I don’t think we have ever played as many board games as we have this past summer. Especially when we are away on holidays, our go-to activity after dinner is to bring out a game or two. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that lingering at a restaurant for an after-dinner drink is not very 2020. Still, whatever it is, I am happy to report all five us will take sitting around outside, with a bar of chocolate to share, playing board games, as a fond memory of this extraordinary summer.
Our list of family-friendly board games is carefully curated thanks to being a family of five with a broad age range. Some games suit only four players, and some are too old for the youngest member of our family. So to avoid anyone feeling left out, we have had to adapt. Sometimes we team up, sometimes we bend the rules just a little, and sometimes we find the perfect game for all five of us.
So here it is our 2020 list of favourite family-friendly board games, tried-and-tested by us all summer long. And with the cold season coming up and a certain gift-giving holiday just around the corner, I hope this list inspires some good old fashion family time in your home. Your family favourite not on the list? Then enlighten us by leaving a comment below.
1. Rummikub
I’ve played Rummikub as a young nineteen-year-old after skiing in Saas-Fee, as a mother-to-be during labour and on many dining tables around the world. It is our go-to game that is not only easy to learn but doesn’t drag on too long. We have both the travel version, which is packed ready to go with our camping gear, as well as the full-sized version that comes with us whenever we travel. Rummikub is for up to four players so great for those evenings when not everyone is up for some family fun. Little Z at six is still a little young for this game, but she is slowly picking up the rules from pairing up with one of us.
2. Mahjong
My first memories of this Chinese tile game come through the sounds of mixing tiles out of the garage of my childhood Chinese neighbours’. They would meet monthly with their friends and play into the wee hours of the morning. Little did I know I would move to Switzerland and learn to play Mahjong myself through the ex-pat community. I’ve since taught the rest of the family, well my version of Mahjong. And even Little Z now knows her pungs from her chows. This is a 4-person game, so we team up when we play all together.
3. Brändi Dog
What I love about Brändidog is we can play together all five of us thanks to an extension set that allows up to six players. The aim of the game is simple, get all four of your pieces home safely using only the cards dealt. But it is easier said than done when your opponents can block you, swap you or worse land on you and send you home.
Ideally, this game is played with even numbers though, where players pair up to get home quicker. We started Little Z off on the simpler kids version before introducing her to the full version.
4. Blokus
SFT contributor Pamela introduced us to this game one Christmas, and it has been a family favourite ever since. The pressure stepped up a notch this summer when everyone got a little more strategic about placing as many pieces as possible while also blocking the rest of us. Blokus is another four-person game, but since it is a bit too complicated for Little Z, she just helps one of us.
5. Jass Cards
The traditional swiss card game, Jass, is a standard in our home. So much so, I keep a pack of cards in my handbag and Rolf in his backpack, so we can play whenever time allows. The kids started off learning the simpler Tschau Sepp to get to know the cards and then now all have progressed to playing the full game. We have played Jasse at restaurants during ski seasons, at airports waiting for planes and even by the lake. You can get a basic set of cards for just a few francs at every supermarket but if you want to go all out and get something really special try this set from online shop Kurt’s.
6. Qwirkle
The Boy and I love Qwirkle, and so we usually save it for days when it is just us two up for a game. This game is all about making lines of either different colours and the same shapes or same shapes different colours. You need a large flat surface for this game as the tiles can really stretch out.
7. Dobble
Gifted to Little Z a few years ago, she is only now getting the hang of Dobble, a quick-reaction matching game. Well, I guess it doesn’t help that her opponents are competitive teenagers. We, therefore, changed the rules so that we work as a team to match the cards and time ourselves doing so.
8. Swiss Yahtzy
Found in the cupboard of our rental in Flims this past summer, the swiss version of Yahtzy featuring instead of numbers, Swiss icons, was a massive hit with all of us. So much so, I’ve gone out and purchased a set for Christmas.
What is your favourite family-friendly board game you play over and over again? Bonus points if it’s enjoyed by multi-generational families and includes more than four people ;-). Leave a comment below, and I will create a list of your suggestions!
UPDATED:
Thanks for the great suggestions for more family-friendly games both here and on social media!
- Shopping Cart Game (ideal for younger kids)
- Dalmuti
- Tutto
- Sleeping Queens
- Phase 10
- Catan
- Quixx
- Stop
- Eye-fi
- Ticket to ride
- Upwords
- Blitz
- Sequence
- Uno
- Monopoly
- Snakes and Ladders
- Mau Mau
- Canista
- Backgammon
- Risiko
- King Domino
- Labyrinth
- Bandido
- Beaver Creek
- Patchwork
