Favorite Family Games

I will never forget the week we moved to Rocklin and Ryan was talking to the boy who lives behind us. He peeked through the fence and asked Ryan what his favorite games were. Ryan, who was 4.5 at the time, replied "Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders". The neighbor boy was a couple years older, and was in fact referring to video games....not board games. I was thinking about this memory recently, so I asked Ryan, "Ryan, what's your favorite game to play?" He replied "You mean like a board game? Probably Rummikub".

That made me smile. While we do have a Friday night "movie night" tradition, I love to encourage other forms of entertainment. And card and board games can be so fun! Now that it's summer, we have more time in the evening to play. I thought I would share a few of our favorite games that are good for a range of ages. Please share what games your family plays!

Rummikub

Rummikub is probably our most-played game. It is kind of like playing rummy but with tiles. Ryan and Lucas have been playing it for a couple years now, although every once in a while Lucas needs a little help, so I'd say it is good for ages 5 and up. We love this one!

Clumsy Thief

Ryan received this game a couple years ago from a friend. Even though it says 8+, Lucas had no problem playing it even when he was 6. The rules are simple....you put together money stacks that equal $100, and then you steal them back and forth from each other. I like that it teaches a little math while being really fun and really quick.

Ticket To Ride

This is a game that we haven't actually played yet. But I kept hearing that this cross-country train adventure was SO fun. I bought it earlier this year and plan on giving it as a family gift this Christmas.

Sorry

I had to include this one because it is Lucas' favorite game. I don't know anyone who hasn't played the game of Sorry. It is just such a classic game and simple enough that even Jenna can play on her own, at 4 years old.

Crazy Chefs

Speaking of Jenna, this is her favorite game! In fact, we love a few of the Orchard Toys games. They are perfect for Preschool through Kindergarten age. These games are all made from sturdy cardboard pieces, so they last a long time.

Hedbanz

The kids think this one is really funny. It's basically a game of 20 questions, except the thing you are trying to guess is attached to your forehead for everyone else to see. It's silly and fun and one that even Andrew can (kind of) play.


Exploding Kittins

This is a new one to us. I have heard it is a ton of fun, so we are going to test it out this week. It has close to 10,000 5-star reviews on Amazon, so I'm thinking it's going to be a good game.

Please tell me what your favorite family games are! It can be difficult to find games that appeal to a wide range of ages, aren't overly frustrating, don't go on forever, etc. I'd love some new ideas!