Looking for a fun way to entertain family during the holidays? Break the ice and encourage family members of all ages to bond when you bring one or more of these family games to the table.
Hive Mind (Calliope Games)
Everyone is buzzing with excitement to spend time together, but not everyone likes playing trivia. Hive Mind is a great option that my family loves. In this game, there are no wrong answers, but you want to have the same answers as everyone around you. The bees who don’t think like the rest of the hive will slowly move towards the exit. The best part is when someone’s answer prompts a story.
Hive Mind is great for family holidays because it easily accommodates three to 12 players and is ready to play straight out of the box. It even comes with pre-sharpened pencils!
Codenames Disney Family Edition (USAopoly)
Divide everyone up into two teams and see which team can identify their cards first only using one word clues. Codenames Disney Family Edition is a great family party game that encourages communication and teamwork. You’ll need to get creative with clues so you don’t give anything away to the other team.
Gnomes at Night (Peaceable Kingdom)
Need an option for younger children? Cooperative games, such as Gnomes at Night, are perfect because they focus on teamwork rather than competition. Players work together to help the gnomes collect treasures before time runs out.
Watch Ya Mouth Ultimate Edition (Buffalo Games)
This is a silly game called Watch Ya Mouth Ultimate Edition is for three to 10 players. You split up into teams and must read off the cards while wearing a plastic mouth expander. Teammates must correctly guess what you are saying, which may be harder than you think, since this version of the game adds in extra challenges and new categories. Just remember to wash the mouth pieces before and after.
Googly Eyes (Goliath Games)
Get ready to laugh while playing Googly Eyes. There are three pairs of lenses that alter your vision, making it difficult to draw. Your teammates may spend more time laughing than guessing like my daughter!
Monster Match (North Star Games)
This fast paced game called Monster Match is simple to play and doesn’t require any reading. Just roll the dice and be quick to grab the monsters that match what was rolled. The monster artwork is cute and silly. Playing this is sure to be a fun time.
Blank Slate (USAopoly)
This is a fun fill-in-the blank word game for three to eight people. It’s easy to teach and have new players join in. The twist on Blank Slate is you try to think of a word that exactly one other person will write down, too. If any more players also write that word, no one gets any points!
Whether you play one of these or all of these, the greatest gift of the holidays is spending time with family and friends.
