Estimated read time: 7-8 minutes
In a world with endless opportunities for digital entertainment, there's something simple, wholesome and energizing about a family board game.
If you're looking for a way to reconnect and spend quality time away from screens with your family, the board game industry has some clever and innovative options. With many new games to try, you're sure to find your family's new favorite pastime. So grab some snacks, comfy blankets and settle in for a night of strategy and fun.
Cascadia
Budding ecologists or wildlife enthusiasts in your family will love thistile-laying and token-drafting game. The idea is to create the most harmonious ecosystem by placing tiles and matching wildlife tokens. Designed for ages 10 and up, Cascadia combines strategy with a love for nature.
Players will be captivated by its beautiful artwork and the strategic depth offered by its simple yet engaging gameplay mechanics.
One Reddit user says, "It's really pleasant and relaxing. Everyone I showed it to loved it, even my mom who always says games are too complicated. Even if the rules are really simple, there's still enough to think about to make it interesting for people who like their games a bit meatier!"
Many players say they also love to play it solo while they relax at night.
Sleeping Gods
Families with older kids (or those up for a good challenge) will love Sleeping Gods — an epic adventure game for 1-4 players that invites your family to explore a vast and mysterious world.
The Red Raven Games website describes the premise, "It's 1929. You are Captain Sofi Odessa and her crew lost at sea in a strange world. Aboard the steamship Manticore, you must work together to survive by exploring mysterious islands, battling creatures, and meeting the world's inhabitants. Along the way, seek out the totems of the gods. Wake the gods and perhaps you'll be able to return home."
It's best to start with your teen kids or adults for this game. Ryan Laukat's Sleeping Gods is a narrative-driven game where decisions matter. With its engaging story and cooperative gameplay, your family can dive deep into an immersive world and work together to overcome challenges and unravel the mysteries of the Sleeping Gods.
The Isle of Cats
The Isle of Cats is a colorful, "competitive, card-drafting, polyomino cat-placement board game for 1-4 players." Their website says families with children ages eight and up can enjoy rescuing cats and placing them aboard their ship, all while exploring the island.
It's a delightful mix of strategy and luck with an appealing theme that any cat lovers in the family will particularly enjoy. If you've got younger kids or those with short attention spans, this game can be abbreviated to about 30 minutes, making it the perfect family game for families in all stages of life.
You know it's a winner when the Amazon product page has a 4.8-star average rating. One reviewer says, "We LOVE this game. In the beginning, it looked complicated. So we started with the family version of the game, which was very easy to pick up. Now we're ready to move on. We have 8,11, and 14-year-olds in our family and they can play the family version with no problem."
Stardew Valley: The Board Game
Stardew Valley: The Board Game translates the farming, exploring, and relationship-building elements of the original video game into a cooperative board game experience.
Designed for 1-4 players ages 13 and up, families can work together to save the valley from the nefarious Joja Corporation, grow crops, raise animals and mine for resources. It's a game full of charm and strategic depth that will appeal to fans of the video game and newcomers alike.
Draftosaurus
Dino enthusiasts in your family? They'll love Draftosaurus, a drafting game where players build their own dinosaur park. The Amazon page says the goal is to "have the dino park most likely to attract visitors. To do so, you have to draft dino meeples and place them in pens that have some placement restrictions. Each turn, one of the players roll a die and this adds a constraint to which pens any other player can add their dinosaur."
Suitable for ages 8 and up, it's a fantastic game for families looking for something fast-paced and fun. With its simple mechanics, adorable dinosaur meeples and some healthy competition, it's a great way to introduce younger players to the concept of drafting.
The Table Top Family blog recommends the game for children even younger than eight as the icons are easy to understand, even if you can't read.
MicroMacro: Crime City
Who is the true detective in your family? Time to find out! MicroMacro: Crime City is a cooperative detective game where players work together to solve crimes in a bustling city depicted on a large, detailed black and white map. Suitable for players ages 10 and up, it offers a unique twist on the mystery genre. Players must be observant, piecing together clues from different locations and times depicted on the map to solve a series of interconnected cases.
First Orchard
Every child needs a first board game, and if your kids are lucky, it'll be First Orchard. Wirecutter calls this a "great first board game" because it's ideal for kids ages 2-5 (and their supportive parents, of course).
This cooperative game teaches the basics of colors, taking turns and following rules, all within the context of collecting colorful fruit before a cheeky raven reaches the orchard. Additionally, the game is made with young players in mind, featuring large, easy-to-handle pieces and vibrant, eye-catching fruit tokens.
Lost Ruins of Arnak
It's an adventure, but one that will teach exploration, resource management and discovery. Designed for 1-4 players ages 12 and up, Lost Ruins of Arnak offers a deep strategic experience as players uncover the mysteries of a lost civilization.
With its stunning artwork and innovative gameplay, it's perfect for families who enjoy adventure and exploration themes.
The average review on the Target product page is 4.8, so you know it's going to be a fun one! One reviewer says, "My husband, son(11), and I play this once a week. It takes about 3 hours. We absolutely love it. Took a YouTube video to help us figure out the rules completely but once you figure it all out, it really is great fun."
Enhance your family time
If you're looking to bring your family together in a wholesome way, it's time to break out the board games!
Grab some popcorn and a few cozy Minky Couture blankets to make family night memories that will last a lifetime. Find your local Minky Couture store or head to their website for convenient shopping and endless blanket variations.
