Favorite Family Board Games

We are a total board-game-family. I can’t think of a single holiday or birthday growing up that didn’t include a board game or two at some point during the day (they go especially well with dessert in my opinion). This holiday season was no exception, and I’ve even bought a few new ones to break out this year. Whether you’re a board game enthusiast or just looking to try something new, here are a few of my faves that are great for chilly days or any ol’ weekend with the family.

1) Sequence

This may be my most-favorite board game of all time. This game is a combination of strategy and chance. It involves playing chips and cards simultaneously to score a “sequence” – usually five chips in a row. It may sound easy, but the more players are involved the harder it gets. I’ve literally been playing this game since elementary school and I still love it now. Great for kids and adults.

2) Ticket To Ride: Europe

I purchased this board game last year for my birthday (yes, I do get myself birthday gifts), and it was a great choice. For one, while playing the game, you learn geography. It’s also a strategy game in that you are competing to build the longest railroads across Europe (they also have U.S. and India editions, among others). It takes a bit of time to read all the instructions and understand the mechanisms of the game. I prefer this sort of game over the Catan board games, but you get the same sort of slow paced action that allows for fun, conversation and family-friendly engagement.

3) Pass The Pigs: Pig Party

This game is super fun for both kids and adults. You throw plastic pigs instead of dice. The unique shapes of the pigs offer a neat twist on old dice tossing games. For example, if two pigs land on their side and are facing the same direction (referred to as a sider), you get one point. But if both pigs are in a rarer pose, like leaning on their snouts, you get twenty points per snout! Easy, simple and fun.

4) Watch Ya’ Mouth

Ok, truth be told, this is not one of my faves, but almost everyone I talk to loves it, so I thought it deserved a mention. The premise is simple: do your best to speak out phrases while wearing a cheek retractor. I’m a bit more of your shy introvert, so the idea of making a complete fool of myself is not totally appealing, but this may just be the game for you. There will be lots of laughs, though; I can guarantee that.

5) Wits and Wagers: Family Edition

This is the newest edition to the Reyes household, and it’s a great game to play with our three year old. The questions seem to be mostly based on world records, like “How high is the tallest sand castle?” and “How many hot dogs do Americans eat on average per year?” Each person comes up with an answer that they share with the group. Then, everyone places a wager on the answer they think will be the closest to the real answer. It’s competitive, but not too competitive, you know? And my toddler loves it.

That’s it from me. There are certainly more board games in our closet, but these are my top 5 recommendations.

What’s in your closet? What are your favorite board games? Would love to hear them!