Family Board Games to Play with the Family

Family board games are a fun and interactive way for families to spend time together. These games come in various themes, mechanics, and difficulties to cater to different ages and skill levels. They can range from classic games like Monopoly and Clue to newer games like Settlers of Catan and Ticket to Ride. 

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Some of my best memories from childhood are sitting around the kitchen table playing Monopoly with my Granny (that was our very favorite game). Families enjoy playing board games for several reasons:
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1. Quality time: Board games provide a fun and engaging way for families to spend quality time together and connect with each other.
2. Mental stimulation: Board games often require strategy, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, providing mental stimulation for players.
3. Social interaction: Board games promote social interaction and communication, as players take turns, make decisions, and engage in friendly competition.
4. Low-tech entertainment: Board games offer a refreshing break from screens and technology, providing low-tech entertainment that is both engaging and entertaining.
5. Memory building: Playing board games with family can create memories that last a lifetime and strengthen the bond between family members.

Board games provide a fun and entertaining way for families to spend time together, while also promoting mental stimulation, social interaction, and memory building.

Here are some popular board games that are great for families:

1. Monopoly
2. Scrabble
3. Settlers of Catan
4. Codenames
5. Ticket to Ride
6. Pandemic
7. Carcassonne
8. Chess
9. Stratego
10. Clue

​These games offer a fun and engaging experience for people of all ages and can be enjoyed by families and friends alike. I'm going to go through and give you a quick overview of each game, to help you narrow down the next game night game you want to play!

Monopoly

Monopoly is a classic board game for 2 to 6 players. The objective of the game is to become the richest player by acquiring properties, charging rent to other players, and collecting money from various sources such as salaries, bonuses, and fines. Here is how to play Monopoly:

1. Set up: Each player starts with a set amount of money and selects a game piece to represent them on the board. The board consists of 40 spaces divided into four sections: properties, stations, utilities, and community chest/chance spaces.
2. Roll the dice: The youngest player goes first and rolls two dice to determine their move. The player moves their game piece the number of spaces indicated on the dice.
3. Landing on properties: If a player lands on an unowned property, they have the option to buy it. If the player chooses not to buy it, the property goes up for auction. If a player lands on a property owned by another player, they must pay rent to the owner.
4. Building houses and hotels: When a player owns all the properties of a color group, they can build houses and hotels on those properties. The cost of building houses and hotels increases as players progress through the game.
5. Paying fines and collecting bonuses: If a player lands on a community chest or chance space, they must draw a card and follow the instructions on the card. Some cards may require players to pay fines or collect bonuses.
6. Bankruptcy: If a player runs out of money, they must declare bankruptcy and leave the game. The last player with money remaining wins the game.

​The rules of Monopoly can vary depending on the edition, but these are the basic mechanics of how to play the game. You will actually find that there are so many versions available now of Monopoly, it is challenging to find the original. I'm going to link the "classic" version here for you, as well as a few of the latest versions, like Disney's The Little Mermaid, that the newer generations will enjoy.  There is also Monopoly Junior for the younger children in your family. 

Scrabble

Scrabble is a classic word game for 2 to 4 players. The objective of the game is to score as many points as possible by placing words on a game board using letter tiles. Here is how to play Scrabble:

1. Set up: Each player starts with a set of letter tiles and a tile rack to hold their tiles. The game board is a grid of 15x15 squares, each of which represents a different point value.
2. Drawing tiles: At the start of the game, a designated player draws seven tiles from the tile bag and places them on their rack. The next player then draws their tiles, and so on.
3. Placing words: The first player places their tiles on the board to form a word, with one tile placed on each square. The tiles must form a word that is found in a standard English dictionary.
4. Scoring points: The player scores points based on the value of each letter tile and the square on which it is placed. Some squares have special point values, such as double or triple-letter scores.
5. Subsequent turns: On subsequent turns, players add to existing words on the board by placing tiles vertically or horizontally. The tiles must form a valid word and connect to at least one previously placed tile.
6. Trading tiles: At any time during their turn, a player may choose to trade in some or all of their tiles for new tiles from the bag. However, they may only do so once per turn.
7. End of game: The game ends when one player has placed all of their tiles on the board or when the tile bag is empty and no player can make a move. The player with the highest score at the end of the game wins.

Scrabble is a fun and challenging game that requires strategic thinking, vocabulary skills, and a love of words. The rules of Scrabble can vary depending on the edition, but these are the basic mechanics of how to play the game. Similar to Monopoly, there is a Scrabble Junior version of the game. 

Settlers of Catan

Settlers of Catan is a popular strategy game for 3 to 4 players. The objective of the game is to become the dominant force on the island of Catan by acquiring resources, building settlements, and developing roads and cities. Here is how to play Settlers of Catan:

1. Set up: The game board is comprised of hexagonal tiles that represent different types of terrain, such as forests, pastures, hills, fields, mountains, and deserts. Each player starts with two settlements and two roads.
2. Rolling the dice: At the beginning of each turn, the player rolls two dice to determine which terrain produces resources. The number rolled corresponds to the production number of one of the hexagonal tiles.
3. Acquiring resources: If a player has a settlement adjacent to a terrain tile with the corresponding production number, they receive one resource card of that type.
4. Building settlements and roads: Players use resources to build settlements and roads. Settlements can be upgraded to cities, which produce more resources.
5. Trading resources: Players may trade resources with each other or with the bank. Trading with other players can be a key strategy in the game.
6. The robber: If a player rolls a 7, they must move the robber to a different terrain tile and steal a resource card from one of the players with a settlement or city adjacent to that tile.
7. End of game: The game ends when one player has built a set number of settlements, cities, and roads, as specified in the rules. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

​Settlers of Catan is a complex and strategic game that offers a unique and challenging experience for players. The rules of Settlers of Catan can vary depending on the edition, but these are the basics to get you started.

Codenames

Codenames is a word-based party game for 2-8 players, divided into two teams. The objective of the game is to find all of the secret agents (represented by words on cards) before the other team does, by giving clever and cryptic clues. Here is how to play Codenames:

1. Set up: The game consists of a grid of cards with words on them, and two decks of cards with one word on each card, one representing the agents, and the other representing the clues.
2. Choosing teams: The players are divided into two teams, the "red" team and the "blue" team. One player from each team is chosen as the "spymaster".
3. Spymasters give clues: The spymasters take turns giving clues to their team by naming a word and giving a number, indicating how many of the words on the grid are related to the clue.
4. Guesses: The other players on the team then try to guess which cards match the clue. The team can make as many guesses as they want in a turn, as long as they guess correctly. If a player guesses a card that does not match the clue, the turn ends and the other team takes their turn.
5. Correct and incorrect guesses: If a player guesses a card that represents one of their team's agents, the card is turned over and remains revealed for the rest of the game. If a player guesses a card that represents the other team's agents, the card is turned over and the turn ends. If a player guesses a card that represents the assassin, the game ends immediately and the other team wins.
6. End of game: The game ends when one team has found all of their agents, or when the assassin is revealed. The team with the most agents revealed at the end of the game wins.

​Codenames is a fast-paced and entertaining game that requires clever wordplay and strategic thinking. The rules of Codenames can vary depending on the edition, and there are several of editions of Codenames, but this is the basic outline of how to play the game. My personal favorite is Codenames Disney Family Edition, but I do love all things Disney so I may be a little bias! 

Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is a popular strategy game for 2 to 5 players. The objective of the game is to build train routes across North America, connecting cities, and earning points. Here is how to play Ticket to Ride:

1. Set up: The game board shows a map of North America, with cities connected by colored train routes. Each player starts with a set of train cars and a supply of train cards.
2. Drawing cards: At the beginning of each turn, the player must draw two train cards, either from the draw deck or from the face-up cards. These cards represent different types of trains, and the player can use them to claim routes on the board.
3. Claiming routes: The player can claim a route by playing a set of train cards of the same color, and then placing their train cars on the route. The longer the route, the more points it is worth.
4. Tickets: The player can also draw and keep "ticket" cards, which show two cities and a point value. The player must try to connect these cities with their train routes before the end of the game.
5. End of game: The game ends when one player runs out of train cars, or when the draw deck is depleted and no more moves can be made. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins, based on the length of their routes and the value of their tickets.

​Ticket to Ride is a fun and challenging game that requires careful planning and resource management. The rules of Ticket to Ride can vary depending on the edition, and SURPRISE, there is more than one edition, but these are the rules of how to play the game.

Pandemic

Pandemic is a cooperative board game for 2 to 4 players. The objective of the game is to work together to stop the spread of four deadly diseases that are threatening the world. Here is how to play Pandemic:

1. Set up: The game board shows a map of the world, with cities connected by colored pathways. Each player starts as a member of a team of disease-fighting specialists, with a unique set of abilities. The game also includes a deck of cards and a set of disease cubes.
2. The outbreak: At the start of the game, a number of cities are randomly infected with diseases, and the diseases start to spread to other cities. The goal of the players is to stop the spread of the diseases and find a cure before the outbreak becomes too severe.
3. Taking actions: On each turn, a player can take a number of actions, such as moving to a new city, treating infected cities, building research stations, and trading cards with other players. The players must work together to coordinate their efforts and use their skills effectively.
4. Drawing cards: Each player also draws two cards from the deck on their turn. These cards represent events, city locations, or actions that the player can use to help stop the spread of the diseases.
5. Finding a cure: To find a cure, the players must collect five cards of the same color and bring them to a research station. Once a cure is found, the players must then race to eliminate all of the disease cubes from the board.
6. End of game: The game ends either when the players successfully cure all four diseases, or when the outbreak becomes too severe and the players run out of options. The players win or lose together as a team.

Pandemic is a fast-paced and intense game that requires teamwork, strategy, and quick thinking. These are the fundamental game principles for Pandemic, albeit the rules can change based on the edition. There is an expansion available also, which requires you to have the base Pandemic game to use. It's called the Pandemic on the Brink Board Game Expansion. 

Carcassonne

Carcassonne is a tile-laying game for 2 to 5 players. The objective of the game is to build a medieval landscape of cities, roads, monasteries, and fields, and to score points by placing meeples on the tiles. Here is how to play Carcassonne:

1. Set up: Each player starts with 7 meeples, which are small playing pieces that represent knights, thieves, monks, and farmers. The game also includes 72 tiles, each showing a different landscape feature.
2. Drawing tiles: At the beginning of each turn, the player draws a tile from the draw deck and places it on the table, connecting it to any existing tiles on the board. The tiles must be placed so that the landscape features match up, such as roads connecting to roads, and cities connecting to cities.
3. Placing meeples: After placing a tile, the player can place one meeple on it, either as a knight in a city, a thief on a road, a monk in a monastery, or a farmer in a field. The meeples remain on the tile until the end of the game.
4. Scoring: The player scores points as the cities, roads, monasteries, and fields grow and are completed. The points are scored at the end of the game, based on the size of each feature and the number of meeples on it.
5. End of game: The game ends when all of the tiles have been placed, and no more moves can be made. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Carcassonne is a fun and engaging game that combines elements of strategy, luck, and spatial awareness. These are the basic principles of how to play Carcassonne; the rules can change based on the version.​

Chess

Chess is a two-player strategy game played on a square board divided into 64 squares of alternating colors. The objective of the game is to checkmate your opponent's king, which means the king is in a position to be captured (in check), and there is no way to move the king out of capture (mate). Here is how to play chess:

1. Pieces: Each player starts with 16 pieces: one king, one queen, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, and eight pawns. The pieces are placed on the board at the beginning of the game, in a specific starting position.
2. Moving the pieces: On each turn, a player moves one of their pieces to a different square, following specific movement rules for each piece. The pieces can capture an opponent's piece by landing on its square, removing the opponent's piece from the board.
3. King: The king is the most important piece, and it must be protected at all times. If a player's king is in a position to be captured (in check), the player must get the king out of check on the next move. If there is no way to move the king out of check, the game is over and the player loses.
4. Checkmate: When a player's king is in a position to be captured, and there is no way to move the king out of capture, the game is over and the player loses. This is called checkmate.
5. Castling: Castling is a special move that allows the player to move their king and rook at the same time, for the purpose of getting the king to safety and improving the rook's position. Castling is allowed under certain conditions, and only once per game for each rook.
6. End of game: The game ends when one player checkmates their opponent's king, or when the players agree to a draw.

​Chess is a classic game that has been played for centuries, and it is widely considered to be one of the greatest strategy games of all time. The rules of chess are straightforward, but mastering the game requires a great deal of skill, experience, and practice.

 Stratego

Stratego is a two-player strategy game played on a 10x10 square board. The objective of the game is to find and capture your opponent's flag while defending your own flag. Here is how to play Stratego:

1. Set up: Each player starts with 40 pieces, which are placed on the board in a specific starting position. The pieces are divided into different ranks, from the highest-ranking marshal to the lowest-ranking miner.
2. Moving the pieces: On each turn, a player moves one of their pieces to an adjacent square, following specific movement rules for each piece. The pieces can attack an opponent's piece by landing on its square, but the outcome of the battle depends on the relative ranks of the pieces.
3. Attacking: When two pieces land on the same square, they engage in a battle, and the higher-ranking piece captures the lower-ranking piece. The marshal is the highest-ranking piece and can capture any other piece, while the miner is the lowest-ranking piece and can only capture the flag.
4. Flag and bomb: The flag and bomb are special pieces that play an important role in the game. The flag is the objective of the game, and the player who captures the opponent's flag wins. The bomb is a powerful piece that can only be captured by a miner, and it is used to defend the flag and other valuable pieces.
5. End of game: The game ends when one player captures the opponent's flag, or when the players agree to a draw.

Stratego is a fun and challenging game that combines elements of strategy, memory, and luck. The rules of Stratego can vary depending on the Stratego edition (like Stratego Assassins) but will give you a good general idea of how to play the game.

Clue

Clue (also known as Cluedo) is a three- to six-player detective game played on a game board with rooms, weapons, and suspects. The objective of the game is to solve a murder mystery by guessing the culprit, location, and weapon used. Here is how to play Clue:

1. Set up: Each player chooses a suspect and takes the corresponding game piece and cards. The murder cards, which consist of the suspect, location, and weapon cards, are shuffled and placed face-down in a stack. The remaining cards are dealt to the players, who look at their cards and keep them secret from the other players.
2. Taking turns: On each turn, a player rolls the dice and moves their game piece to a different room on the board. The player can make a suggestion by suggesting a suspect, location, and weapon, and then moving one of their own suspect cards to the room.
3. Making suggestions: When a player makes a suggestion, the other players must show the player any cards they have that match the suggestion. The player who made the suggestion must then make an accusation, which is a formal guess of the culprit, location, and weapon.
4. Making accusations: If a player makes an incorrect accusation, they are out of the game and cannot make any more moves or suggestions. If a player makes a correct accusation, they win the game.
5. Note-taking: Players should keep track of the information they gather during the game, such as which cards have been shown to them and which cards have been eliminated as possibilities.

Clue is a classic mystery game that has been played for generations, and it is a great way to spend an evening with friends and family.

Playing board games can help improve communication, problem-solving, and strategy skills, and also provide an opportunity for family members to bond over shared experiences. They are a great way to unplug from technology and enjoy each other's company in a social setting. Overall, family board games can provide endless hours of fun and entertainment for families.