20 Fun Family Board Games

Playing games as a family is great for bonding and can also teach kids how to win and lose well in a safe setting, so it’s something we love to do together! I confess though, I do not enjoy playing games like Candy Land or Sorry. Once our kids are old enough, I’m ready to teach them games that I also enjoy playing.

Here are 20 fun family board games that both you and your kids will love to play!

20 Fun Family Board Games

Chameleon (age 11+)

This is a new game we got for Christmas.  It’s super fun and each round goes very quickly.  See if you can blend in and not get caught!
Note: The recommend age is 14+ but our younger girls have done great learning it so I’m lowering the age.  There are a few cards that might not be appropriate for younger ones, so just leave those out.

Unstable Unicorns (ages 8+)

What’s more fun than building your own Unicorn Army?  My girls love this game, so much so that my college kids took it to school!

Blokus (ages 7+)

Blokus is kind of like Tetris on a game board that you play with other people. Great for younger kids, as it doesn’t require reading and is mostly a visual strategy game.

Bohnanza (ages 10+)

A friend introduced us to this game, and it’s been such a fun one. It’s all played with cards with hilarious pictures of different beans, and it’s a combination of strategy and trading as well as the luck of which cards you draw.

Carcassone (ages 8+)

In this game, you’re trying to place tiles on a communal board and claim different things with your pieces so you can get points. While younger kids may not get the entire strategy, this game doesn’t require any reading and can quickly learn the rules.

Chess 

I am not really sure of the age range for chess, but I know kids as young as 5 that have learned. This particular version of the game can be played like regular chess, or in a modified version so that new players can learn all the different moves and what pieces can do.

Chickapig (ages 8+)

This was a Christmas gift for one of our kids, and it has brought a lot of laughs. It has a board where you are trying to get your chickapigs (chicken + pig) across the board, but you can sabotage other players by moving certain pieces around.

Citadels (ages 10+) 

This is a fun game that a friend introduced us to. It is better for older kids, but it’s one of those games that’s totally different every time you play it, which is important to me when I’m buying an expensive game! The one I’ve linked to in the picture is a newer version that is more elaborate.

Codenames (ages 10+)

This is a great team game that the whole family can play if one adult is on each team. There is also a version with pictures.

Labyrinth (ages 7+)

This game has been around a long time, probably because it’s a game that’s different every time you play! You’re trying to get through the labyrinth (maze), but the actual maze gets moved around, so your strategy is always changing.

Mexican Train Dominos (ages 8+)

Regular dominos gets taken to the next level with Mexican Train Dominos. You get dominos and have to try to get rid of them by building your own train and finding ways to play them on the trains of other players.

Munchkin (ages 10+)

This is a card game where you’re pretending to be a medieval “munchkin” and get armor and other weapons so you can fight monsters. (Note: Although it is marketed for ages 10+, there are a few cards that have slightly inappropriate jokes on them, so you might want to remove those cards before playing depending on the age of your kids.)

Pandemic (ages 8+)

This is a cooperative game, which means all the players are working together to “beat” the game, which in this case means finding a cure to a pandemic before it takes over the world. The fact that it’s a cooperative game makes it perfect for kids and adults to play together.

Qwirkle (ages 6+)

Another game great for kids who can’t read well yet, this game has you placing down tiles in order to win the game.

Risk (ages 10+) 

This game may not be for everyone, but if you have several older kids and you’re all stuck inside, you might be up for playing this hours-long strategy game. There’s also a version for younger kids.

Rummikub (ages 8+)

I have fond memories of playing this with my grandma as a child, and I’m looking forward to passing the tradition on to my own kids with this classic game.

Sequence (ages 7+)

Kind of like playing Bingo together on a big board, this game is a combination of luck and strategy and is simple enough for kids to play.

Settlers (ages 10+)

This game has been around for a good 20 years, but people are still playing it. Get ready to get some expansion packs because your crew is going to want to keep playing!

Splendor (ages 10+)

We don’t own this one, but I’ve played it and now it’s on my Christmas wish list. It’s another game that doesn’t require reading, so I actually think kids younger than 10 could easily learn to play.

Ticket to Ride (ages 8+) 

This is one of my favorite games, and kids love it, too. You start the game with a goal of connecting trains between certain cities, but there’s always the possibility that another play might intentionally or unintentionally block your route. There is also a version for younger kids (my kids prefer to just play the original version though).

What are your favorite family board games? Let us know in the comments!