The Best Board Games For Multi-Generational Family Gatherings

Sunday lunch, Easter, a christening, a birthday: somebody suggests a game, and within ten minutes the eight year old is bored, an uncle is arguing about a rule, and grandad has gone for a lie down.

The games that survive a mixed-age table share three traits: the rules fit on one card, a round takes under half an hour, and being quick does not beat knowing things.

Honest note: we make cards, pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Games are recommendations from elsewhere.

Games that level the playing field

• A broad trivia game with a couple of thousand questions. Older players have the history, teenagers have the recent stuff, and children can be paired up on a team - genuinely the fairest option on a mixed table.
• Picture and logo rounds, where nobody has an age advantage.
• Charades, which costs nothing and always works.
• Dobble or similar spotting games, playable from about six upwards.
• Dominoes and cards, which most grandparents will quietly dominate.

Games for a big table

• Team games, so nobody plays alone and the youngest get carried.
• Codenames, if the teens can be persuaded to explain it once.
• Bingo, with a caller and small prizes.
• Beetle drive, the church hall classic that scales to twenty people.
• More group ideas - Read the guide

Making it work in practice

• One person learns the rules before the day. Reading a rulebook at the table kills it.
• Pair each younger child with an adult.
• Half an hour maximum, then let people drift off.
• Big print, good lighting and a table, not laps.
• Play before pudding, not after, while everyone is awake.

For the gathering itself

• Small prizes to keep the stakes low.
• A pin badge for the winner - Shop the range
• Decorations if it is a celebration - Shop the range
• A card signed by everyone present - Shop the range
• Family favourites - Read the guide

Shop cards

How to write it so it lands

• Learn the rules before the day.
• Pair children with adults.
• Play before pudding.

Where to shop next

• Greetings cards
• Birthday cards
• Pin badges
• Wall art and prints
• Party decorations
• Gifts for history lovers
• 70th birthday party games
• How to run a pub quiz at home
• Boxing Day games
• Camping and caravan games
• Best board games for families
• History quiz questions
• General knowledge quiz questions
• Pub quiz round ideas
• How to plan a 70th birthday party
• Board games for a holiday cottage
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Best Family Board Games: Curated Picks By Age And Group
• Board Games Hub: Picks, Rules And Games For Every Group
• Birthday cards for kids
• Funny Father's Day cards
• New baby cards
• Pin badges
• All guides

Frequently asked questions

What board games work for all ages?

Games where knowledge beats reflexes: broad trivia with team play, picture and logo rounds, charades, Dobble, dominoes and bingo.

How do you pick a game for grandparents and children together?

Short rounds, rules that fit on a card, team play so children are paired with adults, and big clear print.

Is trivia fair on a mixed-age table?

With teams, yes. Older players cover history and geography, teenagers cover music, film and sport, so a mixed team usually beats an age-matched one.

How long should a family game last?

Half an hour. Anything longer and the youngest and oldest players both drift away.

What ruins family game night?

Learning the rules at the table, games that reward speed, and playing after a heavy pudding.

Do you sell the trivia game yourselves?

No. We design and print greetings cards, enamel pin badges, prints and party decorations in the UK. Board games and trivia sets are recommendations from elsewhere - the only things linked to our own shop are ours.