Interactive and Family Fun Game Night Games
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Throw a Burrito
Throw a Burrito is our 2021 family pick for our go to game night game. It’s part card game, part strategy but it’s mostly throwing a burrito at each other, chasing, laughing and dunking. We made a “no crying when you’re hit by a burrito” rule that hasn’t always worked out but there is much more laughter than tears. So far, we’re injury free but I recommend not wearing socks if you’re floors are slick (that was a close call). Basically you grab cards as fast as you can to make matches but if someone get a fight card – burrito’s start flying. My kids favorite are the duels. It’s a great way to work out a little fustration but even with a mili-second flinch you’ll be wacked.
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Exploding Kittens
This is another fabulous game by the makers of Throw a Burrito. The company is called Exploding Kittens. The Exploding Kittens company definitely has a sense of humor and has been churning out several new interactive family games that are easy to learn and a blast to play.
Amazon describes Exploding kittens as:
“Exploding kittens is the perfect card game for adults, teens and kids who are into kittens and explosions and laser beams and sometimes goats.”
Other games by Exploding Kittens includes:
- Bears vs Babies
- You’ve Got Crabs
- On a Scale of One to T-Rex
- A Game of Cat and Mouth
- Poetry for Neanderthals
All of the Exploding Kitten games have nearly 5 star reviews.
Family Strategy Board Games
Catan
Catan takes a little time to figure out but once everyone starts playing, it’s a lot of fun. The game is very appropriate for our 9 year old and up. The 6 year old can play with a little help. Catan is described a a civilization building game. Players negotiate for resources while trying to build their own cities and town. There are several different version and upgrades available.
Catan comes in several versions including: Game of Thrones Catan, Star Trek Catan and expansion kits: Seafarers
Trekking the World
Trekking the World is a fun strategy game where you can also learn a lot of geography. It takes some time and reading to set up the first game but by game 2 it’s a lot of fun. My 9 and 13 year old grasped how to play easily. The 6 year old needs some help but enjoys the game as well. Once you have a couple of players who know how to play then teaching others is pretty easy. The location cards are fun and informative – we all learned some geography in an easy and fun way.
Trekking also comes in a National Park Version
Ticket to Ride
Ticket to Ride is another strategy game where you build railroad tracts to connect route in different area. Players collect matching cards to build train routes.
Ticket to Ride has several versions including: Ticket to Ride Europe
Collaborative / Cooperative Family Games
Collaborative games have made great additions to our game night supply. It’s great to have everyone work together for a common goal. Since everyone wins, or everyone looses the kids do a much better job playing together.
Pandemic
You’re not going to find a more appropriate game for 2021. Pandemic is a cooperative board game where everyone works together as a disease fighting team to prevent illness, gather cures, and treat infections. Pandemic is probably the most perfect choice for a home family game night during the COVID pandemic.
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island is a collaborative/cooperative game where everyone works together to collect items as the island sinks. The goal is to get all of the items then make your way to the helicopter in time. This game is easy enough to understand for my 6 year old and all of the kids work well together to get off of the island. The game board changes each time which helps keep their interest.
Hoot Owl Hoot
Hoot Owl Hoot is cooroperative game for younger kids (4-8). Kids work together to help the owl make it back to the nest before the sun rises.
Race to the Treasure
In Race to the Treasure kids work together to build a path, collect keys and beat the ogre to the treasure.
Classic Family Night Games
Sometimes whey you’re looking for a great choice for a family game night, the classics can make a really fun night. We enjoy many of the same games that I grew up with. Some have updated versions but the the original versions are just as fun.
Monopoly
We have played hours and hours of monopoly. The kids (and us) still love it. The strategy and bargaining are a lot of fun and the kids can work on their addition. There are several local and updated versions available.
Sequence
Collect and play cards with the goal of getting five tockens on the board game in a row. This game is easy to learn and set up and has some fun strategy.
Sorry
In Sorry you draw cards to move your pawns around the board. First one to get all four pawns to the finish area, wins. But there’s a catch, if your opponent draws certain cards then Sorry – you’re starting over.
Battleship
A very easy to learn 2 player game that is perfect for kids with just a little down time to play. I love hearing them yell “You Sunk my Battleship“
The Game of Life
I loved the Game of Life growing up. Spin a wheel, move along a board game and collect cards that can change your fortune
Connect Four
Easy to learn but still fun as an adult. Connect Four is a fun, classic game good for many ages. Want to add a challenge – consider a tournament.
Trouble
Trouble was another of my favorite board games growing up. Similar to sorry – the goal is to move all four game pieces around the board. If someone lands on your player, you start over. Trouble now has some updated version including a Star Wars Trouble.
Guess Who
Even younger kids like the classic matching and simple strategy game of Guess Who. Easy to learn and short and simple rounds.
Clue
Clue has been a family favorite of ours for the last 1-2 years. It’s the ultimate “who done it” game. All of our kids can play (the 6 year old needs help), the game set-up is simple and it’s a lot of fun. The kids love coming up with strategies and they can win as often as the adults. We love the classic version.
We’re also picked up Harry Potter Clue. It adds a few levels of increased complication but after a few rounds it’s easy enough to pick up. We’ve enjoyed both but the new versions are different and a little more layered than the original. There is even and Office Version of Clue.
Games for Younger Kids
Sometimes younger kids have a hard time keeping up with the big kids in many board games. These games are made especially for the younger croud and are just as fun.
Sequence Jr
Sequence Jr is very similar to the full version but just a little easier and uses animals for cards. You need 4 in a row instead of 5. It still uses enough strategy that parents have fun too.
Monopoly Jr
Monopoly Jr is a much shorter game than then original but has a very similar feel. The rules are a little different but it’s fun and younger kids can have a great time playing.
Busytown
Busy town is a cooperative game for young kids. Work together to find items and make your way across the board. Young children love when they find the hidden items. A colorful board and fun pieces add to the excitement.
Candyland
The classic game of Candyland is a wonderful choice to get young children started with board games. Kids don’t need to read to play, the rules are simple and the graphics are classicly cute.
Chutes and Ladders
Chutes and Ladders is another easy and fun game for younder children. Climb the ladders, go down the slides and try to make it to the finish
Party and Larger Group Games
2021 is not going to be known as a year of parties and large gatherings but these classic (and new) party games can be played at home with family or can easily translate to zoom. So send out an invite to the grandparents, friends across country, and the neighbors and enjoy these party games.
Pictionary
Pictionary is the ultimate classic game for gatherings (when we can do that again). Divide in to teams and start guessing. We use to love playing this game with tne neighbors. Pictionary also works well over zoom.
Artsy Fartsy
Looking for a drawing game with a little potty-humor involved? That’s were Artsy Fartsy shines. Add in tasks that ask you to draw blind, draw with the wrong hand or steal cards and you have a really fun team drawing game.
Family Charades
Charades can be played anytime as long as you have players and a little imagination. This charades card set adds to the fun. Act out the words and have other players guess.
Taboo
Get your team members to speak a word without saying the forbidden words. Taboo is harder than you think and a whole lot of fun.
Beat That
Beat That uses household items to make fun interactive games. Think Minute to Win it Style. 160 challenges are included.
Watch Ya Mouth
My kids have some speech difficulties anyway but Watch Ya Mouth levels the playing field. Players have inserts that they put in their mouths and other players try to guess the phrases. Lots of giggles and fun all around.
Building Games
My kids love to build. These games are half building and half game. The combination adds an extra layer of fun to learning time.
Mouse Trap
Mouse trap is a mix of building and a board game. Build the “mouse trap” and try to make your way around the board without getting trapped.
Gravity Maze
Gravity Maze is similar to Curcuit Maze but you build wiht marbles instead of curcuits. Each game piece had multiple ways to play so this game can really help develop spacial skills
Curcuit Maze
Fun game that can be used with multiple player but can also be played with one player. Curcuit Maze uses real curcuit boards to make challenges.
Jenga
Jenga comes in many colors and sizes but regardless the game is the same. Move a block from the bottom, stack it on top, and if the tower falls – you loose.
Trivia Games
Trivial Pursuit
Trivial Pursuit is the ultamate trivia game. It now comes in multiple versions. All have the same concept but the questions change. We have 3 different versions (adult, kids, and Harry Potter). All have been a lot of fun. Some of my favorite nights travelling involved sitting in front of the fire playing Trivial Pursuit with the family.
Trivial Pursuit
Masters Edition
Trivial Pursuit
Stranger Things / Back to the 80’s
Trivial Pursuit –
Harry Potter Edition
Trivial Pursuit
Star Wars
Trivial Pursuit
Family Edition
Card Strategy Games
Pokeman
Pokeman is a great family game that quickly will turn in to a hobby that the entire family can enjoy. Each family member collect thier own card deck. Each deck is made of special cards with different attacks and values. The game takes some strategy but even my younger kids seem to quickly grasp the concept and enjoy playing (with some help). There are so many Pokeman accessories to add. Pokeman books were some of the few books that my dyslexic son enjoyed. The kids love to go through the character books and know way more about pokeman than I do.
Word Games
Scrabble
Scrabble is another classic game but is also another really fun one. It’s great for some of the bad spellers in our family (um, me … well, actually all of us) to help make spelling more fun. We keep a dictionary of the phone to help the kids compete a little better and the dictionary definitely makes it more fun for them.
Upwords
Upwords is like Scrabble but with the ability to stack. The stacking adds a nice layer of fun.
Classic Card Games
There are so many options for family fun card games. When we travel, we like to take a sturdy water-proof card deck and Uno Deck. At home we keep several decks around. All of these games are easy to learn with the kids.
We’re a family of 5 (Physician Assistant mom, IT project manager dad and 3 kids ages 3,6,10) taking a gap year from normal life to travel. For blog posts, locations, and more information on how we did it and how you can to click here.
