A family that plays together stays together. My family and I love game night. Whether we’re camping, at home on the weekends with no plans, or having friends over, we enjoy friendly competition. Below are a few of our favorites that are appropriate for most ages.
Phase 10
Phase 10 takes me back to my childhood. My grandmother and I used to play it every morning before school. On Sundays, after family dinner, my cousins then joined in on our matches. Now my husband and I play it until the wee hours of the night when we camp. Our kids are finally old enough to join in. They do get a little bored, though, if our phases go too long. This game is more fun when everyone understands how to play.
Incoherent Family
Incoherent Family is really funny. Remember the old Mad Gab? This is pretty much that game with a new spin. The kids get a kick out of hearing us say the phrase while we have no idea what we’re actually saying. There is an adult version, but I haven’t played it to have an opinion on it.
Telestrations
Telestrations is hilarious, especially if you have people playing who are not great at drawing. This game is like Telephone, except instead of whispering a phrase, someone draws something, and the next person has to guess it. Then they pass the pad to the next person to draw the guessed word. This goes the whole way around the table. There is a lot of hilarity to it as each player shows the progression of how their picture of pasta turned into worms in a garden.
Happy Little Accidents
Happy Little Accidents is another drawing game inspired by Bob Ross. Each player doodles a squiggle on paper and puts their doodle in the center of the table. Each player then grabs a paper and a word is read aloud. Everyone must make their doodle into that word. Then the players vote on their favorite drawing of the game with squirrel tokens. There’s not much to this game, and its simplicity makes it quite enjoyable.
Blokus
Blokus is a game for two to four people, and it’s pretty challenging. Each player has the same set of blocks, and you have to connect your blocks across the board by corners. The purpose is to get rid of all of your pieces and block other players from playing theirs. There’s a lot of strategy to this game, so if you like intricate puzzles, you’ll enjoy Blokus.
Labyrinth
Labyrinth is another game requiring strategy, but it’s appropriate for younger kids, too. There are lots of versions of the game. My son has the original and Pokémon. They’re all played the same, and the purpose is to reach the items on the board that are on your cards. The catch is that the board moves like a labyrinth, so just when you think you have the perfect pathway to your item, someone will switch it, causing you to have to rethink your next move.
Pictionary
Pictionary is a classic, but they also have Pictionary Junior that has easier clues for younger kids. My son started playing this game with us when he was really young. If they can understand you and draw, they can play. It’s a simple game, but it can get super intense, especially during the All Plays!
Qwirkle is super fun and a beach favorite for our family. The point is to get six in a row of the same color but different shape or same shape but different color. Another bonus is the company has great customer service. Our dog ate our red circle, and they sent us a new one for free.
These are only eight of our favorites. I have way too many more, so I’ll need to do another blog. Drop a comment and share your favorite game. I love trying new ones! It’s definitely worth taking time out of your busy schedule to enjoy some family time, and playing board games is one of our family’s favorite ways to spend time together. We highly recommend!
