For most of the week, it's likely your family is hustling through the daily madness of life with work and school, barely finding time at the end of the day to scarf down a quick dinner before homework and bed. But a classic family board game has the power to encourage your entire crew to hit the pause button for a few hours and make room for memories that'll last a lifetime. You'll be grateful to have a game on hand that doesn't require technology — one that everyone in your fam can agree on. And best of all? It gets your kids off their screens for a couple of hours.
My family is a huge fan of board games. We have several shelves dedicated to our epic rivalries. After all, playing Catan or Code Names can take a dreary Friday night to a rousing evening of good-natured ribbing, jokes, and a ton of fun.
From classic games like Chess to newer favorites like Kids Against Maturity, today's family board game options are nearly endless. Our team researched each game here, evaluating online ratings and reviews, and most have been played by the team with their families.
These are the best family board games you can buy for your next game night!
Inspired by the very adult game Cards Against Humanity, this family-appropriate card game prompts players with fill-in-the-blank questions. Each person then chooses a card from their hand that they think is the best response.
Warning: The answer cards are totally ridiculous, so be prepared for some wacky combinations. My kids love this game for car trips.
This family board game belongs in every home. Not only will everyone have a blast getting goofy, but the time spent playing this game doubles as an opportunity for kids to build confidence when it comes to expression, creativity, and improv.
When my family plays, it takes about 45 minutes to complete a game, making it a solid choice for younger players with shorter attention spans.
3Kids Against Maturity: Card Game for Kids and Humanity
This little cube contains loads of fun for your next family game night. This trivia-box version of the popular game show Family Feud provides hundreds of questions for players to choose from. It never gets old.
How well can you and your family work under pressure? Heist is a family board game that tests how level-headed you can stay while trying to crack open a safe and steal all of the loot.
Follow the instructions carefully ... because after three false moves, you'll sound the alarm.
Oh, it's on. Finally, it's our chance as parents to prove how good/terrible we are at board games once and for all. This hilarious game will have you battling your children through trivia, challenges, and daring wagers.
Be prepared to do the dishes for a week after playing a few rounds of Beat the Parents: I'm pretty sure it's rigged.
True story: Playing this game may lead to inexplicable quotations from Lord of the Rings, Labyrinth,and The Neverending Story. I know because I speak from experience. (And the Goblin King was a wonderful babysitter. Fight me.)
Labyrinth is a classic board game that's easy to learn to play and absolutely habit-forming. Each kid deserves to learn it ... and possibly quote Shrek.
This family board game is one of the best to ever hit the market. Perfect for ages 10 and up, this game has you build an entire civilization from the ground up using just cards and the board. It's all about strategy, and it's genuinely one of the best ways in which you can spend a Saturday night.
This game takes a few hours for my family to get through, so it's definitely for ages 10 and up.
If Memory and Guess Who decided to have a baby, this game would be it. It requires a little bit of subterfuge and a whole lot of free space in your brain, which is pretty much perfect for kids who want to beat their parents. It's like Among Us, but less terrifyingly online.
Even if you hate to admit it, the most entertaining character in a Disney movie is most definitely the villain. This board game is all about tapping into your inner bad guy to win.
The game comes with some of your favorite evil characters like Scar and Ursula, but it can also be played with other Villainous expansion packs.
When your family consists of a blend of kiddos of all different ages, you need a game that everyone can quickly understand and enjoy: Clack is it.
The directions are super easy. Spread out the magnetic discs and roll the two die. Depending on their shape and color combination, everyone playing will race to pick up each disc that fits the bill. No need to spend hours arguing over the directions — just get to playing.
This is the ultimate game for competitive crews, featuring 10 rounds of challenges that range from funny to tricky to outrageous tasks.
From racing to stack a pyramid of cups with just your elbows to bouncing two balls into two cups at the same time with only one hand, this game will encourage you to get up and get moving. I liken it to the ridiculous games you'd play at sleepaway camp, but with fewer mosquitoes and less singing.
Try to avoid a rogue assassin in this game of secrets and clues. Between the spymasters and the teammates, everyone is racing to unveil the true identity behind the codenames by using the random clues given.
There's only one problem, however: One of you is the secret assassin. As an avid true crime fan, I dominate this game, but my 13-year-old is quickly catching up.
This is the kid version of the super popular board game Settlers of Catan. It's a perfect intro for kids ages 6 and up who are ready to explore the world of Catan. (Don't forget to find the gold while you're navigating the tropical islands.)
This is hands-down the best intro to traditional table gaming that you'll ever find. It's easy to learn, fast playing, and a ton of fun.
With more than 1,000 rave reviews on Amazon, this classic strategy game is a hit with parents who get to pass along their love of chess to their kids.
Cat BowenParenting EditorCat Bowen is the parenting editor at BestProducts.com where she researches all of the best products for families from pre-conception through their teen years, focusing on matching scientific evidence with real-life needs.
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