Looking for something fun to do with the kids? How about playing a game together? Board games are a brilliant way to spend quality time as a family — here are 22 of the best board games for families, recommended by MyKidsTime parents.
Playing a board game together is one of those simple family activities that never gets old — it’s amazing how competitive everyone gets, no matter what age they are! Whether you’re looking for ways to fill a rainy afternoon or planning a proper family game night, these are some of the best board games around.
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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 most popular board games ever published.
2–8 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#2. Scrabble
The classic crossword game that millions of families still enjoy today.
Build crosswords for points, add to your score by landing on special spaces on the board, and if you can use all seven of your letter tiles in one turn, you get a bonus 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
The well-known vertical game played with coloured checkers. The board sits upright in its stand, and players drop checkers into one of the 7 slots, trying to be the first to get 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 pieces around the board and get them all “home” first. You need to roll a 6 to start a piece on its journey.
The frustration really sets in when the dice won’t play ball, or when a rival lands on your space and sends your piece all the way back to space 1 — even when you’re almost at the finish line!
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, fast-paced twist on hide and seek. Pick up a card and race to find the matching object across the 9 game board tiles.
It’s finders keepers — grab the card if you spot the object fastest or first, but watch out, the board can change with every turn. Special mission cards instruct players to flip, rotate or swap one of the 9 board tiles.
Players take turns rolling the dice, drawing a mission card and hunting for objects. 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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Don’t let the weather dampen the fun — we’ve also rounded up 25 of the best indoor games for 8–12 year olds to keep everyone happy!
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#6. Ludo
A simple but classic board game for two to four players, in which everyone races their 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 begins with a shake of the 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 races to spot words made from letters 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 try to describe as many card entries as possible 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 family games — and it’s great for maths skills too!
Rummikub is played with 106 durable tiles. You need 30 points to “meld” and get on the board, and from there, just like the card game Rummy, players build runs of the same colour (say, Red 7, Red 8, Red 9) or sets of matching numbers (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
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#10. Cluedo
This classic murder-mystery deduction game is one of the best board games around!
Players move around the mansion in the guise of one of six characters, gathering clues to work out which suspect murdered Dr. Black — and with what 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 game, beautifully illustrated, where the main tool is your imagination. It tests logic, bluffing and deduction, all with wonderfully simple rules.
Each round, one player becomes the storyteller and offers a word or phrase to describe one of their cards. Everyone else picks a card of their own that best matches the clue. The cards are revealed, and players vote secretly to guess which one belonged to the storyteller.
Dixit works for any age and, with expansion packs available, it never gets old — perfect for family game night or an evening with friends.
3–6 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#12. Jungle Speed
In Jungle Speed, you’ll need sharp observation, quick reflexes and a steady hand — not always easy when the fits of laughter kick in!
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 the first to get rid of them all. Every turn, players reveal a card, and if two match, those players must race for the Totem. The slower player takes on the winner’s remaining cards.
To keep you on your toes, some cards look almost identical — grab the Totem by mistake and it’ll cost you. Other cards force everyone to grab at once, or 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
The story goes that an Italian builder named Paletti set out to build the tallest castle in the world, and when he ran out of money, he started borrowing columns from the ground floor to build higher levels above. The result: the impressive (and slightly wobbly) Villa Paletti.
Players try to get their own columns onto the highest possible level before the tower collapses, or until no one can build any further. It’s quick, fun and genuinely tense — a real family favourite.
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, set around the medieval city of the same name in southern France. Players build roads, cities, cloisters and meadows, then place their “meeples” — farmers, knights, monks and thieves — to score points.
The rules are easy to pick up, and because the board is built fresh from tiles every time, no two games are ever quite the same. A world bestseller and award winner, it’s a genuine must for any board game collection.
2–5 players, ages 8+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#15. Jenga
Classic block-stacking, tower-crashing fun. How will you stack up against the law of gravity?
Build the wooden blocks into a sturdy tower, then take turns pulling out blocks one by one until the whole thing comes crashing down.
Is your hand steady enough to pull the last safe block?
2+ players, ages 6+ (though younger kids can usually manage this one too)
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#16. Hungry Hippos
Four hungry hippos are after a bunch of marbles! The faster you press their tails, the more marbles they chomp — whoever’s hippo gobbles the most wins.
It’s a brilliant way to build hand-eye coordination in younger children. Start with just one marble in the middle for the littlest 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 firm favourite in many family homes!
Each player picks a mystery character, and the other has to guess who it is by asking yes-or-no questions — “Do you have brown eyes?” or “Are you wearing a hat?” Narrow it down, then make your guess.
2 players, ages 6+
Available on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com
#18. Candy Land
A classic that’s been a childhood favourite for generations of families.
Choose your sweet character and dance your way along the rainbow path, through 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. A lovely first board game 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 works fine with two players taking turns), teams advance around the board by correctly guessing the names their teammates are describing.
You’ve got 30 seconds to identify as many of the 5 names as possible. Describers can say anything they like about the name — except the name itself!
The first team to reach the FINISH square wins.
4+ players, ages 7+
#20. Pie Face
A firm favourite for parties and game nights, Pie Face is full of fun and suspense — and 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 handles.
It could go off at any moment, so keep your fingers crossed and hope it’s not you who ends up with a face full of cream! Score a point for every turn you survive splat-free, and the first to 25 points wins.
PS: 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 bit of luck. Players exchange cards across multiple rounds, aiming to finish with the fewest points by avoiding high-penalty cards — especially the dreaded Queen of Spades. Thanks to its online presence, Hearts remains one of the most widely played card games out there.
1–4 players, ages 8+
Available for free 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 the first to reach 500 points.
It’s a great choice for families — it builds teamwork, sharpens critical thinking, and makes for a fun bit of friendly competition around the table.
1–4 players, ages 8+
Available for free 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!
FAQs About Family Board Games
What age group are these board games suitable for?
There’s something here for almost every age. Games like Hungry Hippos and Candy Land are perfect from age 3, while strategy games like Carcassonne, Dixit and Rummikub suit older kids, teens and adults from around age 8 up. Check the age and player guide under each game to find the right fit for your family.
What’s a good board game for a family game night with mixed ages?
Games with simple rules and a bit of luck involved — like Frustration, Jenga, Pie Face or Guess Who — tend to work well when younger and older family members are playing together, since everyone has a fair chance of winning.
Are these games good for rainy days?
Absolutely. Board games are one of the easiest ways to turn a rainy afternoon into quality family time, without needing any special equipment beyond the game itself.
More Ways to Fill a Rainy Day
Looking for more inspiration? Browse our full collection of rainy day ideas and indoor games for kids, or save this list of board games for your next family game night.
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