Seven family games
that actually get played.
The test group: 10-year-old twins, a 16-year-old, the adults and their 75-year-old grandad. These are the games that really make it onto the table in our family.
The Genius Square
Quick, clever and properly competitive. It works because children can genuinely beat adults without the adults having to pretend.
Why it brings joy: Small, fast and it actually gets played.
Monopoly Deal
All the familiar Monopoly ruthlessness in a card game that doesn’t require sacrificing an entire evening.
Why it brings joy: Tiny to pack and dramatically quicker than the board game.
Dobble
Almost no explanation needed and quick enough to get out while you’re waiting for dinner, a ferry or somebody else to get ready.
Why it brings joy: Five minutes to learn; virtually no luggage space.
Bananagrams
A word game without needing a board. It works especially well when different generations want something familiar but not slow.
Why it brings joy: Scrabble-ish satisfaction in a much smaller bag.
More or Less
I bought this from Amazon for a recent trip and the kids just loved it. You answer fun trivia questions by judging whether the real answer is more or less — simple enough to get everyone guessing straight away.
Why it brings joy: Easy to pack, easy to explain and it got an immediate thumbs-up from the kids.
Uno
A classic for a reason: quick to get going, genuinely competitive and easy to throw in a bag when we’re away.
Why it brings joy: Almost no set-up and everybody already knows how to join in.
A pack of cards
Not glamorous, but Pontoon/21 still gets everyone round a table. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one.
Why it brings joy: Cheap, tiny and there’s always something everyone knows how to play.