Family game night, mixed ages
Which game would you try when ages at the table do not match?
Mixed ages means someone will be bored if the game is only a race to read cards, and someone will be lost if the scoring is a spreadsheet. These are games families actually finish. The right age is printed on your box, and it is more reliable than a stranger’s blog.
This page does not invent a minimum age. If the box says 10+ and you have a six-year-old, that is your call at the table, not a claim this list can settle.
Rank two options at a time. Leave out anything you cannot judge. You can share the result or, on a public list, add your order to the visitor tally.
4–8 options keeps it quick. Leave at least two checked. You can adjust the order at the end.
What is on this list
The order here is a starting shortlist, not a ranking. Notes are context so a group can tell similar options apart.
- Just One
- Just One is cooperative, 3–7 players, about 20 minutes. Clues are one word. A strong choice when you want the table on the same team.
- Codenames
- Codenames needs teams and a clue-giver who can think of one word for several cards. About 15 minutes. Harder for early readers than tile games.
- Dixit
- Dixit, 3–8 players, about 30 minutes. Illustrated cards and a short phrase. Reading is light. Interpreting pictures is the game.
- Ticket to Ride
- Ticket to Ride, 2–5 players, often 30–60 minutes. Trains on a map. The scoring is simple enough to show once and then play.
- Kingdomino
- Kingdomino, 2–4 players, about 15–20 minutes. Draft a domino tile, add it to your kingdom. Won the 2017 Spiel des Jahres.
- Sushi Go!
- Sushi Go!, 2–5 players, about 15 minutes. Pass a hand of cards. Good when the evening is short.
- Azul
- Azul, 2–4 players, often 30–45 minutes. Draft tiles and complete rows. Little reading, some planning.
- The Mind
- The Mind, 2–4 players, about 20 minutes. Cooperative and nearly silent. Some kids love the silence. Some hate it. Know your table.
Visitor rankings
Finish the pairs, then add your order from the results screen. Pickaside stores a random id in this browser and the order you submit. It does not ask for your name on a public list.
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Questions about this list
Are these children’s games?
No. They are games a family can play together. Codenames and Wavelength can be hard for early readers. Kingdomino and Sushi Go! are easier to show with the pieces in hand.
What if we only have 20 minutes?
Prefer Just One, Sushi Go!, The Mind, or Kingdomino. Ticket to Ride and Azul want closer to 45 minutes before you count the teach.