Looking for something fun to do with the kids? How about a family game night? Board games are a brilliant way to spend quality time together — it’s amazing how competitive everyone gets, no matter what age they are!
Whether you’re stuck for rainy day ideas or planning a proper family game night, here are 22 of the best board games for families, recommended by MyKidsTime parents.
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Best Board Games for Families
#1. Monopoly
Buy! Sell! “Go directly to Jail!” Buy real estate, collect rents and build hotels — but don’t go bankrupt as you wheel and deal in one of the world’s best-loved board games.
2–8 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#2. Scrabble
The classic crossword game that’s been a family favourite for generations.
Build crosswords for points, and add to your score by landing on the board’s special spaces. Use up all seven of your letter tiles in one turn and you’ll bag an extra 50 points!
There’s also a Scrabble Junior version for younger players.
2–4 players, ages 8+ (5+ for the Junior version)
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#3. Connect 4
A well-known vertical game played with counters. Slot the board into its stand, then take turns dropping counters into one of the 7 columns until someone gets 4 in a row — horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
2 players, ages 5+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#4. Frustration
The aim of Frustration is to move your 4 coloured counters all the way around the board and “home” before anyone else. You need to roll a 6 to start a piece on its journey.
The frustration kicks in when you can’t get the roll you need, or when a rival lands on your space and sends your piece all the way back to start — even if you were nearly home.
2–4 players, ages 5+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#5. Pictureka
Find it fast! Find it first! Pictureka puts a fun visual twist on hide and seek. Pick up a card and try to spot the matching object across the 9 game board tiles.
It’s finders keepers — grab the card if you’re fastest or first, but watch out, the board can change on any turn. Special mission cards instruct players to flip, rotate or swap one of the 9 tiles.
Players take turns rolling the dice, drawing a mission card and racing to find objects fast or first. Three different card decks keep things fresh — sometimes you’re matching an exact image, other times you’re hunting for anything that fits a category, like “things that can fly”. Collect enough cards and you’re the Pictureka champion!
2–4 players, ages 6+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
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#6. Ludo
A simple but classic board game for two to four players, racing your four tokens from start to finish according to the roll of the dice.
2–4 players, ages 4+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#7. Boggle
Boggle starts with a shake of a covered tray of sixteen letter dice. They settle into a 4×4 grid so that only the top letter of each cube is visible.
From there, each player searches for words made from letters on cubes that are next to each other — horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
2+ players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#8. Articulate
Articulate is the fast-talking description game. Players describe as many card entries as they can in 30 seconds — no “rhymes with” or “sounds like” allowed!
There’s also an Articulate For Kids version for ages 6+.
4+ players, ages 12+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#9. Rummikub
This is one of our favourite games — and it’s great for maths skills too!
Rummikub is played with a set of 106 tiles. You need 30 points to “meld” and start the game, then, like the card game Rummy, players build runs of the same colour (Red 7, Red 8, Red 9) or sets of the same number (Blue 8, Red 8, Black 8). First to get rid of all their tiles wins.
2–4 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
You may also enjoy 15 Fun Card Games for Kids
#10. Cluedo
This popular murder-mystery deduction game is one of the best board games around.
Players move around the mansion as one of six characters, gathering clues to deduce which suspect committed the crime, with which weapon, and in which room.
3–6 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#11. Dixit
Dixit is a multi-award-winning, beautifully illustrated game where imagination is the main player. It tests your logic, bluffing skills and powers of deduction, with only a handful of rules.
Each round, one player becomes the storyteller and calls out a phrase or word to describe one of their cards. The other players pick a card of their own that best matches the clue, then everyone votes on which card belongs to the storyteller.
Dixit is simple, beautiful and great fun. It suits any age, and expansion packs of extra cards mean it never gets old — ideal for family game nights or an evening with friends.
3–6 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#12. Jungle Speed
Jungle Speed rewards a keen eye and quick reflexes — and a steady hand, which can be hard to manage between fits of laughter.
The wooden Totem sits in the middle of the table, waiting for the fastest player to grab it. Each player has a hand of cards, and the aim is to be first to get rid of them all. Each turn, players reveal a card — if two match, both players dive for the Totem, and the slower one takes the other’s cards.
Some cards look almost identical, tricking players into grabbing by mistake, while others change the rules entirely. Do you have the reflexes to win?
2+ players, ages 7+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#13. Villa Paletti
Legend has it that a man named Paletti once tried to build the tallest castle in the world, but ran out of money and started borrowing columns from the ground floor to build upward instead.
The result was the Villa Paletti. Can you repeat his feat? Players try to get their own columns onto the highest possible level before the whole thing collapses. Quick, fun and a genuine challenge for the whole family.
2–4 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#14. Carcassonne
Carcassonne is a clever tile-laying game for 2–5 players, building the area around the southern French medieval city of the same name. Players lay roads, cities, cloisters and meadows, then deploy their “meeples” — farmers, knights, monks and thieves.
The rules are easy to learn, and no two games are ever the same, since the board is built fresh from an ever-changing mix of tiles and strategies. A world bestseller and award winner that belongs in every board game collection.
2–5 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#15. Jenga
The classic block-stacking, tower-crashing game! Stack the wooden blocks into a sturdy tower, then take turns pulling out blocks one by one — without bringing the whole thing down.
Is your hand steady enough to pull the last safe block?
2+ players, ages 6+ (though younger kids can often master it too)
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#16. Hungry Hippos
Four hungry hippos, one bunch of marbles! The faster you press their tails, the more marbles they gobble up. Whichever hippo eats the most, wins.
A great way to build hand-eye coordination in preschoolers — start with just one marble in the middle for younger players, then add more as their skills improve.
2–4 players, ages 3+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#17. Guess Who
Another family favourite! Each player picks a mystery person, and the other has to guess who it is using yes-or-no questions like “Do you have brown eyes?” or “Are you wearing a hat?”
Narrow it down question by question, then make your final guess.
2 players, ages 6+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#18. Candy Land
A classic that’s been delighting kids for generations. Choose your sweet character and make your way along the rainbow path — past the Peppermint Forest and the Lagoon of Lord Licorice, all the way to Princess Frostine’s Ice Palace.
Watch out for tiles that send you backwards on your way to King Kandy’s Castle. One of the best board games for preschoolers.
2–4 players, ages 3+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#19. Junior 30 Seconds
Junior 30 Seconds is the “Quick Thinking, Fast Talking” Irish board game. Best played in teams (though it also works with two players taking turns), teams advance around the board by correctly guessing the names their teammates are describing.
You get 30 seconds to identify as many of the 5 names as possible. Describers can use any clues they like, except the actual name on the card.
The first team to reach the FINISH square wins.
4+ players, ages 7+
#20. Pie Face
A firm family favourite, Pie Face is filled with suspense — somebody’s bound to get splatted! Load some whipped cream (or a wet sponge) onto the “hand” of the game unit and start turning the handle.
It could go off at any moment, so keep your fingers crossed. Score a point every time you turn the handle without getting pie-faced — first to 25 points wins.
Note: whipped cream not included!
2+ players, ages 5+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
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#21. Hearts (Online)
Hearts is a family favourite that mixes strategy with a good dose of luck. Players exchange cards across several rounds, aiming to finish with the fewest points by avoiding high-penalty cards — especially the Queen of Spades. Its online presence has made it one of the most-played card games around.
1–4 players, ages 8+
You can play a version online at Hearts.Land.
#22. Spades (Online)
Spades is a strategic card game where players or teams bid on how many “tricks” they’ll win, aiming to be first to reach 500 points.
It’s a great family pick — it builds teamwork, sharpens critical thinking, and makes for a fun bit of friendly competition around the house.
1–4 players, ages 8+
You can play a version online at Spades.co.
Which of these best board games are your family’s favourites? Leave a comment below and let us know — we’d love to hear from you!
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best board game for a family with mixed ages?
Games with simple rules and short rounds tend to work best across ages — think Connect 4, Frustration, Ludo or Guess Who for younger children, and Cluedo, Dixit or Carcassonne once kids are a bit older and ready for more strategy.
How many players do most family board games need?
Most of the games on this list work well from 2 players upward, with several — like Rummikub, Cluedo and Dixit — really coming into their own with 3 or more players around the table.
Are these board games suitable for younger children?
Yes — games like Hungry Hippos and Candy Land are designed with preschoolers in mind, while others such as Jenga or Guess Who suit children from around age 5 or 6 upward. Always check the recommended age range before buying.
Why are board games good for families?
Board games are a screen-free way to spend time together, and they help build skills like turn-taking, counting, vocabulary, strategic thinking and good sportsmanship — all while having fun.
Do we need to buy new board games, or are older editions still good?
Many classic family games, like Monopoly, Scrabble and Cluedo, have been popular for decades because the core gameplay simply works. An older edition you already own, or one picked up secondhand, will usually play just as well as a brand-new box.
Related Articles
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- 25 of the Best Indoor Games for 8–12 Year Olds
- 15 Fun Card Games for Kids
- 10 Insanely Easy Ideas For a Fun Family Game Night
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