The Best Family Board Games Featured in this article My family has had a board game night most weeks for several years now, and we’ve discovered some great games to bring us all together around the table. These are our favorite games, partially selected with the help of my two kids, now aged 14 and 17 (they were 8 and 11 when I first wrote this guide). We didn’t include board game classics you probably know all about (or own), like Clue, Monopoly, Connect 4, Scrabble, Operation, Chutes and Ladders, Battleship, Jenga, Guess Who, Pictionary, Uno, and Risk.

Updated July 2026: I added Sell Me a Sasquatch and Boss Fighters QR, a mention for In a World, removed a few old games, and updated prices. Tips for Having a Great Family Game Night Watch videos on YouTube to learn how to play: You can appoint someone to read the rules, but most folks will tune out after a few sentences. Videos allow everyone to learn visually, and you can usually find one for your chosen game on YouTube.

Prepare snacks in advance: People get hangry, and it can be frustrating if someone has to go on a snack run in the middle of a game. Set up your snacks before you start. Pick a themed soundtrack: Some of the best family board games, like Mysterium, have a companion soundtrack you can find online, and it helps to set the mood and get folks immersed.

If your chosen game doesn’t have a soundtrack, find a fitting playlist, or just go for gentle instrumental music (we often play movie soundtracks). Make sure everyone has a good view: If you’re lucky enough to have a big dining table, that’s the best place to play games because everyone can sit in a chair and see the board in the middle. This is trickier in a living room, but do your best to ensure everyone can see properly, or they’ll lose interest.

Banish phones: Checking phones between rounds should be banned. It kills the momentum and atmosphere, and it means people take longer when it comes to their turn because they were on their phones when they were meant to be planning their next move. Set a time limit: We have all had those marathon games where everyone is fed up and tired.

You have to know when to call it to prevent moodiness from setting in, so before play starts, set a hard time for when you will stop. Let your kids take turns picking the game: If you’re lucky enough to have kids who want to play the same game, I am deeply jealous. Failing that, the only fair way is to let them take turns picking.

We often pick a game each for family game nights. Try new games: While you will likely have favorite games you often return to, new games can inject some intrigue and excitement into your game night. A balance of familiar and new is what makes for a good game night.

If your family is very competitive, choose cooperative games: Sore losers are no fun, and some sibling rivalries can turn nasty. When our kids went through a phase of constant competition, we found cooperative games made for a much smoother night. More Family Board Games There are so many family board games.

Here are a few more we liked. In a World for $28: Someone reads out an “In a World," card which might say “where we are setting up a colony on a distant planet," and then the players read out “We want” cards like “a lifetime supply of bananas” or “a thriving coffee shop." It’s a family-friendly twist on Cards Against Humanity (with similar weaknesses), but players also try to sell their card as the best pick which adds a nice twist.