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The 17 Best Family Games of 2024

Spice up your family game nights with these fun picks

#CultureTags: A Game for People Who Love Hashtags

The Spruce / Lecia Landis

Whether you are looking for indoor activities that don't involve screen time or want to bond with your kids, it's always wise to have a few family-friendly games on hand.

Through our research and testing, we discovered that the recommended age and duration of a game are the most important factors to consider when shopping. Staying within the recommended age range ensures all players understand the rules and can thoroughly enjoy the game while being appropriately challenged. Otherwise, frustration and fighting can ensue.

"The best family games work well with a variety of ages, meaning that younger players can understand the rules and take part, while older players are not bored out of their minds," says ​​Erik Arneson, a game expert and the author of How to Host a Game Night.

The duration of a game is equally important, especially when playing with children with varying attention spans. Luckily, this list includes games with fast-paced 10-minute rounds you can play again and again and some longer options with game plays of up to an hour for older children and adults.

We tested and researched the top games based on the age range, duration, number of players, and game type.

Exploding Kittens has all the elements of a great family game—it's easy to learn, competitive and provides just the right amount of silly fun, proven through our testing. The objective of this card game is to take turns drawing a card from the pile without pulling an exploding kitten, and the process continues until one player is left and crowned the winner. 

While it's a luck-based game, each round is still super exciting. There are a few strategies involved, we discovered during testing, which can make it frustrating for young players. The game’s creators recommend ages seven and up, but we think that depends greatly on the seven-year-old. Age is less relevant than temperament. But, the simple concept and minimal reading make it fun for various players, regardless of age.

Age Range: 7 and up | Number of Players: 2-5 | Playing Time: 15 minutes

Highly recommended by Erik Arneson, a game expert and the author of How to Host a Game Night, and beloved during our testing, Telestrations is an endlessly fun and funny drawing game. There are a few different versions, but the 6-player Family Pack is ideal for playing among relatives of all ages. Players take turns drawing and guessing the original phrase, resulting in a hilarious display of artistry and interpretation.

A silly take on the classic games of telephone and Pictionary, it comes with over 800 words, plus all the drawing materials you need. And as Arneson notes, "No artistic skill is needed!" Young ones will love the artistic element but may need a little help with some of the phrases. It's equally fun with a group of adults on a game night or birthday party. We loved how each game felt completely different.

Age Range: 12 years and up | Number of Players: 4-8 | Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

According to Cardner Clark, store manager of Guardian Games in Portland, Oregon, the best family board game is Ticket to Ride. "What starts as a fun puzzle of matching colors to build train routes can get cutthroat when you block someone's path," she tells The Spruce. Recommended for ages eight and up, this competitive railroad-themed game involves strategy, wit, and a sense of adventure.

The fast-paced strategy game challenges players to build train routes across major cities in North America to distribute different resources. You can intersect and block other players to ensure yours is the strongest and longest in the game.

Age Range: 8 years and up | Number of Players: 2-5 | Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

Greg May, founder and CEO of The Uncommons, a board game cafe in Manhattan, is a fan of Spot It! for families. This simple, yet incredibly fun card game involves memory, matching, visual perception, and quick thinking. Though it's easy to learn, people of all ages will get a kick out of it.

"You can play even with young kids," notes May. The premise is simple; players race to find the image that appears on both cards, and whoever spots it first wins that round.

Age Range: 6 years and up | Number of Players: 2-8 | Playing Time: 10-20 minutes

Dolphin Hat Games Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

Dolphin Hat Games Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

Target

There's a reason that Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza has over 40,000 5-star reviews on Amazon. What we love about the game is its speed, which is perfect for busy families who want to find some time to connect—the game only takes 10-15 minutes to complete.

The gist of the game is to have zero cards by the end. Players take turns saying a word in the sequence of the name and flipping over a card. When the spoken word matches the card that was just played, everybody slaps the pile, and unfortunately, the last person to slap has to take the pile.

Age Range: 7 years and up | Number of Players: 2-8 | Playing Time: 10-15 minutes

Splurt is a blast, and it is truly a game that brings the whole family together for fast-paced fun. Each card in the deck has a category on one side, and on the other side is a letter and the spot in the word that the letter designates, for example, "starting with f" or "ending with y."

The first person to yell out a word fitting both descriptions ("a movie start starting with w" or a "pizza topping beginning ending with t") wins that card. The game continues until all the cards are gone, and the player with the most cards wins. This game is fun with just two players but is also perfect for large groups, like families.

Age Range: 10 years and up | Number of Players: 2+ | Playing Time: 15 minutes

George & Company LLC Left Center Right

George & Company LLC Left Center Right

Amazon

Left Center Right is a fast-paced, addictive dice game the whole family will enjoy. The travel-friendly tin houses three dice and 24 playing chips. LCR doesn't call for any decision-making, but it's undoubtedly competitive.

All you do is roll the dice to see where to pass your chips, and the last person with chips wins. The simple luck-based concept makes it easy for all ages to master and enjoy again and again. It's also a great option for playing with large groups.

Age Range: 5 years and up | Number of Players: 3+ | Playing Time: Not Listed

Test how well you know your fellow players with this addictive word game, Blank Slate. We love this game for its simple design that results in tons of fun. Pick a word cue card from the deck, for example, "cold."

Players will take a moment to write the first word that comes to mind on their small whiteboard and reveal their answers to the group. If you think alike with another player, you both will get points. But, if you match more than one player (or none at all), you don't get any points. Therefore, try to be unique, but not too unique.

Age Range: 8 years and up | Number of Players: 3-8 | Playing Time: 30 minutes

#CultureTags: A Game for People Who Love Hashtags

#CultureTags: A Game for People Who Love Hashtags

Amazon

Sometimes, family game night can be lost on tech-obsessed teenagers. But, this game is sure to bring the family together for a hilarious celebration of culture. Players take turns giving hints, trying to guess the acronym before the time runs out.

Designed by a Black-owned game company, Culture Tags pulls mainly from Black culture, but any player can enjoy the fast-paced guessing game. What we love about this game is the ability to switch it up and personalize it with the expansion packs, which include specific questions tailored to moms, 90s music lovers, or anyone who witnessed the 2020 mess.

Age Range: 13 years and up | Number of Players: 2-5 | Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

Super easy to learn and aimed at children, Zingo! is perfect for younger kiddos—but that doesn't mean adults won't enjoy it, too. The bingo-style game includes 24 double-sided cards and 72 tiles. Slide the Zinger to reveal images, and fill in your card when there's a match—that's all there is to it.

Kids learn critical language and matching skills as they play. You can even incorporate small prizes and rewards to increase the competition.

Age Range: 4 years and up | Number of Players: 2-6 | Playing Time: Not Listed

"My top pick for a family game is Forbidden Island," Clark tells The Spruce. "It's cooperative, so everyone works together to find treasure and escape before the island sinks."

This adventurous game encourages problem-solving, strategy, and cooperation. "Every game tends to be exciting, and it's amazing how often they come right down to the wire," adds Arneson. Players work together to go on a fearless mission through a forbidden island, searching for four treasures.

Age Range: 10 years and up | Number of Players: 2-4 | Playing Time: 30 minutes

What Do You Meme? Family Edition

What Do You Meme? Family Edition

Courtesy of Amazon

This family edition of the beloved hilarious card game is perfect for younger players. When playing What Do You Meme?, you compete with your friends and family to create the funniest memes. With each round, a new teammate becomes the judge, offering entertaining and comical moments as family members get a new sense of each other's humor.

We love that you can play with larger groups or even create teams to accommodate more players. The game includes pop-culture references and phrases that young children may not understand, but it's easy to edit out those cards and continue playing for hours on end.

Age Range: 8 years and up | Number of Players: 3-20 | Playing Time: Not listed

Endless Games The Floor is Lava Game

Endless Games The Floor is Lava Game

Walmart

Get the whole family together moving their bodies with The Floor Is Lava. The active game is inspired by the often parodied, imaginative game in which parents encourage kids to pretend the family room floor is, well, lava.

Similar to Twister, it's super simple but also incredibly fun—and perhaps best of all, it encourages physical activity. We also like that it can be played with kids as young as five. It definitely requires room to run around, so be sure to clear a space in the living room to enjoy this game to the fullest.

Age Range: 5 years and up | Number of Players: 2-6 | Playing Time: 10-45 minutes

Gutter Games Beat That! The Bonkers Battle of Wacky Challenges

Gutter Games Beat That! The Bonkers Battle of Wacky Challenges

Amazon

Looking for something to play outside? You should definitely consider Beat That! The set comes with 160 challenges, including everything from balancing a cup and stacking dice with chopsticks to floating paper airplanes and shooting baskets with ping pong balls, with everything you need included in the box.

This backyard game can be played with two to eight players and is suitable for kids about nine and older. It's said to take just two minutes to learn, which we love for keeping kids' attention. While this isn't the best game to play during the winter, we believe you could finagle the rules of this game to play an indoor version as well.

Age Range: 9 years and up | Number of Players: 2-8 | Playing Time: 30-90 minutes

This small card game from Skillmatics easily fits in purses, pockets, or car consoles for passing the time during family vacations. A take on the game 20 Questions, Guess in 10 challenges you to guess the animal, dinosaur, Marvel character, or country with just 10 questions.

There are junior versions for ages 3 to 6, while some accommodate kids ages 8 and up. This means there's a version for everyone in the family to enjoy and compete in. Turn the game into a family challenge by asking who can guess the item first, or play with two players as they take turns asking and guessing. As you play, you'll also learn new facts about animals, dinosaurs, professions, countries, and more.

Age Range: 3 years and up | Number of Players: 2-6 | Playing Time: Not listed

Once your family is ready for a strategic challenge, reach for the best-selling game, Catan. Named after the fictional island where it takes place, Catan encourages players to earn points by building houses and cities, organizing armies, owning the largest piece of land, and more. Everyone builds their civilization in hopes of being the largest and the strongest.

While it's suitable for ages 10 and up, we noted during testing that kids ranging from 7 to 15 years old enjoyed themselves playing, some with a little bit of help. Catan is an awesome, absorbing game, and vying to build the biggest settlements is as exciting as it gets, we discovered while playing. Give yourself some grace with mastering this game and its rules, but once you've mastered the concept, you're in store for endless games of challenging fun.

Age Range: 10 years and up | Number of Players: 3-4 | Playing Time: 60 minutes

Underdog Games Trekking the National Parks

Underdog Games Trekking the National Parks

Amazon

Visit the United States National Parks without ever leaving your living room with Underdog Games' Trekking the National Parks board game. Players travel around the gorgeous game board, trying to visit as many national parks as possible and win the game. As you go, you learn fun facts about the different locations, various wildlife, preservation efforts, and more regarding the great outdoors.

The setup changes with every game for endless replay value. Created by a couple who visited every national park and developed the game with their son, Trekking the National Parks donates a portion of each purchase to the National Parks Conservation Association, so you can give back to the places you read about as you play.

Age Range: 10 years and up | Number of Players: 2-5 | Playing Time: 30-60 minutes

What to Look for in a Family Game

Type

When buying a family game, you'll see there are several different types. This includes everything from board games, card games, and dice games to trivia, physical challenges, and activities involving drawing guessing, or building things. Consider what your family or players are interested in and try to fit your game to those interests. For example, Culture Tags speak to Black culture, while Guess in 10 has multiple different themes, such as ocean animals and dinosaurs, which may pique a child's interest.

Card games, like Spot It! are often ideal for travel and take up little space in your toy closet. They also usually come at a more affordable price than traditional board games but can miss out on some of the vital storytelling elements that game boards provide.

Age Range

Before buying a family game, be sure to check the recommended age range. The options on this list were selected because they're fun for adults and kids alike, though some may be too challenging for younger children. That said, there are lots of excellent options for ages four or five and older that the whole family will enjoy.

If you're playing with younger kids, look for a game with easy instructions like Zingo!, while older kids can handle something a bit more complicated and strategic like Forbidden Island.

Number of Players

An important option to consider is the minimum and the maximum number of players for each game. Most games need at least two players, though some call for three or more. Additionally, some cap out at five players, while others can be played with eight or more people.

For big parties and family gatherings, we recommend What Do You Meme? because it can be played for up to 20 people, and arguably even more if you play in teams.

Playing Time

We also recommend checking the time commitment for each game. Some board games and strategy games take upwards of an hour to play, while lots of card games involve super-quick rounds that take 15 minutes or less.

Consider the ages and attention spans of the children playing and go from there. A family full of adults may be more inclined to enjoy hours of gameplay conducive to games like Catan, while families with young kids should search for games with short rounds that can be played over and over again like The Floor is Lava.

FAQ
  • How do you have a family game night?

    Making game night a regular family activity takes a little planning and follow-through, but once you get it going it can easily become a family tradition that everyone enjoys and nobody wants to miss. First, choose a day and time of the week that works for everyone in your family’s schedule and mark it on the calendar as game night.

    Next, choose a game that everyone likes to play (guess if you're not sure). Choose a dedicated spot in your home to host the game night, whether that’s the kitchen or dining room table, around the coffee table in the living room, or at a dedicated game table. Turn off phones and other technology to promote concentration and bonding. Depending on what time you are hosting the game, you might want to choose some light snacks that aren’t sticky or wet so that they won’t damage the game if they spill.

    Play, enjoy, repeat. If everyone is enjoying a certain game, stick with it. Or you can add variation and give each family member a sense of ownership over family game night by taking turns picking games every week. The only rule about family game night is that the rules are yours to make.

  • What is the oldest board game?

    According to the British Museum, that title belongs to The Royal Game of Ur, which can be traced back approximately 4,600 years to ancient Mesopotamia. The museum has an original model from 2500BC on display in its collection, and sells a modern reproduction of the board game which it describes as “the famous race game played by the kings and queens of ancient Ur.”

    The two-player game includes a board, two sets of variously colored game pieces, and tetrahedral dice, and you can watch a British Museum curator show you how it’s played if you’re curious. 

  • How do you store board games?

    Board games come in varying sizes, but they tend to come in a short rectangular box of some sort, making them easy to stack. It’s a good idea to store your board games in an accessible spot that will encourage you to play them.

    This can mean open shelving in your family room, in a storage closet, or in a specially designed coffee table with built-in storage that is made for keeping board games at the ready. 

Why Trust The Spruce?

Theresa Holland is a freelance copywriter specializing in commerce, consumer goods, parenting, and lifestyle. For this roundup, she pored over user reviews and combed through the recommended age range, time, and number of players for dozens of products, ultimately selecting games that were easy to learn and fun for both adults and kids.

Holland is a big fan of board games and has played several hands of Exploding Kittens and Telestrations in recent years. She has been writing for The Spruce since 2019, where she covers recreation, travel, and outdoor living.

Our Experts:

  • Erik Arneson, a game expert and the author of How to Host a Game Night
  • Cardner Clark, store manager of Guardian Games in Portland, Oregon
  • Greg May, founder, and CEO of The Uncommons, a board game cafe in Manhattan
  • Julia Fields, associate commerce editor
The Spruce uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. 10 Historical Board Games. The British Museum.

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