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The Best Board Games For All Ages

Last updated on June 14, 2023
Best Board Games For All Ages

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Our Picks For The Top Board Games For All Ages

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Product Overview
Key Takeaway
 Best Overall

Ravensburger World Of Disney Eye Found It Board Game For All Ages

Don't Waste Your Money Seal of Approval

Ravensburger

World Of Disney Eye Found It Board Game

This cooperative board game for all ages is a great way to build focus and critical thinking. Kids have to work together to find items with Disney characters they love. The game takes only 15 minutes to play one round.

Overall Take

Encourages FocusThis game helps kids improve their critical thinking, memory and cooperation skills.

 Raucous Fun

Spin Master Hedbanz Question Board Game For All Ages

Spin Master

Hedbanz Question Board Game For All Ages

Each player in this board game for all ages is assigned a headband. Headbands come decorated like a unicorn, cat, pirate and crown, and are designed to hold a card with an image on it. To win, you'll need to ask yes or no questions to guess the image before the sand runs out of the timer.

Overall Take

Prepare to LaughThis board game for all ages is sure to get the entire family rolling in laughter.

 Classic Pick

Hasbro Trouble Pop-O-Matic Strategy Board Game For All Ages

Hasbro

Trouble Pop-O-Matic Strategy Board Game For All Ages

Whether you're 5 or 105, you'll love this board game for all ages. You won't have to worry about your kids losing the die either, as it's set inside a poppable bubble. The game can be enjoyed by up to four players at once with the ultimate going being to get all four of your pegs to the finish line first.

Overall Take

Fun Family GameUse caution when you play this board game for all ages. If your game piece gets bumped, you'll have to head back to the beginning of the board!

 We Also Like

ThinkFun Zingo Early Reader Board Game For All Ages

ThinkFun

Zingo Early Reader Board Game For All Ages

This board game for all ages is a fun way to help toddlers, preschoolers and kindergarten students learn letters and words. Each player gets a their own board, which resembles a bingo board. Instead of numbers, you'll find pictures with the words spelled out underneath them.

Overall Take

Clear InstructionsThis board game for all ages can accommodate up to seven players at a time.

Buying Guide

Before electronics were so readily available, families spent rainy days inside playing board games. There are a number of benefits associated with playing these games, which is why they are still an excellent choice for passing time.

For starters, board games for all ages allow friends and family to spend quality bonding time together. Some games for all ages are played in teams, encouraging players to learn how to work together to achieve success. Another benefit is increased brain power: Board games for all ages often require players to strategize, track certain patterns and focus on the task at hand.

Board games can also be used to teach younger children important life lessons. Kids will need to learn how to follow rules, take turns and practice humility whether winning or losing when playing board games. Fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination are also improved, as little ones work on moving their pieces around the board.

When shopping for board games, you first need to consider the age group you’re targeting. There are games for toddlers as young as 18 months, as well as individuals as old as 100. You’ll also find games that cater to the entire family.

Children who haven’t yet learned how to read would do best with a board game that focuses on recognizing colors and shapes. Kids are also attracted to bright colors, which will help you capture their interest. Try starting with a simple game that only requires toddlers to move their game piece from one side of the board to the other. Make sure these games are also easy to clean up afterward.

As kids begin to age, they do better with board games that present more of a challenge. Look for strategy games that improve STEM skills. These include games that require players to conquer a sequence of spaces, whether on a board or a vertical grid. Trivia games are also ideal for this age group. You’ll find both card and DVD trivia games on the market.

Don’t forget to pick up a game (or two) that is known to provoke laughter among its players. These games are great for reducing stress and just allowing everyone to let loose and have fun. The game may require getting up and acting out a scene or reading a card and having other players try to guess what you’re saying.

What to Look For

  • Many board games have small pieces. These pieces present choking hazards to small children, especially toddlers age 3 and under, so use caution when storing them in a home with babies and toddlers. You may wish to keep them on a top shelf or in a garage.
  • Make sure the game’s number of players matches your needs. Some games can only be played by two to four individuals, while others allow for as many as 12 players.
  • Another thing you’ll want to keep in mind when shopping for board games for all ages is the length of game time. Younger children may only have enough focus for a 15- to 20-minute game. Teens and adults can handle games that last much longer.
  • Did you know there are board game cafes? Check to see if there’s one in your area. You can visit the cafe and try out a few different board games that you may be considering buying. That way, you’ll know whether you like the game or not before you spend money on it.
  • Some board games are sold in multiple languages. Make sure you’re picking up the game in the language that is used in your household.
  • Check the board game’s rating. Some are created with content that is made for older teens and adults. These wouldn’t be suitable for homes with younger children.
  • In addition to family game night, board games are a great tool to break the ice when meeting new people. They can be used by kids at a sleepover, in a classroom to encourage strategic play or on vacation as a way to unwind from work and school.
  • Consider popping a bag of popcorn, blending up some smoothies or milkshakes and putting out a bag of potato chips to enjoy with your family and friends as you sit down to enjoy some game time.
  • Board games make excellent gifts. They can also be used as a reward for a great report card or for showing responsibility for household chores.
  • Kids are notorious for losing things. Don’t fret if some of your game pieces go missing. You can buy replacement pieces for most games, which means you won’t have to shell out the money for a whole new game.
  • Board games range in price based on skill level, design and the number of pieces in the set. For the most part, however, board games are quite budget-friendly.

More to Explore

Board games have been around since the dawn of time, so it’s interesting to take a look at some of the oldest known games and where they originated from.

Dice were used for games more than 5,000 years ago. A set of 49 painted stones were found at the Başur Höyük burial mound in southeast Turkey, and these stones matched other pieces located in present-day countries like Syria and Iran.

The game senet, which is like our current game backgammon, was played around 3,000 B.C. in Egypt.

A version of chess can be traced back to the 7th century. The game was called chaturanga and was first played in India, though different versions of the game were played in Persia and other places.

A game called the Royal Game of Ur was played over 4,500 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia. The decorative board is made up of 20 squares, with the objective of the game being the first player to successfully move his piece from one side of the board to the other.

Mahjong has been played in China since the Qing Dynasty. Although the game originally used 144 tiles made from bamboo and bone, we can now play this game digitally on our home computers!

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