Best Family Board Games of 2023 For All Ages

Best Overall

Days of Wonder Ticket To Ride

4.5

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Clark is a big fan of Ticket to Ride, and we can see why. This adventurous family board game involves collecting cards with the goal of claiming cross-country railroad routes and connecting cities throughout North America. Since there are multiple ways to score and win, players can use creativity and careful planning skills to gain the most points.

"What starts as a fun puzzle of matching colors to build train routes can get cutthroat when you block someone's path," says Clark. The fast-paced, award-winning game can be picked up by players 8 and up in just a few minutes and encourages strategic thinking.

Price at time of publish: $55

_{Type: Strategy | Age Range: 8 and up | Number of Players: 2-5 players | Playing Time: 30-60 minutes}

Best for Small Families

Hasbro Gaming Sorry! Board Game

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If your family is on the smaller side, you can't go wrong with Hasbro's classic game of Sorry! It's a great way to bring back memories for some players, while creating new ones for the youngest ones. In this unpredictable game, players take turns sending other players back at the starting point. It comes with a board, 12 pawns, and 44 cards. Since the game calls for two to four players, it is ideal for intimate groups—plus kids as young as 6 can pick it up.

Price at time of publish: $22

_{Type: Strategy | Age Range: 6 and up | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Playing Time: 15 minutes}

Best for Large Families

Inspiration Play Double Ditto

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The next time you head to a bigger outing like a family reunion, you should definitely consider bringing Double Ditto. It can be played with as many as 20 people and is easy to learn for anyone about 9 and older. Players race against the clock to think of answers to various category questions while hoping to match their responses to other players.' We like that this board game encourages quick thinking, clever wit, and creativity.

Price at time of publish: $35

_{Type: Card | Age Range: 10 and up | Number of Players: 4-10 players | Playing Time: 20-30 minutes}

Best for Younger Kids

Wonder Forge Richard Scarry's Busytown, Eye Found It

4

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Super easy to learn with almost no teaching required, Busytown is ideal for younger children. It comes with a jumbo game board, plus a variety of movers, bases, tokens, and tiles. Note that because it's on the larger side, you're going to need a bigger play space to lay the game on. This cooperative game is recommended for ages 3 and up, but you can expect adults to enjoy themselves too.

Price at time of publish: $25

_{Type: Cooperative | Age Range: 4 and up | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Playing Time: 20 minutes}

Best for Older Kids

Gamewright Forbidden Island

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Forbidden Island comes highly recommended by both Arneson and Clark. "It's a cooperative game where everyone works together to rescue artifacts from a sinking island—and then gets to the helicopter before it's too late," says Arneson.

Suggested for ages 10 and up, this adventurous board game encourages older kids to use their problem-solving and strategic skills. "It comes with different challenge levels," adds Clark. "Once you master the easy mode, that's just the beginning!"

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Type: Strategy | Age Range: 10 and up | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Playing Time: Not listed}

Best Fantasy

Dirk Baumann The Magic Labyrinth

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When it comes to family board games, Arneson appreciates The Magic Labyrinth because it's easy to understand without being boring for adults. This whimsical game can be picked up by kiddos as young as 6 and is super engaging for players of all ages. It's an invisible maze and you have to watch out—if you hit a wall, you have to return to the starting point. Each game takes about 15 minutes of play time.

Price at time of publish: $58

_{Type: Fantasy | Age Range: 6 and up | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Playing Time: 15 minutes}

Best Strategy

Catan Strategy Board Game: 5th Edition

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If you appreciate a good strategy game, we think you'll love Catan. Encouraging problem-solving skills and explorative tactics, there's a reason this compelling and addictive game is a cult classic.

While it's not recommended for younger children and takes a little while for beginners to pick up, Greg May, founder and CEO of The Uncommons board game cafe, likes the educational aspect of Catan.

Price at time of publish: $60

_{Type: Strategy | Age Range: 10 and up | Number of Players: 3-6 players | Playing Time: 60-90 minutes}

Best Cooperative

Peaceable Kingdom Cauldron Quest

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Created for magic-lovers aged 6 and up, Cauldron Quest is all about breaking a wizard's spell while searching for ingredients for a mysterious potion. Kids and adults alike will have fun honing their problem-solving skills while cooperating with one another to save the kingdom. What's more, each game only takes about 20 minutes to complete.

Price at time of publish: $24

_{Type: Cooperative | Age Range: 6 and up | Number of Players: 2-4 players | Playing Time: Not listed}

Best Trivia

What Do You Meme? All of Us Family Trivia Game

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Depending on when the cards were printed, trivia can sometimes feel unfair—but that's not the case with All of Us. Boasting nearly 600 cards with questions aimed at Baby Boomers, Gen Zers, and generations in between, anyone 12 or older can expect to know a good portion of the answers. We also appreciate that you can play with larger groups.

Price at time of publish: $18

_{Type: Trivia | Age Range: 12 and up | Number of Players: 4+ players | Playing Time: Not listed}

Best Guessing

Restoration Games Dinosaur Tea Party

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Arneson is a big fan of the guessing game Dinosaur Tea Party. Recommended for ages 7 and up, players take turns questioning one another to figure out everyone's hidden prehistoric identity. We like that this silly game is fun for all ages, is educational, and encourages deductive reasoning. It's definitely an ideal choice for players who puzzles, problem solving, and mystery.

Price at time of publish: $20

_{Type: Guessing | Age Range: 7 and up | Number of Players: 3-5 players | Playing Time: 30 minutes}