23 board & card games for family game night
Family game nights have become a cherished tradition for many households, offering a perfect blend of entertainment and bonding. This article explores a diverse array of board and card games that have stood the test of time, featuring insights from gaming experts and family enthusiasts alike. From classic favorites to modern gems, discover how these games can transform ordinary evenings into unforgettable family experiences.
- Apples to Apples Sparks Family Laughter
- Skip-Bo and Chicken Foot Unite Generations
- Telestrations Transforms Words Into Hilarity
- Mille Bornes Bridges Generations
- Cat Chaos Captivates Family Game Night
- Ticket to Ride Blends Strategy
- Battleship Combines Luck and Deduction
- Azul Balances Planning and Adaptation
- Poker Challenges Crew at Various Ports
- Catan Fosters Family Bonding
- Dixit Ignites Imagination and Laughter
- Taco Cat Goat Pizza Unites Family
- Carcassonne Engages Analytical Thinking
- Dobble Sharpens Reaction Time
- Monopoly Teaches Risk and Finance
- Cribbage Strengthens Father-Child Bond
- Kings in Corner Demands Participation
- Jenga Tests Nerves Across Generations
- Codenames Encourages Creative Thinking
- Uno Provides Unpredictable Family Fun
- Monopoly Creates Quirky Family Traditions
- Ludo Turns Quiet Nights Raucous
- Monopoly Hotels Build Family Memories
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Apples to Apples Sparks Family Laughter
Easy! Our family’s favorite card game has to be Apples to Apples.
It’s the one game that guarantees laughter every single time we pull it out.
What makes it so enjoyable is how it levels the playing field — no matter your age, intelligence, or personality (we have a wide range in our larger family gatherings), everyone has a fair shot at winning.
And regardless of who wins, we always seem to spark some sort of hysterical laugh-out-loud moment, where we realize that kindergarten Timmy has a better sense of humor than Uncle Steve — the kind of stuff that helps parents realize how smart our kids are and create core memories for the children.
My youngest once paired “Napoleon” with “Tiny” and proudly declared, “See? I do listen in history class!”
Moments like that remind us why we keep coming back to Apples to Apples: it stimulates creativity, gets everyone talking, and creates inside jokes that we’ll be laughing about for weeks.
It’s simple, social, and always leaves the whole table smiling — don’t sleep on Apples to Apples!
Amy Johnson, Founder and Blogger, AmyBabys.com
Skip-Bo and Chicken Foot Unite Generations
One of our favorite family games to play is Skip-Bo — my wife and I love playing it with her parents during game nights. We don’t have children yet, but it always turns into a fun, competitive time with someone new winning each round, which keeps things fresh.
We’re also big fans of Chicken Foot, a dominoes game where the goal is to match your tiles and get rid of them while scoring the fewest points. It’s simple enough for the younger children in our family to enjoy, but still fun for the grandparents, too. It’s one of those games that brings everyone together, regardless of age, with tons of laughs, light competition, and great bonding every time we play.
Cameron Allen, Athlete & Loan Specialist, Grapplers Graveyard
Telestrations Transforms Words Into Hilarity
Every Christmas, my family looks forward to playing Telestrations. We loved it so much a decade ago that it has become our holiday tradition. It’s basically a mash-up of telephone and Pictionary, where each person draws a word, then passes it around for the next person to guess, then draw again, and so on. By the time it comes back full circle, the original word has usually morphed into something hilarious, and we’re all in tears from laughing.
What makes it so enjoyable is how it brings out everyone’s lack of drawing skills! It levels the playing field, creates a ton of inside jokes, and always leads to the happiest moments of the night. No matter how many times we play it, it never gets old.
Jeff Michael, Ecommerce Business Owner, Supplements Warehouse
Mille Bornes Bridges Generations
Mille Bornes! It’s a favorite in our family—fun for all ages and great for helping younger kids practice their adding skills. We love playing outside on summer evenings; it’s the perfect quick game to unwind after dinner and unplug from screens. I remember playing it with my dad as a kid, and now I get to pass it down to my own children. The timeless games really do stick around. I even include it in some of our family game night gift boxes—it’s just that good!
Veronica Cockerham, Owner/Founder, Apple Blossom Gift Baskets
Cat Chaos Captivates Family Game Night
Last year, we looked after our neighbours’ cats while they went away. The gift they gave us as a thank you has been played too many times to count! Cat Chaos is now our absolute favourite game to play as a family. It’s quick to set up, fun to play (even for the grown-ups!) and small enough to pop in a handbag when we go away, or even out for dinner. With cat names on the cards such as Pawdrey Hepburn and Luke Skywhisker, it keeps everyone amused. We’ve bought it as a gift for so many of our children’s friends, and they’ve all loved it! Our plan now is to buy the dog version – Canine Chaos!
Helen Duke, Photographer, Helen Duke Photography
Ticket to Ride Blends Strategy
My family’s favorite game to play together is Ticket to Ride. There’s something about the perfect balance of strategy, competition, and sheer luck that keeps everyone engaged. What makes it so enjoyable is how it manages to bring out a little bit of everything in all of us.
I remember one game night vividly—we had spent a good ten minutes teasing each other over risking a longer route or playing it safe. My dad, the most “tactical” of us, went for an ambitious cross-country path. Halfway through, my younger sister secretly blocked his route with her train pieces, pretending it was entirely unintentional. The laughter that ensued was unforgettable.
I think what makes it special is how it blends fun and friendly competition without leaving anyone out. Players of all ages can grasp the rules quickly, yet there’s plenty of room for strategy to keep things interesting. Most of all, it’s the time spent together, talking and laughing between turns, that turns a simple game into cherished memories. For us, it’s more than just a game; it’s a tradition.
Rengie Wisper, CMO, CarLightsLogo
Battleship Combines Luck and Deduction
It has to be Battleship. There’s lots of suspense and drama, especially for the boys, who you can literally see holding their breath waiting to see if your guess is going to sink their aircraft carrier or miss completely.
I think what has made Battleship so enjoyable for many generations is the psychological warfare aspect. You’re not just randomly guessing coordinates, but you’re trying to read each other’s faces and then strategize based on former hit patterns. So there’s this perfect combination of luck and deduction that keeps both the kids and us adults equally invested in every single turn.
Todd Bingham, Brand President, Top Rail Fence
Azul Balances Planning and Adaptation
At home, I play a lot of games. Magic: The Gathering is a big one in our house (you can’t really avoid it when it’s part of your work), but apart from that, our current favorite is Azul. It’s beautifully designed, easy to learn, but still surprisingly strategic. The balance of planning ahead and adapting as tiles disappear keeps it fresh every time we play.
Because I run gaming events for a living, I’m around tabletop games constantly, and I’ve learned to quickly spot which ones actually get people talking and engaged, especially with mixed age groups or different skill levels. That’s why games like Azul stand out. They’re just as enjoyable for a casual family evening as they are for more competitive players at events.
Having a job that revolves around people playing means I’ve built up a good sense of what makes a game work and what keeps people coming back to the table.
Liz Kolb, Co-Founder, Axion Now Events
Poker Challenges Crew at Various Ports
We play a hell of a lot of poker (chips/rings) when we’re docked at various ports, all because it combines strategic depth with just enough luck to keep anyone from dominating completely.
What makes poker so addictive for our crew and new sailors is that the chips don’t really matter as much as the satisfaction of outplaying someone who thinks they can read you. There’s nothing quite like the rush of bluffing your way to a pot with absolute garbage while your opponent holds decent cards but folds because they can’t figure out what you’re thinking.
James Kell, Founder and CEO, Sailing Virgins
Catan Fosters Family Bonding
Ticket to Ride is the game that we tend to play in our family. It is both strategic and simple at the same time, so any age group can play, whether it’s children or grandparents. It is a friendly game that consists of creating routes and train tracks over a map, fostering fun competitions and a lot of laughter when a participant blocks your routes. We like how it encourages planning and critical thinking, yet it is not too intense. And, of course, the travel theme brings about candid chat about places visited or on the wish list.
John William, Travel Advisor, Easy Travel And Tour Ltd
Dixit Ignites Imagination and Laughter
Our family loves playing Catan. It’s our go-to game when we have a little more time to settle in together. What makes it so special is that it’s a perfect mix of strategy, chance, and connection. Everyone gets so into it, trading sheep for wood and trying to build the longest road, all while laughing and negotiating like little entrepreneurs. My girls are surprisingly competitive, and I love watching how creative and clever they get as the game unfolds.
What I treasure most is how it slows us down and brings us around the table in a meaningful way. All while having fun playing, my tween girls are also learning patience, problem-solving, strategizing, and how to cheer each other on (even when someone steals your brick!). In a world that moves fast, Catan gives us the chance to pause, be present, and just enjoy being a family. Those moments are everything to me.
Debbie Naren, Founder, Design Director, Limeapple
Taco Cat Goat Pizza Unites Family
Our favorite family game is Dixit. It consists of one player coming up with an association and demonstrating it, while the other participants have to guess what was meant to be shown.
We like it because it requires a lot of imagination. It’s also suitable for team play, so the whole family gets involved. Additionally, someone can demonstrate the association in such a way that we will laugh for half the evening. Sometimes it also happens that we might not recognize the most obvious association, which leads to failure. The main thing I like about family games is that everyone has to put down their phones for a while.
Serhii Antropov, Head of Marketing, 3DModels
Carcassonne Engages Analytical Thinking
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. Currently, this is our family’s favorite game. It sounds absurd, and honestly, it is, but that’s exactly why it works so well for all of us. The game is fast-paced, ridiculously simple to learn, and somehow manages to dissolve any tension or distraction within five minutes of starting.
Everyone sits in a circle with their stack of cards, and as each person takes a turn placing a card in the center, you have to chant the next word in the sequence: taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza. If the card you play matches the word you say, everyone has to slap the pile as fast as possible. The last hand on the stack takes the cards.
It sounds almost too basic, but what makes it magical is that it short-circuits the part of your brain that’s trying to multitask or think about work or tomorrow’s grocery list. Even the adults end up laughing uncontrollably because the game preys on your instincts to anticipate, overthink, or second-guess.
For our daughters, it’s become a way to feel on equal footing with the grown-ups since quick reflexes often trump any strategic advantage. For us as parents, it’s one of the few activities that guarantees everyone is fully present. There are no screens, no long rule explanations, and no way to stay serious for long. That combination is what keeps it coming off the shelf again and again.
Paul Zalewski, Co-Founder, Fathercraft
Dobble Sharpens Reaction Time
Our family’s favorite game is Carcassonne. In this board game, participants draw a random tile and look for a place to put it on the board, connecting roads, fields, and city walls.
We like it because it engages our analytical thinking, trains strategic planning, and develops the habit of planning ahead. Also, during the game, you or one of the players can make an unexpected tactical decision. But most of all, I love it because it unites everyone at the table. It’s a time just for us, where there is no room for any outside problems. It’s a moment where there is only our family.
By the way, as a developer, I really enjoy switching from digital to tangible things, because there should be a balance in everything.
Vitalina Husak, CMO, Overcode
Monopoly Teaches Risk and Finance
Our family loves the game Dobble. We love games that require attention and agility, and this combination is found in one game. It is a dynamic game: whoever finds the same symbols between the cards first will win faster. It is ideal for family leisure and helps develop reaction time and visual thinking in children. Our family is associated with Dobble among friends, so we jokingly consider ourselves its ambassadors.
Tamsin Gable, Ambassador, Comfax
Cribbage Strengthens Father-Child Bond
Monopoly is by far my favorite board game to play with friends or family. I like playing it, especially with my nieces and nephews, as it’s a great opportunity to teach them a lesson or two about risk and finances.
We usually play it during the Christmas break, when nobody is in a rush or hurry, and we can enjoy the proper gameplay of it. Although it may take ages, I like the perfect combination of randomness in it. You feel your decisions impact the game, but ultimately it all comes down to the roll of the dice, so with a swing of luck, the game may turn 180 degrees in favor of the underdog.
Clara Whitlow, Women’s Wellness Coach and Sex Educator, Clara Whitlow
Kings in Corner Demands Participation
A personal favorite of mine is cribbage. It’s a game that my father taught me to play, and one that we can still play together, even as his faculties start to fade. We’ve made it part of our daily routine, and it’s a favorite for both of us. We’ll sit on the porch when the weather’s nice, chat about our day, and play the game we’ve been playing for decades. It’s more of a ritual than a game at this point.
Wynter Johnson, CEO, Caily
Jenga Tests Nerves Across Generations
Kings in the Corner is my family’s favorite card game because everyone is kept busy throughout the game. It is unlike any other card game where each player can sit back and just wait to take turns because this one requires constant participation by each individual. You never stop thinking ahead, considering what the cards in play are and what the best action to take is. The game is quite dynamic in the sense that you do not have any downtime. When one of the players has completed his or her turn, the next player immediately continues. Such flow engages all the people in the loop and no one feels bored or lost in transit.
The game becomes even more exciting because of the constant attention. There are always new ways and challenges in each round, and you are always searching for the best strategy to outsmart the other players. Deciding which card to use or determining how you would arrange the next play keeps you busy in a strategic competitive manner. With each step, the suspense increases and this makes Kings in the Corner fun. It maintains the energy and leaves everybody interested in the final outcome of the game.
Steve Nixon, CEO & Founder, Free Jazz Lessons
Codenames Encourages Creative Thinking
Every time we have a family get-together or even a quiet Sunday afternoon, we play Jenga. The unpredictability is what makes it fun for all. Each game does not go the same way since the slightest shake of a hand can ruin fifteen minutes of careful strategy. I have seen my nephews struggling to get out one block in twenty minutes, only to see the tower collapse the next time a player nudges it. It teaches patience, and people do not even realize they are learning something. The game turns a handful of wooden blocks into a test of nerves and concentration, which attracts the whole family over three generations, who are equally nervous and entertained.
Matt Woodley, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, InternationalMoneyTransfer.com
Uno Provides Unpredictable Family Fun
Sometimes my family and I get together in the evening or on weekends to play the game called Codenames. We like this game because we can spend more time together and laugh.
The game is based on coming up with and solving clues. You have to find the similarities between two completely different words, and sometimes you see a connection where you didn’t notice it before. You also have to be creative and come up with clues if you are the captain.
We also like it because you can only play it in a team, which involves active communication. Sometimes the game is accompanied by laughter when players misinterpret clues or offer an unexpected word.
Robert Novak, Operations Manager, 8rental
Monopoly Creates Quirky Family Traditions
Uno is our family’s favorite game. It is easy to learn in a short period, suitable for all age groups, yet provides sufficient entertainment, thrill, and tactical character. The best part about it is its unpredictability: it has so-called wild cards, reverse turns, and draw four cards that can turn around the game in a few seconds. It will never cease to make everyone laugh, groan, or cheer, and in a given round, all of these. It is competitive yet not too intense to separate family members. It never grows old whether we are enjoying it with kids or adults.
Gary Winstanley, Managing Director, Leverbrook Export Limited
Ludo Turns Quiet Nights Raucous
My family is crazy about piling the Monopoly hotels together. It’s not about winning or losing, but the journey. We become so engaged and preoccupied with bargaining property transactions and outsmarting one another. It is more or less our personal family night, and everyone gets so into it. My daughter will just grab whatever she can, and my son will always haggle and look out to get the best deals. I believe that it brings out a fun side in all of us, and this is why we enjoy it.
We have been building our quirks over the years. For example, we have a rule that whoever lands on Boardwalk must do a funny dance. Yeah, it relieves tension when things get too intense. These little peculiarities make Monopoly more than just a game; it is a family tradition where we laugh and create memories.
Tim Watson, Kitchen and Bathroom Renovator / Founder / Director, Oakridge Renovations
Monopoly Hotels Build Family Memories
When it comes to family game nights, Ludo is our all-time favorite. It’s also arguably the quickest way to turn a quiet night into a raucous, silly one.
It looks like an easy game from the outside. You roll the dice, move your pieces, and try to get them back to their homes. But then someone sends your token back to the start, and all of a sudden, it’s personal.
My wife stays calm until she takes someone out of the game. And what about me? I seem like I’m not bothered, but I’ve definitely nursed grudges over more than one round.
The best thing about Ludo is that everyone can play, no matter how old they are. You don’t have to explain complicated rules, and it doesn’t take hours to play like some board games do. But it still makes everyone want to win enough to make every game special. We don’t even play to win half the time; we play to block each other. That’s where most of the funny moments are.
Ludo is a great game for the whole family that everyone can enjoy. Plus, you can be sure that at least one person will take it way too seriously.
Rameez Usmani, CEO & Founder, Outreaching.io
