2025 Edition: Fun Classic Family Board Games to Play and Gift This Holiday Season
Whether it’s the raucous laughter that comes from a party game gone wrong or the quiet, focused tension of a strategy game, these moments create memories that last far longer than any high score on a video game. As a long-time lover of game nights (and someone who has mediated her fair share of Monopoly disputes!), I’ve gathered a list of the best board games to help you unplug and reconnect.
Why Board Games Are More Important Than Ever
It feels like we are all running a mile a minute these days. Between work, school, and the constant buzz of notifications, finding time to just be together can feel impossible. That’s why board games are experiencing such a massive resurgence. They force us to slow down. They ask us to look each other in the eye, read body language, and engage in conversation.
Plus, let’s be honest: there is a specific kind of joy in beating your partner at Scrabble that you just can’t get anywhere else.
Best Board Games for Family Game Night
Finding a game that satisfies both an eight-year-old and a forty-year-old can be tricky, but the best family board games manage to bridge that gap perfectly.
Ticket to Ride has become a modern staple for a reason. It’s accessible enough for kids to understand—you’re essentially collecting colored cards to build train routes across a map—but it has enough strategy to keep adults engaged. It’s gentle competition, perfect for a Sunday afternoon.
If you have younger children, Outfoxed! is a delightful “whodunit” cooperative game where you work together to find a culprit. It’s a wonderful way to introduce little ones to logic and deduction without the tears that sometimes come with competitive play. For a quicker pace, Sushi Go! is adorable and fast. You pass cards around the table, trying to build the best “meal” of sushi. It’s frantic fun that usually ends in giggles.
Classic Board Games That Never Get Old
Sometimes, you just want the comfort of the classics. These are the board games that likely lived in your linen closet growing up, and they deserve a spot on your shelf today.
Scrabble remains the ultimate test of vocabulary and wits. It’s a quiet game, best played with a cup of tea (or a glass of wine) and some good music in the background. If you prefer mystery over vocabulary, the updated versions of Clue still pack a punch. There is a timeless thrill in moving your piece from the Conservatory to the Library to make an accusation.
And we can’t forget Jenga. It’s simple—pull a block, stack it on top—but the physical tension it creates in a room is unmatched. It’s the perfect icebreaker because you don’t need to read a rulebook to start playing; you just need a steady hand and nerves of steel.
Best Board Games for Parties and Large Groups
When you have a house full of guests, you need games that are easy to explain and get everyone involved quickly.
Just One is a brilliant cooperative party game. Everyone writes a one-word clue to help a guesser figure out a mystery word, but here’s the catch: if you write the same clue as someone else, they cancel out! It encourages creativity and usually results in everyone feeling like they’re on the same team.
For a more colorful experience, Hues and Clues is a vibrant guessing game where you have to connect words to specific shades of color. It’s visually beautiful and surprisingly funny when you realize your definition of “apple red” is very different from your friend’s. Another viral hit is Tapple, a fast-paced category game that requires quick thinking before the timer buzzes. It’s frantic, loud, and absolutely perfect for waking up a sleepy post-dinner crowd.
Perfect Board Games for Two Players
Game night doesn’t always need a crowd. Some of my favorite evenings have been spent playing two-player board games after the kids have gone to bed.
Patchwork is a deceptively simple game about quilting. You buy Tetris-like pieces of fabric to fill your board. It sounds calm, and it is, but it’s also a tight strategic puzzle that is wonderfully satisfying to solve.
If you enjoy word games, Codenames Duet takes the popular party game and turns it into a cooperative mission for two. You have to give one-word clues to help your partner guess specific words on a grid while avoiding the “assassin.” It requires you to truly be in sync with your partner’s way of thinking.
How to Choose the Right Board Games
With thousands of options on the shelves, picking the right one can feel overwhelming. When shopping for new board games, I always look at the “replayability” factor. A game might be fun once, but is it deep enough that we’ll want to pull it out again next month?
Also, be realistic about your time. If you have toddlers, a three-hour strategy epic like Catan might be hard to get to the table (though it is fantastic if you have the time!). Look for play times that fit your life. Whether you have twenty minutes or three hours, there is a game out there ready to create your next favorite memory.
