Family Games Worth the Shelf Space

Looking for family games everyone will actually enjoy? These family-tested board and card games for kids, teens, and adults have earned a permanent spot on our shelves (and they’re worth the shelf space).

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Growing up, weekends often meant gathering around the table for hours of family games. Some of my favorite childhood memories were made while laughing, strategizing, and trying to beat my siblings. When I became a mom, I knew I wanted to create those same kinds of memories with my own family.

Of course, not every game we bought was a winner.

Some took longer to learn than they were worth. Others just weren’t as fun as we’d hoped. And a few quietly disappeared to the back of the game closet, never to be seen again. (I’m looking at you Hi Ho, Cherri-o.)

Over the years, we’ve found the games that truly earn their place on our shelves: the ones my kids still ask to play, the ones adults enjoy too, and the ones that make family game night something everyone looks forward to. If you’re looking for family games that are actually worth the shelf space, these are the ones I’d recommend.

What Makes a Game Worth the Shelf Space?

There are so many games out there that it’s helpful to have some basic criteria for deciding what is worth your shelf space. For our family, this is what we’ve come up with:

• Easy to learn (or worth learning)
• Fun for kids and adults
• Doesn’t drag on forever
• Holds up after repeated plays
• Different enough from other games we own
• Not constantly referring to the rule book

Family Games Worth the Shelf Space

Camel Up

Easy to learn with plenty of laughs and unexpected twists.

Worth the Shelf Space: Everyone stays engaged because even the best-laid plans can be overturned by a camel’s next move.

• Players: 3-8
• Ages: 8+
• Time to Play: 30-45 minutes

Blokus

Easy to learn but challenging enough for adults to enjoy.

Worth the Shelf Space: It grows with your family and never feels childish.

• Players: 2-4
• Ages: 7+
• Time to Play: 15-30 minutes

Azul

A strategy game that’s easy to learn but hard to master.

Worth the Shelf Space: It offers enough depth for adults without being overwhelming for older kids.

• Players: 2-4
• Ages: 8+
• Time to Play: 30-45 minutes

Chameleon

A social game that rewards quick thinking and a good poker face.

Worth the Shelf Space: Every round creates laughter as you try to guess who the chameleon is.

• Players: 3-8
• Ages: 12+
• Time to Play: 30-45 minutes (or less if you aren’t keeping track of scores)

Codenames

A team game that rewards creativity and clever thinking.

Worth the Shelf Space: It works well with larger groups and is different every time you play.

• Players: 4-8
• Ages: 14+
• Time to Play: 15-20 minutes

Skyjo

Simple rules make it easy to join in.

Worth the Shelf Space: Kids and adults can play together without anyone feeling at a disadvantage.

• Players: 2-8
• Ages: 8+
• Time to Play: 15-30 minutes

Happy Salmon

Fast-paced, silly fun that gets everyone moving. (The silent version is hilarious.)

Worth the Shelf Space: You can teach it in under a minute and play over and over.

• Players: 3-8
• Ages: 6+
• Time to Play: 1-5 minutes

The Bears and the Bees

A fast pattern-building card game.

Worth the Shelf Space: Short play time makes it easy to fit in multiple rounds.

• Players: 2-5
• Ages: 7+
• Time to Play: 20 minutes

The Uzzle

A race against the clock that challenges both speed and problem-solving.

Worth the Shelf Space: Players of different ages can play together without anyone feeling left out.

• Players: 1-4
• Ages: 4+
• Time to Play: 15-30 minutes

Sequence

A classic strategy game that’s simple enough for beginners.

Worth the Shelf Space: Even younger players can have a chance to win against adults.

• Players: 2-12
• Ages: 7+
• Time to Play: 20-30 minutes

Looking for Even More Family Games?

We own a lot more games than the ones featured here, but this list is reserved for the games we’ve played often enough to confidently recommend as worth the shelf space.

If you’re looking for even more game ideas—including newer games we’re still playing and deciding whether they’ll earn a permanent spot on our shelves—you can browse our complete Family Games collection in my Amazon storefront.

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