes across the United States to earn points. Players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes. The longer the routes, the more points they earn! For ages 8+.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Catan

This civilization-building game is designed for players 10 and up. Games take about an hour. You need three to four players to play (or have two players play two colors each). The object of the game is to trade, build and settle. There are obstacles to overcome, including plundering. This game teaches strategy, tactical skill and decision making. Have younger kids who really want to play? Check out Catan Junior, designed for players as young as 5.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Qwirkle

My 9-year-old came home excited after playing this in science class at school. For ages 6 and up, this tile game teaches strategy, logical maneuvers and planning. Older kids will be able to create complex combinations leading to more involved games. Think of Scrabble but with shapes and colors instead of letters. Looking for a travel version? This Travel Qwirkle is perfect for road trips.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Mattel Apples to Apples

Best for ages 12 and up, this game challenges you to make comparisons. Players take turns judging who chose the best “matching” item. Games are funny and fast-moving. If you’ve got younger kids Apples to Apples Junior is geared towards the 9-year-old and up the crowd. And Apples to Apples 7 Plus? You guessed it, it’s for ages 7 and up.

Basically, there’s an Apples to Apples for every affinity from Disney to the Freestyle Edition.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Educational Games for Family Game Night

These fun and educational games keep literacy skills up to par. Be careful, your kids may beat you.

Dabble Word Game

This game is fast-paced and can be played by anyone who can spell (or at least try to spell). This game rewards both speed and complexity. Each player gets 20 letter tiles. The first player to get five words yells “Dabble!” and is the winner.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Boggle

This easy-to-play word game involves shaking a cube of letter dice and setting a timer. You have 90 seconds to write down as many words as you can create from the letters. The game can be played solo or with multiple players. This is great for RV travel and road trips since the die are contained in a case.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Sequence Numbers

A great STEM game in which players ages 7 and up do math problems. Your solution tells you where to put your chip on the board. The first player to make a sequence of five numbers wins.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Balderdash

This was my favorite game as a kid. It’s how I figured out I’m good at making things up. Balderdash requires you to make up fake answers and opponents try to guess which one is real. Think of it as two truths and a lie in game form.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Jeopardy! Card Game

This TV classic can be played at home as an easy-to-follow card game. Designed for ages 12 and up, this game has a Junior version for kids 6-12.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Wheel of Fortune Game

Be Vanna with your very own Wheel of Fortune Game. See who can guess the clues first!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Proof! Math Game

Players nine and up make an equation out of nine cards on the table in this game. They need to announce their answer and state their proof to win points.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Great Games for Travel Enthusiasts

Do you love to show your kids the world? Now you can share your love of travel from home. These are some of our favorite family board games and card games with travel themes.

Continent Race

Created by a 6-year-old during a long hospital stay, Continent Race puts your geography skills to the test. You’ll draw cards and identify countries on the map. To win, you need to collect cards from all continents and locate the countries. This game is a fantastic way to teach geography.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Who Knows Where? 

This geography-based board game has players 12 and up guessing where in the world they are. Relive past travels and learn about landmarks in this fun and educational game. (Currently out of stock- UK customers can visit here.)

Photo credit: Amazon

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Explore the World

Perfect for younger kids (7 years and up) to explore the world from home. With questions related to sights around the world, everyone will learn something new by playing!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Family Board Games for Disney Lovers

Disney Codenames Board Game

This version of Codenames was created for Disney-philes. If you love Disney movies, this game is for you! This was created for ages 8 and up but many reviewers said their 6-year-olds were easily able to follow along.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Disney Song Challenge

Are you a Disney music pro? This toe-tapping game will be your chance to shine. Spin the wheel and compete to see whose Disney song knowledge reigns supreme!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Ravensburger Disney Villainous Strategy Board Game

If you’ve ever Disneybounded as Ursula or felt Jafar was misunderstood, this is the game for you. This game is rated for kids 10+, although we think you could go a little younger. This game employs serious strategy. You pick one of the six villain game pieces and get a crib sheet strategy guide for your character. Sneaky wins.

You get to set traps and use curses so if your family likes intense game nights, this is your game. Looking for even more of a challenge? Add on a Perfectly Wretched, Evil Comes Prepared, or Wicked to the Core expansion pack to make it even more tricky. Be warned that game play lasts 45 minutes to an hour.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It

This Disney card game is great for all ages. Even toddlers can get in on the fun. Perfect for travel. You win if you have the best eye for detail.

Photo credit: Walmart

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HedBanz Disney Edition

The question is “Who Am I?” in this game where players wear a card on a headband. The catch? You can see your opponent’s cards but not your own. Ask questions to learn what Disney character you are. This is designed for two to four players ages 7 and up but it isn’t hard to modify it to accommodate younger kids.

Photo credit: Amazon.com

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two girls playing uno flip in an rv
Uno Flip is an updated version of Mattel’s classic. Perfect for home or hours of RV card fun this game adds a surprise element to engage kids. Photo Credit: Breeze Leonard

Card Games for Family Game Night

Card games are always a great choice. They travel well, don’t involve complex set up, and with the wild variety that we found there will be something for kids of all ages.

Uno  Uno Flip  Dos

Most of us grew up with Mattel’s classic card game Uno. Now the fun has expanded with Uno Flip and Dos. Uno Flip adds in light and dark-colored cards that, you guessed it, flip! Dos is a team race to the score of 200 where you need to yell “Dos!” when you have two cards left. All three are perfect for two to six players and provide hours of easy-to-pack fun.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Exploding Kittens

We totally get it. A game called Exploding Kittens doesn’t exactly sound family-friendly BUT kids love it. This game is the feline version of Russian Roulette by the Oatmeal (hilarious comics by Matthew Inman). You draw cards and hope you don’t get an Exploding Kitten. Just like it sounds, it’s not good. It means you lose.

Exploding Kittens is a fast game to learn and doesn’t have a lot of text so younger kids can play. It’s recommended for ages 7 and up and you can play with two to five players. There are expansion packs available to add on to the game.

Hint: There is a NSFW Adult Edition. It’s hilarious for a grown-up game night but definitely isn’t for kids.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Llama Drama Card Game

This is the pixie stick of card games. It’s candy but it’s really just sugar. Sometimes we all want something simple and mindless m’kay?

That may sound like I’m bashing Llama Drama but I’m not. Kids love it. It’s easy to learn and games go by quickly. Your kids can easily play each other without you needing to step in.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Taco vs Burrito

There are tons of things to love about this game. First off, tacos. It doesn’t have to be Taco Tuesday to enjoy this fun. Second, it was created by a 7-year-old, which kids love to hear. (Tip: Keep kids busy for hours by telling them to invent a game.) Third, games are a quick 10-15 minutes. Play involves strategy but not so much that a younger kid (7 and up) couldn’t get the hang of it quickly. This card game is best with two-four people so it’s great for when you need the kids to stay busy while you get something done.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Clue Suspect Card Game

Love Clue? Looking for the same whodunit thrills in a more portable and fast game? This card game is perfect for you! Best for ages 8 and up, you can play a quick 15-30 minute game. This is a great game to pack up when camping or RVing.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Our Moments Families: 100 Thought Provoking Conversation Starters

Looking to bond as a family and learn more? These conversation cards will get your kids talking about themselves with questions like, “What’s the hardest thing about being your age?” This one is great for long road trips, too!

Photo credit: Amazon

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Gamewright Slamwich

This fast-paced game is designed for two to four players. The object is to get all the cards while building a sandwich. You’ll need to avoid thieves while on your quest.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Games for Grown Ups

Don’t let kids have all the fun. These fresh, funny, entertaining games are perfect for a girls getaway or cocktail party.

Cards Against Humanity

The premise is simple. Cards Against Humanity is a game for horrible people. Why? Every turn a player flips a black card that asks a question. The other players answer it with their funniest white card. Answers are usually hilarious and fresh. This is NOT a game for kids. If your “babies” are late teens or all grown up it will be a blast to play together. Expansion packs are available including Absurd, 90’s Nostalgia Pack, Food Pack, and the Theatre Pack.

Photo credit: Amazon

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Never Have I Ever

Want to be rewarded for all the bad decisions you’ve ever made AND learn new things about your friends? Gather up some friends for a game at your judgment-free table.

Photo credit: Amazon

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What Do You Meme?

This game has you caption a meme from cards you’ve drawn. Be warned there are some pretty dirty cards but a lot of laughs.

Photo credit: Amazon

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What are your family’s favorite board games? Share with us!

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