Best Family Board Games: Curated Picks By Age And Group

Best family board games

Most family board game lists are the same twenty boxes in a different order. This one is sorted by the thing that decides whether a game gets played: who's at the table, and how long you've got before somebody wanders off.

Everything here is a well-known title you can find easily in the UK. We don't sell games - we make cards, prints and badges - so there's nothing to push. Picks are based on playing them with actual families, including the ones who argue.

Best all-rounders for a mixed-age family

• Ticket to Ride - simple rules, 45 minutes, works from about eight upwards. The one to buy if you only buy one.
• Rummikub - numbers and colours, no reading needed, and grandparents usually already know it.
• Dobble - thirty seconds to explain, five minutes a round, playable by nearly everyone at the table.
• Uno - the argument is part of it. Agree whether stacking draw cards is allowed before you start.
• Articulate - best with six or more and a house that doesn't mind shouting.

Younger children (roughly 4 to 8)

• Orchard Toys games - short, cooperative, and nobody cries at the end.
• Sleeping Queens - quick, silly, and teaches adding without announcing it.
• Outfoxed - cooperative whodunnit, so it's the group against the game rather than child against adult.
• Junior versions of Scrabble and Monopoly exist for a reason: the full versions take far too long at this age.

Teenagers and adults

• Codenames - two teams, one-word clues, twenty minutes, endlessly replayable.
• Catan - the one that turns polite families competitive. Budget ninety minutes.
• Wingspan - beautiful, calm, and better with people who like a bit of strategy.
• Cards Against Humanity or similar - only with the right crowd, and never with grandparents present.

Two players

• Patchwork - quiet, quick, and surprisingly ruthless.
• 7 Wonders Duel - thirty minutes, properly strategic, designed for two rather than squeezed into it.
• Backgammon - cheap, old, and still one of the best two-player games there is.
• Cribbage - a pack of cards and a board, and it'll last you a lifetime.

Big groups at Christmas

• Articulate, Codenames or charades - anything where people can join in halfway through.
• Avoid anything over an hour on Boxing Day. Half the table will drift off.
• Have one game that needs nothing but a pen and paper as a backup.
• Put the phones in a bowl. It sounds strict and it doubles how long the game lasts.

Keeping it civil

• Agree the house rules out loud before the first turn, especially for Monopoly and Uno.
• Pick the game for the shortest attention span at the table, not the longest.
• Let the youngest go first. It costs nothing and prevents a lot.
• Stop while people still want another round.

Funny cards for family occasions

For the birthdays, the Christmases and the rematches. Blank inside.

Prints for the wall

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK. They post flat and frame easily.

Where to shop next

• Board games hub
• Board games for adults
• Board games for kids
• Board games for toddlers
• Board games for teenagers
• Board games for two players
• Board games for big groups
• Games for older relatives
• Best card games for families
• Christmas board games
• Boxing Day games
• Classic vs modern board games
• Quickest board games to learn
• Board games under £20
• Monopoly rules explained
• Uno rules explained
• Articulate rules explained
• Cluedo rules explained
• Kids' party games by age
• Car journey games
• Games for a pub table
• Charades word lists
• Pictionary word lists
• Quiz round builder
• Printable party sheets
• Riddle of the day
• Free feel good tools
• Christmas hub
• All guides
• Shop all cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Gifts to make someone smile
• Thinking of you gifts

Frequently asked questions

What is the best board game for a family?

Ticket to Ride if you want one box that works for almost everyone: the rules take five minutes, a game takes about forty-five, and it suits roughly eight years old upwards. For a mixed-age table with younger children, Dobble or Rummikub are easier again.

What board games work with a big group at Christmas?

Team games where people can join late - Articulate, Codenames and charades all work with eight or more. Keep anything over an hour for a quieter night.

What are the best board games for two players?

Patchwork and 7 Wonders Duel are both designed for two rather than adapted for it, and both finish inside half an hour. Backgammon and cribbage cost almost nothing and last forever.

What board games suit older relatives?

Familiar ones with big, clear pieces: Rummikub, dominoes, cribbage and Scrabble. Our games for older relatives guide has the full list, including what to avoid.

Do you sell board games?

No. We make greeting cards, art prints and pin badges in the UK, so these picks are just what we'd recommend to a friend. The cards on this page are ours.