My family loves to play games! Does yours?! I know game night has become the perfect way to spend some time together as a family. We have quite a selection of games which reflect all the different interests of everyone in our family.
Not only is a game night a great way to connect as a family but
Over all, though, games are just fun!
We often play games during long winter nights or as a Saturday night fun activity to do together. We also incorporate games into our homeschool. It’s a fabulous way to make learning fun and connect as a family, too
If your kids are beyond the Candyland and Chutes and Ladders stage, you’ve come to the right place. My kiddos are in middle school, so we have moved on to games the whole family can REALLY enjoy together.
Don’t get me wrong, Candyland and Chutes and Ladders are fun. However, it is nice to have games to play that involve a little more strategy or more thought to them.
So, here are some suggestions for Family Game Night. The games are generally rated for ages 8+. Take a look and find your next game night favorite.
**UPDATED post. The original post was January 2019. It has been fully updated to include new family game night ideas.
Family Game Night Card Games
Over the years, we have found fun card games that we enjoy playing as a family. Some are fast-paced games, while others will take more time. Here are seven of our favorites.
Zeus On The Loose
The object of this game is to be the one who has Zeus when the game hits 100. It is that simple.
It is a fast-paced game in which players lay down a card and add (or subtract) it to the total in the pile. Any time a player hits a multiple of 10, they gain possession of Zeus. God cards have special instructions that you must follow. If you are lucky to have Zeus when the game hits 100, you win!
We all enjoy this game. It is simple, AND it works on mental math skills.
Skip-Bo
Skip-Bo is a sequencing game. Players work to build piles in sequential order from 1 to 12. You do so by using the cards in your hand, your discard pile, and your stock. The object of the game is to be the first player to use up all the cards in their stockpile in order to win.
It is a fun game that requires some strategy. You also need some skill in keeping track of all your cards and how to best play them. It takes some practice, but in time, it is easy to pick up.
Monopoly Deal
Monopoly Deal is a quick game that is similar to the original. Players collect, swap, or steal properties and charge rent. As the game description states, “the first to collect 3 full property sets of different colors” wins the game.
It took me some time to figure out this game. It is a good alternative to the larger board game.
Phase 10
In this game, there are 10 different phases. Each phase is very specific. In one phase you may need to complete a set of three colors and a run of four numbers. In another, you may need to get 7 cards of the same color. If you complete a phase before the other players, you move on to the next phase. The first player to complete all 10 phases wins.
It is a challenge to be the first to complete a phase before some else does so. You are always rushing trying to beat the other players. The games can be long, but it is a lot of fun.
Quiddler
My kids and I LOVE this game; my husband, not so much. Hubby isn’t much of a word game person. It must be his engineer brain. 😉
Quiddler is a great word game! It is perfect for game night and for gameschooling in your homeschool. Each card has a letter or letter combination. You must use the letters in your hand to make words. The first round everyone gets three cards. With each round, players get one more card until the final round of ten cards.
Boy, this game can get tricky, but if you like word games, you are sure to love this one.
Exploding Kittens
Older kids, especially tweens and teens, will love this game. With cards like Rainbow-Ralphing Cat and Cattermelon, kids are going to get sucked in.
The game is fairly simple, you want to avoid getting an Exploding Kitten card or you will lose the game. However, the action cards keep everyone on their toes. It is great to play with two players, but it gets quite interesting with five.
Overall, Exploding Kittens is a fast-paced game that is a lot of fun. My son wrote up a review of the game. You can check it out HERE.
Bears vs. Babies
Bears vs Babies is by the same company as Exploding Kittens. Again, it is another crazy game that will appeal to kids. In this card game, the babies are the bad guys. With the cards in your hand, you build crazy bears to try and defeat the babies.
Adults will like this game, too. It is simple enough to learn, but not childish in the least. We like playing this game as a family.
Family Game Night Action Games
My son is an active kid, so he tends to like games that require action. Here is a few you might enjoy.
Get a Grip
Get a Grip is a goofy game. Two players face off. Each player puts on special gloves that prevent them from using their thumbs. The judge draws a card and reads off a specific challenge. The competitors must complete the challenge faster or better than their opponent.
The cards have a timed challenge, OR you are racing to beat the other player. Players are asked to draw a picture, shape something with clay, or perform a physical action. Again, this is all done without thumbs.
Kids will have a blast with this game. It is even a challenge for adults. You will find yourselves laughing throughout this game.
Dr. Eureka!
In Dr. Eureka, you have a set of test tubes with colored marbles. The object of the game is to create the pattern shown on a card. You must get all three tubes in the correct order WITHOUT touching the marbles with your hands. You must be the first one to complete the pattern to win.
The game seems super simple until you start rushing to transfer marbles from one tube to another. It is a challenging game even though it is a simple concept. It takes planning to make sure you are pouring marbles in the correct order in order to get the three tubes organized how they need to be.
Throw, Throw Burrito
Okay, so this game is a card game. However, I put it here because it is such a fast moving (with the cards) and has actions involved that I put it under action games.
So, you will see a theme here. This crazy sounding game is by the same company as Exploding Kittens and Bears vs Babies. My kids LOVE this game, especially my 6th-grade boy. I don’t tend to choose this game, BUT I am sharing it because it is a good family game night game. Plus, I know a lot of families that would like it.
As I said, it is a card game. In order to make matches, you are rapidly discarding cards into another player’s pile and picking up from your own or the draw pile. Certain cards, however, require Burrito Wars or Burrito Brawls in which the plush burrito is thrown at other players.
In effect, Throw, Throw Burrito is a card game and dodge ball game in one. It is crazy and super fast-paced. You have to be fully alert playing this game.
Apples to Apples
Apples to Apples is excellent for large families or for a crowd. To play, everyone is dealt red cards that are people, places, events, or things. The center deck has green cards with descriptive words that may go with the cards in the players’ hands.
During the game, players must select a card from their hand that will best match the green card in the center of the table. If the judge picks your card as best, you win! Everyone takes turns being a judge.
It is a fun game that can get silly at times.
Family Game Night Board Games
There are so many board games out there. I will share a few we have enjoyed playing over the years. I also have a link below that shares more in a post I did on strategy games.
Trivial Pursuit Family Edition
Trivial Pursuit hasn’t changed much over the years. Each player is asked various trivia questions from different categories. The first player to successfully answer a question from each of the different categories wins.
The Family Edition is great! It has a set of questions for kids and a set for adults. The family really can play together.
Monopoly Empire
Monopoly Empire is a much faster version of the original board game. Players try to collect the top brands and fill their towers with billboards before the other players.
It is an easy game to learn and much quicker to play. In this version, players buy companies instead of properties. You can steal billboards off of other players’ towers and stop them with special cards from stealing yours. It is fun for the whole family.
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is a good strategy game. Players
We love this game. Sometimes my kids get frustrated, okay really upset, when someone blocks their route. However, it teaches them to reevaluate their strategy and find a different way.
Catan
Honestly, I had been wanting this game for quite some time. Luckily, Amazon had a sale, so Santa was able to get it for the kids. Santa has to shop on a budget, too.
Catan is a strategy game which involves collecting resources to build roads, settlements, and cities. Whoever reaches ten points first, wins the game.
Sounds simple. It takes some planning, though. The one nice thing about the game is it has two versions (plus extension packs), so you can adjust the game a little to fit your family’s needs.
**If you like strategy games, you can find more in Fun Strategy Games to Include in Your Homeschool. I have a bunch of great games listed that your family will enjoy.
Dice Game for the Family
Popalotsy
We were gifted Popalotsy one year. It is an interesting dice game that involves rings. Basically, it is a matching game in which you race to get rid of all your rings.
Kids will like popping the dice in the popper. It is a simple concept, but you need to be quicker than the other players in order to win.
With this game, you can follow the standard rules or adjust it for younger players. It will help kids become familiar with the game without trying to keep up with the quick pace.
Family Game Night Oldies but Goodies
We have a lot of old games that we still love to play. They are great for kids 8+, too.
- Life
- Sorry
- Yahtzee
- Trouble
- Headache
- Parcheesi
- Chinese checkers
- Boggle
- Scrabble
- Monopoly
- Pictionary
Games are such a great way to connect and have fun as a family. Now that the kids are getting older, there are a lot more games for 8+ that even adults will enjoy playing. So see what ones you may want to pick up and play for your next family game night.
Love the blog and all the terrific learning activities you share. Thank you!
Thank you. You are too kind.
Great recommendations; thank you!
Thanks for reading.