33 Best Board Games 2023: Fun and Popular Board Games

If you just have a few minutes to squeeze in a quick round of competition between dinner and bed, or you’re staring down a rainy day full of indoor activities, there’s never a bad time to break out a good board game and invite the family to play.

There are actually plenty of benefits to gathering around the table this way. Playing family games can help your kids build social and cognitive skills, like patience and turn-taking. Games also “teach children to work as a team, negotiate, follow rules and use spatial reasoning and logic,” says Ellie Dix, a former school behavior specialist and author of .

Board games also improve kids’ response to delayed gratification. Many video games or kid apps provide a quick hit of the “happy chemicals” dopamine and oxytocin, which is why they’re so addictive, says Hanna Bogen Novak, M.S., a director at the Center for Connection family therapy practice. Board games are a slower burn, and regular play can re-train brains to get the same buzz from a delayed release of chemicals. That helps kids focus on long-term projects like schoolwork too.

But which games to choose? Good Housekeeping Institute logged hundreds of data points and had nearly 100 testers (kids ages 1 to 14 and their parents) help us rate dozens of games on ease of use, skill development and kids’ interest in playing again and again to come find the best board games. We added to their list of favorites, some of which are Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award winners, with editor’s picks and bestsellers to come up with this list of the best family games for 2022.

This year, casual party games are extremely popular — owe it to families gathering again after distancing because of the pandemic. Cooperative games are also huge for the little ones, since everyone wins or loses together and there’s fewer sore feelings. There are also strategy games, fast games and even a few that can be played solo. There’s bound to be one that’ll be the star of your next family game night.