It’s good to take a break from screens every now and then. The great outdoors has plenty to offer, but there are times when you’re stuck inside for one reason or another (like a surging pandemic). Board games are a fun way to gather everyone around the table to engage in some group escapism.
My family has had a board game night every week for a little more than a year now, and we’ve discovered some great family games. These are our favorites, created with the help of my two kids, aged 8 and 11. We didn’t include board game classics you probably know all about (or own), like Clue, Monopoly, Connect 4, Scrabble, Operation, Chutes and Ladders, Battleship, Jenga, Guess Who, Pictionary, and Risk. For more ideas, check out our list of the Best Board Games to Play Over Zoom.
Updated September 2021: We’ve added six titles, including Horrified, Herd Mentality, and Sushi Go Party!
Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.
If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more. Please also consider subscribing to WIRED
