The Ultimate List of Family Game Night Ideas for All Ages

Many families have turned game night into an ongoing tradition to keep everyone bonded. These evenings filled with fun adventures, delicious food, energetic music, and lots of laughing are a perfect way for families to create everlasting memories. With the below game night ideas for all ages, you can transform your standard living room into the ultimate fun zone.

How do you make a fun game night?

When creating a fun family game night, the first thing you should think about is what game to play. Consider some games that are engaging for both younger kids and older kids so that everyone can have a great time. You’ll also want to supply plenty of food and refreshments to keep everyone full. Alongside that, you should set the mood with ambient gaming lights and music to tie the whole evening together.

Why is family game night important?

Aside from being interactive and entertaining, there are many benefits of regularly hosting family game nights, such as the below.

• Family bonding. Studies have shown that families who engage in frequent get-togethers such as game nights maintain a strong line of communication. Game nights can help build positive parent-child relationships with an emphasis on emotional well-being, open communication, and life satisfaction.
• Valuable skill teaching. While in a safe and playful environment, your children can learn soft skills such as rule-following, taking turns, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Depending on which games you choose, kids and teens can also learn vocabulary, math skills, spelling, and other general knowledge.
• An outlet to share interests. Every family member likely has their own unique interests. Allowing each person to pick their favorite game and teach it to the other family members can let them know their passions are important. It can also help boost confidence and develop leadership skills.
• Screen-free fun. Too much screen time can cause eye strain. Taking a break from tablets, phones, and TV screens can help you and your family connect on a deeper level and improve your overall health.
• Challenging everyone (even parents) to be fully present and engaged. Life can get pretty hectic, so sometimes, you might struggle to fully pay attention to the task right in front of you. A dedicated night for family fun can solve this since it brings everyone together for the same purpose. No multitasking or juggling different worries at once – just slowing your mind and being present with your loved ones.

Tips for hosting a successful game night

Ready to start planning your family game night extravaganza? Check out these tips to host an enjoyable night for the whole family right from your game room.

Take turns choosing the perfect game

When everyone gets to take turns choosing the party game, the whole family can stay interested in keeping up with the tradition. For example, maybe one child always wants to play Apples to Apples, but their sibling always wants to play Candy Land. When you make it a tradition to take turns, each kid can pick their own game without any complaints. This way, your family can cycle through games without getting bored, all while pleasing everyone.

Select games that everyone in the family can play

When hosting family game night, it’s important to choose games everyone can play regardless of their ages or skill sets. If a game requires complex strategic skills, your little ones might get frustrated and feel lost. The evening won’t be as fun if they don’t feel like they can participate. Many board and card games are great for all ages, so check first before immersing yourself in the magic of family time.

Add prizes

Get your kids even more pumped up for family game night with prizes for the winners. Young kids might love winning stuffed animals, small toys, candy, or coloring books. Prizes such as gift cards, headphones, chore passes, and clothes can incentivize your older teen to join in on the family game night experience.

Create the perfect atmosphere

Creating an awe-inspiring atmosphere can take your game night experience from ordinary to out of this world. Setting the perfect atmosphere can get everyone in exactly the right mindset for making memories together.

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Turn on the tunes

Complement your perfect atmosphere with some of your favorite tunes to get the party started. When your kids’ favorite song comes on, their excitement will grow, and they might get a bit more energized for game night.

You can also try to match the music to your game. For example, if you’re playing a fantasy game, maybe some epic movie soundtracks will fit the bill. Putting together a Disney puzzle? You can’t go wrong with Disney music to create a marvelous fantasyland right in your home.

Consider a theme

Themes are a great way to make the night even more immersive. If you decide to create that fantasyland for Disney games, consider making some Mickey Mouse cupcakes to go along with them. Playing a Harry Potter board game? Dress up in your house colors and robes, dim the lights, and supply plenty of snacks perfect for witches and wizards of all ages.

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Relax and have fun

Family game nights are meant to be fun, relaxing, and enjoyable for everyone. You might feel more at ease if you don’t get caught up in having the evening go absolutely perfectly. Kids will be kids, so it’s important to go with the flow to keep everyone in a playful mood. Let yourself unwind, laugh, and take joy in these special moments with your family.

The ultimate list of family game night ideas for all ages

From minute-to-win-it games to hours-long Monopoly matches, there are so many great family game night ideas for all ages. The below list is just a starting point.

1. Paper Telephone

Paper Telephone is a combination between the game Telephone and the game Pictionary. The first person writes down a phrase such as “the girl is eating ice cream” on a piece of paper. They then pass it to the next family member, who then tries to draw out the phrase. While hiding the phrase, the drawing gets passed to the next person, who tries to write out what’s happening in the picture. The process repeats until everyone has gone. By the end of the round, your original phrase will likely have completely transformed.

2. Balloon tennis

All you need for balloon tennis is a couple of balloons and tennis racquets, DIY racquets, or just your hands. Split yourselves up into two teams and start volleying the balloons back and forth. You can keep points or just see how long your family can keep the balloons floating in the air for unforgettable amusement.

3. Indoor bowling

House-friendly bowling only requires 10 empty plastic bottles, a ball, and some open space for jumping and cheering. Find an open spot inside or outdoors to set up the plastic bottles the same way you’d find them in a traditional bowling alley. Everyone can take turns bowling and setting up the pins so that you can bring this beloved game into the comfort of your own home.

4. Escape room-inspired games

Escape rooms have become a popular family outing, and you can create your own escape room right under your roof. With printable escape room games, you and your family can enjoy a unique evening full of puzzles, strategic thinking, detective work, and twists and turns. Even hard-to-please teens might get a kick out of this activity that goes above and beyond the typical game night.

5. Bingo game night

You can’t go wrong with a classic game of Bingo. Family members of all ages can have fun, and you can mix it up so that it’s a little different each time. One night, you can play for real money, and the next, you can play for candy. You get to decide what the prizes are, and you can make them as big or small as you want. It’s a great way to keep family game night simple yet astounding.

6. Family scavenger hunt

Scavenger hunts are an excellent way to get your family up and moving while on a mission to win. Split up into teams or have everyone go around independently to find items on a scavenger hunt list. You can make your own or print out a free scavenger hunt game. Either way, this family game night idea for all ages will be an inexpensive yet fully immersive adventure.

7. UNO

UNO is a fast-paced matching card game that can help young kids with their numbers, colors, and math skills. Alongside the traditional UNO game, you can also find themed versions such as Hot Wheels, The Peanuts Movie, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Mickey Mouse. These are all great ways to paint family-friendly card games in a whole new light.

8. Dance charades

Get out some of that excess energy before bed with a game of dance charades. Your family will split into two teams, and players will randomly pull cards with a type of dance written on them. The player must “dance it out” while their team tries to guess what dance they're doing.

9. The Game of Life

If you’re looking for a game where everyone really has to think about their choices, The Game of Life could be just what you need. The actions players will choose among can be great conversation starters. Kids can learn about the ups and downs of life as well as the importance of financial planning. But don’t get too caught up in the life lessons – let your children fully immerse themselves in their fictional stories.

10. Monopoly

Similarly to The Game of Life, Monopoly can teach kids about decision-making, financial basics, and patience. Its rules can be flexible, so you can adjust them to be enjoyable for whoever is playing. This popular game can take hours to finish, but everyone will be so invested that the time might wash over them blissfully.

11. Twister

This movement-focused, hilarious game could have your entire family crying with laughter. The goal is to stay on the mat and move your hands and feet to different colored circles when each player spins. You’ll test the whole family’s flexibility and spatial skills, expanding the dimensions of your bodies – and of game night.

12. The Floor is Lava

See how agile your family is with a game of The Floor Is Lava. When someone shouts, “The floor is lava,” everyone has to jump onto something other than the floor. You can expand the game’s boundaries with variations such as regeneration or safe stepping stones. Your kids might feel like they’ve been transported right into a volcano, but with all the comforts of home. 

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