The Very Best Tabletop Family Games

Spending time with the family can be the highlight of any parent’s week, but it can sometimes be difficult to keep the kids engaged and motivated. Tabletop games are a fantastic way of helping to keep kids entertained while being able to spend some quality family time together, but not all of them are equal. Here are the very best. 

Exploding Kittens

This is a family-friendly version of Cards Against Humanity mixed with Uno and is suitable for 2-5 players and ages 7 and up. It is a strategic game (which holds benefits for kids) that involves luck, comparing itself to Russian roulette. If you draw a card with an exploding kitten, you lose; if you don’t, you win! This simple game won ‘Game of the Year’ award when it was released. 

Spot It!

Spot It! is another award-winning game. It is essentially a game of competitive spot the difference. Two cards are drawn, between which there is always only one matching symbol. Whoever spots it first wins. This game is fast-paced and keeps kids engaged while also helping to hone focus, visual perception and fine motor skills. Bonus points if you can explain to your kids the math behind it!

Foosball

Foosball is a classic game that can bring family members together as two competing teams trying to beat each other at soccer on a table. This game can help to refine teamwork and coordination. 

Bubble Hockey

A less-known table game than foosball, bubble hockey is a combination of foosball and air hockey; instead of controlling an air hockey puck, you control each player on your team. The best thing about this game is that there’s a learning curve, which means the whole family can get competitive and drive each other’s progress. What’s more, there are many different sizes, so you can choose best bubble hockey table to fit with your interiors and budget. 

Canasta

Canasta is a rummy type of card game from Uruguay that can involve a flexible number of players. It involves scoring points by melding cards and making as many canastas as you can. There are a few rules to explain and get to understand, but it’s a great and engaging game and only requires playing cards. 

Liars Dice/Perudo/Dudo

This is a game with countless names, which means it’s played all over the world in many different cultures. It’s a dice game that features a bit of math, a bit of bluffing, a bit of luck and a lot of people-reading. This is a great game to get your family trying hard to read each other, but it has just the right amount of luck to be addictive and make the kids want to play over and over again. It also just requires some dice and cups, so another low-cost game. You can even play it without any physical dice by downloading dice apps on your phone. 

Mouse Trap

This is a classic, retro game that requires your family to work together to build a mouse trap. It involves fine motor skills, a lot of family teamwork and a satisfying finale if everything is done properly.