101 Fun Family Games

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Fun Family Games for the Whole Family

Playing games as a family is a great way to build relationships and memories! Growing up, my family didn’t play very many games. But when I got married, I learned really quickly how fun and exciting playing games with the family can be! I also found out that I am super competitive… and so is my husband. Which can be a tad bit dangerous! Let’s just say, we’ve had to learn some important life skills while playing to make sure that it stays fun.

Fun Family Games to Play

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 Every time we get together with my husband’s family, it is all about the games… We’ve pulled some pretty late nights enjoying some of our favorite games together… even after we all had kids! And we always know what we’re getting for Christmas – another awesome game to add to our collection!

Games are so great for date night, too!

If you love games, or if you want to start playing more games with your family, this is the perfect resource for you. We’ve rounded up the best games for the whole family.

We’ve separated the games into categories to help you find what you’re looking for:

  • 18 Board Games for the Whole Family
  • 10 More Strategic Board Games
  • 17 Board Games for Kids
  • 22 Card Games
  • 10 Word Games
  • 24 Party Games

Are you ready to find some new favorite games to add to your game closet?? Here we go!

18 Board Games for the Whole Family

We’ve found all the best board games out there including classics, like Blokus, and new favorites, like Ticket to Ride!

Board Games for the Family

Family Fun Board Games

1. BlokusWe love this bright and fun game. It’s fun seeing the kids (and adults) trying to fit every last piece on the board!

2. UbongoRace to solve a puzzle in this fast paced game so that you can collect the most treasure!

3. RummikubI totally dominate this game, every time… It’s so fun to rearrange the board trying to get all of your number tiles down first!

4. FarkleA simple game of dice becomes a little more complicated as you take some risks.

5. Heads UpA game all about pop culture!

6. Sushi RollIf you like games that are a little more out there, this one is for you!

Fun Family Board Games

7. MonopolyThis classic game kept me busy for hours growing up. I love how there are so many versions, so you will never get bored!

8. ImaginiffIt’s fun to imagine your friends and family in odd situations – we seriously laugh the ENTIRE time we play.

9. GreedThis one is really fun! My husband and I, and our friends, play it together often! We always add a “dare” for the loser to complete at the end of the game, which makes it more interesting!

10. Bounce-OffCheck out this game that requires a little coordination as you race to recreate a pattern!

11. CraniumThis is a MUST for groups of family and friends. I don’t recall a time I’ve played this and not died laughing! Since it has four different categories of questions and activities, everyone is good at some part of it – so everyone loves to play!

12. Ticket to RideThis is one of our family’s favorite games! We love playing it with just two players, but there is so much strategy involved when you add more players! Plus, you get to know your geography a little better!

Fun Family Board Games

13. Scene ItThis is a fun, interactive game the whole family will enjoy!

14. Wits and WagersCombine trivia with gambling–do you have the guts or the brains to win this game!?

15. QuelfSo hysterical! We play it every Christmas!

16. Scotland YardI love being the criminal mastermind in this cat and mouse game. Outwitting the detectives is so satisfying!

17. YahtzeeGo-to game night staple! I like it because it doesn’t get overly cut throat or competitive – you just focus on your scores and you can’t do anything to affect the other players!

18. Up-A-BitI love games that require some skill… In this game, you have to describe to the group how to draw something and they have to guess what it is. The trick… you can’t see what everyone is drawing to see if they understand you!!!

10 More Strategic Board Games

If your family loves strategy games, you will love all of these! I bet there are some in this list that you’ve never seen, but you’ll definitely want to check them out.

Strategy Board Games

Strategy Board Games

19. CarcassonneSuch a fun game! Easy to learn but requires a lot of strategy to win.

20. SequenceWe’ve played this with company many times because it’s so easy to learn and so much fun.

21. BalderdashWe get really creative with this one and it’s always interesting to find out what the true answers are!

22. PandemicThis game is so unique because instead of playing against each other, you have to work together to save mankind!

23. Settlers of CatanWe LOVE this game! It is one of my favorites because the board changes every time you set up the game, so you never have two rounds that are the same!

24. RiskMy brothers and I played this all the time! It would be out for days at a time.

25. QwirkleNot only is this game fun to play, it’s also fun to say! Kids of all ages can play and the colorful tiles make it even more exciting!! We’ve even made up our own verbage–Qwirked it!

26. DominoesThere are so many fun games to play with Dominoes… but our favorite is Mexican Train!! We could play for hours…

27. PowergridIn this game, your goal is to get power! You want to light up as many cities as you can before the other players… it’s a fun one!

28. 7 WondersWe love this game. It’s definitely for families with older children and is all about strategy, so it will make you think. But if you’re one who enjoys that kind of stuff, (like my whole family) this will be a hit!

17 Board Games for Kids

Want to start your kids young? Here are some great games for the littles to learn what it takes to be competitive–and a good sport!

Board Games for Kids

Board Games for Kids

29. Guess WhoThis a great game that will help kids start to notice small details! Oh… the teacher in me loves games like this!

30. SorryTry to win this game without getting “bumped” too many times!

31. ClueClue was my absolute favorite growing up! I LOVED it!

32. LifeA game that walks you through all the stages of life! Who will win at Life!?

33. Candy LandMy three-year-old LOVES Candyland because it’s one of the few board games with rules simple enough for her to understand. To keep it entertaining for our 5-year-old and 8-year-old too, we add silly rules for each color. For example, if you draw a red you have to spin in circles until your next turn.

34. Chutes and LaddersWho can get to the top of the game board without sliding back down!?

Board Games for Kids

35. Hungry HipposJoin in the feeding frenzy with this funny game!

36. Connect 4If you’re ready to start playing a little more strategy with the kids, you’ll enjoy this game.

37. Pie FaceSuch a silly game, but we laugh all night.

38. Beat the ParentsParents verses kids! Do parents know about kid stuff? Or are the kids really in charge?

39. OperationI would concentrate so hard at getting the part out of him that when it buzzed, I would jump out of my seat!

40. KerplunkIt is always so nerve-racking hoping the marbles won’t spill out on your turn.

Board Games for Kids

41. BattleshipCan you sink your opponent’s ships? That’s how this simple battle works!

42. ParcheesiThe race home begins with this classic!

43. StrategoA classic game of battlefield strategy!

44. HeadbanzYou’ll definitely have to use your head with this game as you try to figure out who you are!

45. FibberStretch the truth without getting caught.

22 Card Games for the Whole Family

We love card games–they are classic and you can take them and play them anywhere.

Card Games for Family

Card Games

46. Skip-BoA classic card game… and a favorite!

47. Phase 1010 rounds of fun – this is another classic game!

48. UnoThis is the perfect game for families with young children. A lot of other games are too complicated for our kiddos to understand, but even our three-year-old can play along on her own. Plus, its great for practicing their colors and numbers.

49. RookRook is one of my husband’s favorite games–full of strategy and a great team game.

50. DominionWe love how this game is different every time you play it… once you learn how to play, you can play a round in 30 minutes!

51. Killer BunniesThis is a hilarious and irrational game! Your sides will hurt from all the laughing and you might just get SUPER competitive and protective of your bunnies!

52. CanastaMy family LOVES this game! We have major Canasta tournaments and there are serious bragging rights if you come out on top! This is a game for teenagers and adults {the kids in our family usually help by being on someone’s “team”}. It will become a favorite in no time!

Card Games

53. Exploding KittensThis is a highly strategic game where you try to avoid the exploding kittens.

54. BohnanzaBeans, beans and more beans! Such a cute game, but it can get VERY competitive.

55. MunchkinsGet ready for a dungeon adventure with this unique card game.

56. SpextrixThis is such a fun and colorful game! Reminds me a bit of Phase 10, but with colors.

57. Spot itThis is great to play with both young and old. Between any two cards is one and only one matching symbol – call it first and win!

58. Five CrownsThis is a game that is a lot of fun and is easy to get in to. Simple rules, simple scoring, easy to learn and the game never loses its luster with repeated playings.

59. NertzI totally dominate at this game to the point that I can’t get anyone to play it with me anymore! LOL! This is a fun, multi-player solitaire game that is based on SPEED! It makes for a good time with a group of people.

60. ScumFamily favorite for us! We love to tease each other based on our status and can play rounds and rounds of this game!

Card Games

61. Mille BornesMy husband’s favorite! A fun, quick, and easy game.

62. BlinkThe world’s fastest card game!

63. In A PickleIf you love to play the trump card, this game is for you!

64. SetFast-paced fun for the whole family! Everyone can play!

65. ION – A completely different kind of card game that everyone will love!

66. Sushi GoThis card game requires a little strategic thinking as you choose whether to pick or pass!

67. Hit the DeckThis is a hit or be hit game–A challenging and fun card game!

10 Word Games for the Whole Family

If you like to prove your smarts, these games are definitely ones you’ll want to add to your stash. We love all of these; I can’t even choose a favorite!

Word Games for the Whole Family

Word Games

68. BananagramsThis twist on Scrabble is a super, fast-paced spelling game. So much fun!

69. Word on the StreetThis tug-of-words is not like any other word game! We love the strategy that goes into choosing the best word before the timer runs out!

70. TabooWe played this as a family all the time growing up. Definitely a family favorite.

71. DabbleYou have to try out this entertaining word game!

72. ScrabbleI have so many good memories playing this with my grandma. Her vocabulary is MUCH better than mine!

73. BoggleI played this in college all the time with a group of friends and it got super competitive. Just don’t play it in the library!

74. PasswordThis game is so simple, it’s actually perfect for road trips, too!

75. UpwordsA unique take on Scrabble, but now you’re building the words UP!

76. Mad GabTranslate unrelated words into real phrases!

77. QuiddlerThis is fun and challenging. You will be using the dictionary for sure! The object is to arrange all of the cards in your hand into one or more words.

24 Party Games

When we did play games as a kid, we always ended up on one of these… Scattegories, Catch Phrase, Jungle Speed… they are all winners.

Party Games

Party Games

78. ScattegoriesThis game requires some quick thinking and creativity. It is one of our favorites and a great one for a big group of people!

79. Catch PhraseOkay… if you haven’t played catch phrase, you haven’t truly lived. This is a fast talking game that gets your heart racing!

80. JengaPlain old Jenga is fun–but have you seen any of the fun versions of Jenga that we have on our site?

81. PictionaryThe worse your artistic skills are, the more hilarious this game becomes… bring it on!

82. Apples to ApplesSuch a funny game! It will have you giggling and laughing all night!

83. PitThis is an oldie, but a goodie! It’s also a crazy loud game!

84. GuessturesWhen you try to move fast, you never know what will happen!

85. RollickAward winning party game!! Get ready for some teamwork and fun as you race to win this charades game!

Party Games

86. WinkWe got this for Christmas and it is a BLAST! This is a great ice breaker game! Your mission, is to covertly wink at your secret partner without being detected by the other players.

87. SpoonsIf you want something fast paced and energetic, this game will keep you on your toes!

88. DixitThis is a family favorite, and will provide some excellent memories as you try to deduce how others might think. Get the detective skills out!

89. CursesWe love playing this game whenever my family gets together for Christmas. It’s one of those games that will get you cracking-up laughing in no time.

90. Pass the PigsThis game is crazy fun. There really is no skill involved, but that is half the fun!

91. BangWe love BANG in our house! It takes a little bit to get the hang of all the rules, but once you do, it’s a blast! My husband requires that we all create sound effects every time we play a card!

92. Like MindsThis is GREAT for a group date night! Players pair up and write their answers in hopes of matching them with their teammate’s.

93. LikewiseThis is a funny and easy, family game. You’re given a silly category and the goal to write something you think everyone else will write as well.

Party Games

94. TenziThis is a very simple and fun game of chance. Even little kids can play an adapted version!!

95. SelfieFunniest game EVER! Basically, you draw a card with an expression on it and have to take a selfie with that expression on your face. Then your family and friends have to guess what the expression is, based on your selfie picture. We die laughing every single time.

96. Strike a PoseSo many people can play this fun freeze-frame, recommended by our very own Becca!

97. TelestrationsIt’s like a mix of telephone and pictionary–very funny for all ages!

98. Reverse CharadesAn active imagination is required for this fun ice breaker game that even young kids will enjoy!

99. Jungle SpeedQuick reflexes will make you a pro at this game… And make sure to cut your fingernails before playing! Ha ha… It is so fun!

100. 5 Second RuleThis is a hilarious game that will require quick thinking. You never know what will come out of your mouth! Be prepared to laugh your head off!

101. The Game of Loaded QuestionsWant to get to know your family and friends a little better? Try out this game for a fun time!

And one more game that we are LOVING! Wackee Six – It is fun a speedy card game good for kids 6 and older, fun family game!

Can’t get enough games??

20 Amazing Two Player Games are perfect for just the two of you after the kids go to bed.

Or, you can check out our post 65 Outdoor Party Games and take the play outside!

Carisa

I am crazy about my husband, Scott and my FOUR cute kids! I spend my days at home--teaching, playing and cleaning up with them! Our favorite place in our home is the kitchen! I love to cook and bake with lots of flavor--and I love having my little helpers in the kitchen, too! Some of my most recent passions are tennis, nutrition, crafting, the great outdoors and photography!

Learn more about Carisa
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Recent Comments

  1. SOOOO many fun ideas in here! I love having them all in one place! There are a BUNCH of party games in here I’ve never heard of! YAY!! XO