16 Extremely Fun Board Games for Family Game Night
Move over, Monopoly! We’re adding some exciting new board games to our family game night rotation. Everyone loves a family game night, but we know things can get tricky when you have a wide range of ages playing together.
We’ve rounded up some of the newest fan-favorite board games for children of all ages! There’s something for everyone, whether you want to test your trivia knowledge or go on adventures across the board. These games are educational, competitive, hilarious and just downright entertaining!
Psst…Here are the Best Escape Rooms for Families in New York!
Toddlers & Preschoolers
Monkey Around
Develop Social and Emotional Skills
$21.99 from Barnes & Noble; ages 2+; for parent-child play
This card game prompts players to practice motor skills like hopping and balancing, as well as giving hugs and high fives. Get ready for your kid to go bananas as they play and interact with this game!
Tiny Polka Dot
Make Number-Learning Fun!
$14.95 from Barnes & Nobles; ages 3+; 1-6 players
Practice numbers, math and logic in this educational game! Similar to a deck of cards, there are six “suits” which represent numbers in different patterns.
You will be prompted to find ways to represent the numbers, such as matching numerals with countable shapes. Take inspiration from this game and be inspired to make your own as your child continues to advance.
Elementary School Kids
Floor is Lava
Get Moving!
$19.99 from Barnes & Noble; ages 5+; 2-6 players
Based on a game you have probably played before, the board game version of “the floor is lava” lets your imagination run wild!
Jump between foam pieces which correspond to the color your spinner lands in order to reach safety. Be sure to check that your foam pieces are not too slippery on the surface you use to play.
Sushi Go
Become a Sushi Chef
$11.99 from Amazon; ages 8+; 2-5 players
This fast-playing card game is a must-have for sushi lovers and aspiring chefs. The goal is to grab the best combination of sushi dishes as quickly as you can. Score points for making the most maki rolls or for collecting a full set of sashimi.
There are wildcards such as the wasabi or the chopsticks card which add unpredictability to the game. It’s all around delicious and easy-to-play fun.
Dixit
Create Your Own Fairytale
$39.79 from Amazon; ages 8+; up to 8 players
Dixit is a storytelling game that invites players to exercise their imagination and create stories using the playful illustrations. Every player takes a turn being the storyteller, choosing a card and giving a creative clue for it, whether it’s a word, a phrase, or even a song.
Other players then choose one of their own cards that they believe best matches the clue. This creates a whimsical game which is different every time you play it, depending on the imagination of the group.
Haunted Mansion
For Disney World Superfans
$17.39 from Amazon; ages 9+; 2-6 players
Take a trip to Walt Disney World for the night as you play the board game-version of this iconic Magic Kingdom attraction.
Explore the ghost-infested mansion as you collect Ghost Cards to earn points and avoid Haunt Cards, which will make you lose points. Enjoy the fun design on the game board and cards as you play this spooky game.
Tweens & Middle School Kids
Disney Villainous
Embrace Your Inner Villain
$32.35 from Amazon; ages 12+; 2-6 players
Play as an infamous Disney villain with your own playing board and quest in this unique game! Complete your quest before the other players to win the game.
The original game pack includes Captain Hook, Maleficent, Jafar, Ursula, Queen of Hearts and Prince John, but the game’s popularity has led to even more expansions: play as an assortment of villains from Disney, Pixar and Marvel films.
Artsy Fartsy
For More Artistic Play
$24.99 from Amazon; ages 10+; 4-12 players
This game touts itself as “not your parents’ drawing game” which has been created by moms, dads and kids.
You will have outrageous drawing prompts, several of which kids themselves dreamed up, as well extra features like drawing with your non-dominant hand and stealing points from other players. Update your drawing-based game night with this hilarious and competitive game.
Mind the Gap
For Intergenerational Play
$24.99 from Amazon; ages 10+; 2-20 players
Go head to head with kids, parents and grandparents in this fantastic trivia board game. Test how well you know pop culture references from Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X and Baby Boomer eras. You may just be surprised by how much you know.
Teens & High School Kids
Codenames
Great for Partner Games
$12.39 from Target; ages 10+; 2-6+ players
Play with your partner against other teams to “make contact” with your secret agents. Guided by a card which re-arranges the board each round, you will use one-word clues to guide your partner to as many “agents” as possible while trying to avoid hinting at the other teams’ “agents.”
With endless playing arrangements and “agent” names, you will have fun with this game for hours! Try switching up partners to figure out who has the best telepathic connections.
Alice is Missing
For Aspiring Detectives
$21.99 from Barnes & Noble; ages 16+; 3-5 players
This silent roleplay game is unlike any you have ever seen! The story centers around Alice, a teen who goes missing in Northern California. Spend the first 45 minutes sending texts to create your characters and their relationships to Alice and each other.
The next 90 minutes of the game reveals Alice’s fate by using characters’ text messages. Accompanied by a great soundtrack, this long-play game is the perfect way to change up your game night and solve a mystery.
Family Favorites
Ticket to Ride
Best Overall Board Game
$47.99 from Target; ages 8+; 2-5 players
Take a journey from sea to shining sea as you compete to build railroads between major US cities on the board! Earn points by building the longest route, completing a route between two cities on your Destination Cards and claiming a route between two adjacent cities.
This new classic is easy to learn and “thoroughly chilled out” for many nights of family fun!
Throw Throw Burrito
For Everyone’s Inner Kid
$24.99 from Amazon; ages 7+; 2-6 players
Self-described as “The World’s First Dodgeball Card Game,” this is a fantastic option that both kids and adults can enjoy. The object is to collect cards while simultaneously ducking and throwing the plush burritos included in the game package–just make sure not to play near any antiques!
Herd Mentality
Best for a Party
$20.00 from Amazon; ages 10+; 4-20 players
Everyone secretly writes an answer to a question like “What is the best way to cook an egg?” Win cow tokens if your answer is in the majority, but watch your score get trampled by the pink cow if your answer is singled out.
Try to guess how everyone else will answer these outrageous questions and get ready to learn what your friends and family really think!
Adults and Parents
Monikers
Play with Your College-Age Kids
$24.99 from Amazon; ages 17+; 4-16+ players
Based on the game Celebrity, this is a great game to play with your friends or with your older children! You will be given topics to reveal to your teammates like “Ebola” or “The Heimlich Maneuver.”
In the first round, you can say anything except the word itself to guide your teammates; in the second round, only one-word clues; in the third round, only charades are allowed! This challenging and funny game will be in rotation for years to come.
Telestrations After Dark
For the Parents
$23.99 from Amazon; ages 17+; 4-8 players
Perfect for after the kids have been put to bed, this game is a grown-up version of the classic drawing-based game “Telestrations.” Put your art skills to the test with weird, wacky, and sometimes unintelligible prompts, from “It’s Raining Men” to “organ donor”!
This game does contain many adult prompts, so take caution before you let the kids sit in on this one.
