68 Family Game Night Ideas for a Fun Filled Night Together

Are you looking for new games to play when the family is all together? Get ready for some family-friendly fun with these 68 Family Game Night Ideas! You are sure to unleash the giggles and have a fun filled evening because laughter, bonding and a little friendly competition is in your sight with these family game night ideas. 

We love games at our house! With a houseful of teen boys, some kind of competition is always going on. I love to direct their competitive natures toward family night when we all play games together. 

We’ve had a tradition of Friday pizza and game nights ever since my oldest was a baby. We started off with playing Phase Ten and Peek-a-Boo while he’d watch from his bouncer seat, then graduated to toddler-friendly games like Candy Land. 

Now that my kids are older, we love introducing the family to new games they’ve heard about at school. Some of our new favorites have come from the ones the kids played with their friends!

When we don’t have time in our busy schedules for a game night, I love pulling out Truth or Dare with Mom at the dinner table. We still get all of the benefits of spending time together, and it’s no extra work! My kids also enjoy playing Trivia or Would You Rather? Teen Edition while driving to sports.

No matter what family game night idea we choose when we play, these games are all fun and exciting activities for your family to spend quality time together. 

Family Game Night Ideas

Speed

Speed is a fast-paced two-player card game that is tons of fun! Each player is dealt 5 cards for their hand, with an additional draw pile of 15 cards each. The remaining cards (12) are divided into two piles in the middle of the two players. The game begins when the top card of each middle pile is turned over, and the players rush to get rid of the cards in their hands and draw piles. To play a card, it must be one higher or lower than one of the two cards in the discard piles. The game is over when one of the players plays all of their cards and yells, “Speed!”

Trash

This fun card game is perfect for groups of all ages! For more players, make sure that you add additional decks of cards (1 for every 2-3 new players). First, shuffle the cards and deal 10 cards to each player face down. Players should set their cards up in two rows of five. The point of Trash is to turn each of the ten cards over. Players do this by drawing a card and replacing one of their hidden cards with a new card. The key, however, is that the drawn card can only be placed in the correct position of the layout. For example, an Ace could only be played in the one spot (top left), or the 10 could only be played in the ten spot (bottom right). Jacks are wild, and kings and queens end the player’s turn. If the player turns over a hidden card that they can play, their turn continues until they’ve exhausted all of their moves. 

The round ends when a player has turned over all of their hidden cards. In each round, the winner of the previous round receives one less hidden card. So, in round two, there will be a player with only 9 cards to turn over. Instead of trying to find cards Ace–10, they are now trying to find Ace-9. 

The game ends when a player has only one hidden card and can replace it with an Ace or a Jack (wild). 

Scavenger Hunt

Scavenger Hunts are perfect for any group! With an infinite number of topics, there’s a scavenger hunt to enthrall the whole family. All you need is a list of items to search for, and you’re ready to play! Separate into groups, and whoever can find the items the quickest wins! Looking for some ideas? You can find a huge list of our favorites on this list of Scavenger Hunts for Kids!

Karaoke

Calling all music lovers! Get ready to belt out your favorite song in Karaoke! All you need is a way to broadcast the music. Bonus if you have a screen to show lyrics for any lesser-known songs. A great place to find songs with lyrics is Youtube. When a person is ready to perform, cue up the music and let them sing their hearts out! 

Horse (Basketball)

Does your family love basketball? All you need is a hoop and a ball and you’re ready to play HORSE! Players will take turns shooting baskets, trying to match the player before them exactly. If they miss the shot, they receive a letter from the word “horse.” The last player to not spell HORSE is the winner. This is an extra fun game because players can show their creativity with their shots! Anything goes as long as it makes it in the basket!

Hide And Seek

Everyone has a favorite hiding spot when they play the classic Hide and Seek!  The game starts with choosing one seeker. The rest of the group hides while the seeker counts to 100. When they should “Ready or not, here I come!” the seeker begins searching for the hiding spots. Whoever remains hidden the longest is the winner of the round!

Never Have I Ever

Even though Never Have I Ever is traditionally a drinking game, it’s also a great family game! Instead of taking a shot of alcohol every time you have done whatever the statement is, you could drink a sip of pop or eat a piece of candy! This fun getting-to-know-you game is played by going around the group and letting each person take a turn asking a question. While you could play with points, it’s also fun just to get to know your family a little better and laugh at some of the crazy antics they’ve gotten up to! If you’re looking for question ideas, check out these Never Have I Ever Questions!

Freeze (Statues)

A fun game of Freeze is the perfect way to practice self-control while getting all the wiggles out! The group chooses one player to be the leader, who stands at the front of the room, facing away from the players. While the leader’s back is turned, the players dance and move around the room, having fun. When the leader is ready, they call out a specific theme, such as animals or dinosaurs, and the players must freeze in that theme. If the players move or make noise when they’re supposed to be frozen, they’re out until the next round!

Hot Potato

Hot Potato is a fun game that is very simple to play! Imagine holding a hot potato. You’d want to pass it quickly! That’s exactly what you do in this game! You can use any object to pass around, but the purpose is to pass it quickly. To begin, choose someone to play DJ and play music in the background. While the music is on, the “potato” gets passed around the circle. As soon as the music stops, the person caught holding the potato is out. The last person left is the winner!

Checkers

Checkers is a two-player game that requires a checkerboard and a good strategy. The players will take turns moving their checker pieces diagonally across the board, aiming to capture their opponent’s pieces by jumping over them. The person with the last remaining pieces on the board wins. 

Mario Kart Tournament

Put on your driving gloves and challenge your kids to a Mario Kart Tournament! Most kids love video games and would think it’s so cool to play with their parents! Mario Kart is the perfect family video game because it’s set up in quick races that allow everyone to have a chance to play. Get ready…get set…and go have fun with your family!

Codenames

If you love guessing games where your only hint to the answer is a single word given to you by another player, then you’ll love Codenames! Codenames is a team game where two teams battle it out to guess the most clues in each round. You’ll need at least 4 players to play this game, and it’s best if all players are confident readers. Get ready to outsmart the opposing team by puzzling out all of your clues the fastest!

Truth Or Dare

Truth or Dare? Which will you choose? Truths are questions that must be answered in total honesty, and dares are challenges that could be as simple as singing your ABCs backward or as daring as eating a worm! Whichever you decide, you’re sure to have lots of fun with your family and get to know each other better! We have a great list of Awesome and Fun Family Truth or Dare Questions that will help you get the party started ASAP! 

Pictionary

Pictionary is another fun game that is played on teams. If you have an artist in the family, encourage them to take charge of this sketching game! All you need is a list of drawing suggestions, a pad of paper, and a pencil, and you can let your creative side shine. The person drawing is trying to get their teammates to guess their clue by drawing a picture that represents the suggestion they chose. Pictionary is always a good time in my family because my kids love to make fun of my stick figure drawings! Hey, they get the job done!

I Spy

In this fun guessing game, one person chooses an object in their line of sight. They start the round by saying “I spy with my little eye something….” And fill in the blank with a characteristic of the object. The remaining players ask questions to figure out what the object is. The first person to guess correctly gets to choose the object in the next round. 

What Do You Meme?

Everyone has a favorite meme that makes them laugh when they see it. What Do You Meme? Gives players a chance to write captions for their favorite memes! Using pre-written caption cards, players choose which they feel is the best match for a specific meme. The round’s judge (a non-participating player) chooses a winner from the submitted captions. Whoever wins 5 times first wins the game. 

Jump Rope

Jump Rope is the perfect activity for any size group! The more, the merrier! See who can last the longest while jumping over a twisting rope. If they fall, they’re out until next time!

Monopoly

If you’ve ever dreamed of being a real estate mogul, you’re in for a treat when playing Monopoly! Players compete to purchase property on the board and develop it with houses and hotels. You can trade properties, borrow money, and even go to jail! The objective is to be the richest player at the end of the game, so good luck!

Nerf War

Target locked. Head for cover! No one is safe in a Nerf War! Make sure to grab plenty of Nerf darts and guns and plan your strategy. Your backyard is the perfect place to turn into a warzone (pretend, of course) while your family battles it out in an epic Nerf war!

Just Dance Party

Pull out your gaming console and your best dance moves, and get ready to party! Your kids will love seeing your moves at a Just Dance Party!

Who Am I?

Who Am I? is a yes or no guessing game where players use simple questions to try to guess the identity of a famous person or animal. Make sure to clearly explain what the topic of the game is (people, animals, etc.), and let the players choose their identity. Once the identities have been decided, the players can go around and ask yes or no questions to figure it out!

The Sentence Game (What If?)

The Sentence Game is a fun game that encourages creativity. All of the players sit in a circle and have a blank piece of paper and a pen. They write a sentence at the top of the paper and fold it over. Then, they pass the paper to their left and write a new sentence below the first one (not knowing what was written). The game continues similarly until all players have written something on each sheet of paper. The players take turns reading the stories that are written on their papers and laugh at the silly stories!

Twister

Get ready to bend and fold your body in a game of Twister. You’ll need a twister mat, a spinner of moves, and lots of flexibility! One player takes charge of the spinner and calls out each round’s moves. Be careful not to fall! The last man (or woman) standing is the winner. 

Charades

Do you like to act? Then Charades is the game for you! The players are put on teams and must act out clues for their teammates to guess. The tricky part is that the person acting cannot speak! All of their hints must be silent. Whichever team guesses the clue first wins a point. At the end of the game, whichever team has the most points wins the game. For fun clues, check out these Song Charade Ideas!

Go Fish

Another fun card game to play with a younger group is Go Fish. Using a deck of cards, each player is dealt seven cards. The game’s goal is to create pairs using the cards in the player’s hand. To do this, on a player’s turn, they get the opportunity to ask another player if they have a card they need. If the other player does have it, they must give it to the player whose turn it is so they can make a pair. They keep playing until they can no longer make a match with the cards they’ve been given. IF they don’t have it, then they say, “Go fish!” and the player draws a card from the middle pile instead. The game is over when no cards are left in the middle. Whoever has the most matches wins the game. 

Tic Tac Toe

In Tic Tac Toe, two players compete to complete a row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) in a nine-square grid. Each player takes a turn writing either an “x” or “o” (whichever is their assigned letter) in a square. Whichever player can draw three in a row first wins!

Yahtzee

Yahtzee is a game of luck and strategy that is played with 5 dice. Each player takes a turn to try to roll a certain combination of dice and earn the most points. They only get three roles on each turn, so they must analyze how many dice to roll at a time. If all 5 dice are the same number at the end of their turn, they get to yell “Yahtzee!” and win bonus points. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. 

Red Rover

Get ready to head outside for a strategic game of Red Rover. Divide your family into two teams and have them stand on opposite sides while holding hands. One at a time, have each team call the name of a player on the other team by shouting “Red rover, red rover! Send (name) right over!” That person runs toward the other team and tries to break through their clasped hands. If they break through, then they get to return back to their original team. If they’re unsuccessful, they join the new team. 

Minute To Win It Games

Who can win a fast, challenging, and hilarious game of Minute to Win It? The best part about these games is that there is minimal preparation and they are fast paced. My family loves that there are so many variations; the options are endless! Check out our Valentine’s Minute to Win It Games to get the party started! 

Bunco

If you’re having a large family gathering, Bunco is a barrel of laughs! You need twelve or more players, divided into groups of four, to play this matching dice game. Bunco is played in rounds, where each player tries to get as many points as possible before the round is over. Each time a person rolls a die the same number as the round they’re on, they receive a point. For example, if a person rolls a 1 during round 1, they’d receive 1 point. A bunco is when the player rolls three dice of the same number as the round number. The round is concluded when someone from the head table gets at least 21 points. There are a total of 6 rounds in Bunco. The winner of the game is the person with the most buncos!

Old Maid

Old Maid is a matching card game that can be played with two or more people. The dealer removes one of the queens from the deck and deals the rest of the cards out to the players. The game is played with each player trying to match the cards in their hand as pairs by drawing a card from the person to their right and seeing if they can make a pair with the new card. At the end of their turn, the person to their left repeats the process by picking one of their cards to try to match. Eventually all of the cards will have been matched, except for one of the queens. Whoever is left with that card is the old maid!

Water Balloon Towel Volleyball

Look no further for a fun alternative to a water balloon fight: Water Balloon Towel Volleyball! In this version, teams take turns launching a water balloon to each other using a beach towel. If they miss, they get splashed with water!

War (Card Game)

The object of War is to win all of the cards in the deck. It’s begun by dealing all of the cards evenly among players. Then, at the same time, each player reveals the top card in their pile. Whichever card is the highest, wins the cards to add to the bottom of their pile. If there are doubles, then the players who are matched turn over a second card to determine who gets the cards. When all of the cards are held by one person, the game ends. 

Would You Rather?

Would You Rather? Is a thought-provoking game of questions. Each player is given a choice between two options and must choose which one they’d prefer. It’s a great game that requires zero preparation because all you need to do is ask and answer questions! If you’re looking for some ideas of what questions to ask, check out this list of 350+ of the Best Would You Rather Questions for Kids.

Trivial Pursuit (Family Edition)

If your family loves trivia, then they’re going to love Trivial Pursuit (Family Edition)! Much like the classic version, players compete to fill their wheel with wedges of each category’s color by answering questions correctly. What I love about this edition, however, is that there are two sets of cards: one for kids and one for adults. That way, everyone is challenged at their level and can have an enjoyable time.

Puzzles

Puzzles can be tailored for any age, which makes them a great choice for a family activity. Whether you choose to complete it all in one night or work on it bit by bit, puzzles are a great way to pass the time. I especially love that it’s a quiet activity, which can lead to great conversations with my kids!

Catch

Get out a baseball and mitts and head to the backyard for a relaxing game of Catch. 

Operation

In Operation, everyone gets to be a surgeon! Using tweezers, carefully remove all of the illnesses from your patient and return him to full health. Don’t touch the sides with the tweezers though; you’ll get buzzed!

The Floor Is Lava

Oh no! A volcano has exploded, and the floor is now covered in lava. In The Floor is Lava, you and your family must get from one end of the room to the other without touching the floor. Work together to ensure that everyone gets there safely!

Scrabble

Is your family full of wordsmiths? Then Scrabble is the perfect game for Family Night! Each player draws 7 tiles and competes to form words on the board, like a crossword puzzle. There are bonus points for using tricky letters, like Q, and longer words. Get your dictionaries ready for this classic game of wordplay.

Red Light, Green Light

With one person at the front of the room and the rest of the family in a line at the opposite end, you’re ready to start a fast-paced game of Red Light, Green Light. When the person in front yells “Green Light,” the race is on to be the first person to the opposite side of the room. Be warned, if the person calls “Red Light,” you must freeze in place. If you’re caught moving, then it’s back to the starting line for you!

Pie Face!

Get ready to cream the competition in Pie Face! This hilarious game involves a hand filled with whipped cream and the luck of the draw. Each player carefully turns the handle and prays that their luck holds and they don’t get a face full of whipped cream!

Paper Airplane Competitions

Who can fold the best airplane? Find out by having a Paper Airplane Competition! Grab a stack of paper and let your creativity fly!

Spoons

The game of Spoons is played by arranging spoons (one less than the number of players) in a circle in the middle of the table. Each player is dealt four cards and has a goal of being the first person to make four of a kind. The dealer begins the round by passing a card to the player on their left. That person can either keep the card or pass it along to the person on their left. The game continues until someone has a four-of-a-kind and grabs a spoon. Then, everyone rushes to grab a spoon before they’re gone. Whoever is left without a spoon is out of the game. 

Clue

Who done it? Only working through all of the clues will reveal the answer! Clue is a family staple. When my kids were little, they’d team together to figure out the clues. Even though they’re pros at the game now, they still love pulling it out and seeing if Professor Plum is as innocent as he seems!

Fort Building Competitions

Let your budding architects and engineers take the lead with a Fort Building Competition. Not only are forts excellent family bonding activities, but they’re also great for spatial awareness, gross motor skills, strategizing, and developing leadership skills. Hold a planning meeting and let your kids’ imaginations run wild with the possibilities!

DIY Indoor Bowling

Create your own DIY Indoor Bowling game with just a few supplies you probably have in your recycling bin! You’ll need 10 cardboard toilet paper rolls or empty plastic bottles (either works well!). Set them up in an inverted triangle at one end of a long hallway and have the players stand at the opposite end. Roll a ball toward the pins and try to knock them all down. Repeat the set up, and play again!

Dodgeball

Dodgeball was always my favorite game to play in school. It was one of the only games where my short stature was actually a huge advantage! In dodgeball, two teams fight by throwing balls at each other. If you’re hit with a ball, you’re out. The goal is to be the last player standing and win for your team. 

Tag

You’re it! Tag is the ultimate game of chase, where one player is “it” and the other players try to avoid being caught. If the “it” player catches them, then the role shifts to the new player, and a new round begins! 

Chess

Lay it all out in front of you in a game of Chess. This two-person game of strategy is a battle of moves between opponents. With the main goal of declaring checkmate on the King while avoiding capture, each move could determine whether victory or defeat is in the player’s future. 

Phase 10

Get ready for a night of fun with Phase 10! Each level of the game has specific goals that the players need to meet to advance to the next phase. Don’t get caught with a handful of cards because those points will add up!

Rummy

Rummy is a multi-player card game that is awesome for a family with many older kids. You can play it with 5+ people, which makes it the perfect game for when teens invite their friends over for game night! The purpose of this game is to form sets (same number/suit) and sequences (same suit) of 3+ cards. When a player has laid all of their cards down and has no more in their hand, they win!

Telephone

The first player in Telephone chooses a phrase to whisper quietly to the person sitting next to them. That person repeats the phrase to the next person and so on. The pattern repeats until the last person hears the phrase. They announce to the group what the phrase was. The goal is to make it all the way around without any errors!

Hopscotch

With a Hopscotch board drawn with chalk on a sidewalk, players take turns jumping on one foot through the squares. If you lose your balance, you lose your turn. The players who make it through successfully win!

Heads Up, Seven Up

To play Heads Up, Seven Up, all of the players except one put their heads down and thumbs up. The other player walks quietly around the room and picks a person to be “it.” The It person quietly walks around the room and pushes the thumb down of several more people. When they’re done, they yell, “Seven Up!” Everyone who wasn’t chosen tries to figure out who was it!

Simon Says

Simon Says, “Play games!” We all know and love the game “Simon Says.” With the person playing “Simon” instructing all of the other players’ every move, you better listen carefully! If they don’t say “Simon Says” and you move, you’re out!

The Game of Life

In The Game of Life, players simulate a person’s journey through life, from young adulthood to retirement. They get to experience college, marriage, mortgages, stocks, climbing Mt. Everest (if they’re lucky enough to get the LIFE tile!), and having children all in a 60 minute game! With a spin of the wheel, your life is decided. At least the life of your little blue or pink peg is decided!

Mafia

Oh no! The Mafia has secretly infiltrated your town and killed off one of your beloved citizens. The civilians must band together to sniff out who the mafia is, accuse them of their misdeeds, and bring them to justice before they strike again! This role-playing game works best with bigger groups of people. If you have a flair for drama, you’ll love this game!

Cover Your Assets

Cover Your Assets is a fast paced game where players compete to become the first millionaire. Each player tries to match asset cards together to create the most wealth. Be wary though; sneaky opponents can steal your assets if you’re not careful!

Bingo

This matching game is perfect for family members of any age! Bingo is a classic game where a player is chosen as a caller and the rest of the players are given a card with squares and numbers on it. The caller calls out numbers until one of the players matches five in a row and shouts, “Bingo!” For links to fun and easy printable Bingo Cards, check out our list of 20+ Bingo Games to Grab!

Guess Who?

Guess Who? Is a two player board game where players try to guess their opponent’s character by asking simple yes or no questions about them. While it’s fun to play with the board game, you could also play a personalized version by picking family member’s names out of a bowl and asking each other questions to figure out which family member the other players chose!

Two Truths And A Lie

Even though you think you know everything about your family, you’d be surprised at what you can learn when you play Two Truths and a Lie!  Each person will share three facts about themselves, two true ones and one fake. The other family members try to figure out which one is the lie.

Lego Competition

Calling all master builders! With a house full of boys, you know that we have plenty of Legos around here. I love to see what my kids can come up with when I tell them to put the instructions away and create something on their own. These Lego Competitions aren’t really competitions as much as seeing how inventive each kid can be!

Sardines

Everyone loves a classic game of Sardines that can be played indoors or out! The group chooses one person to be the hider while everyone else closes their eyes and counts to 100. Then, the seekers spread out and try to find the hider! When a seeker finds the hider, they quietly join them in their hiding spot. The last person to find the hiding spot is the hider for the next round!

Cooking Competition

Cooking Competitions are a staple for family night in my house. We’re big foodies around here and as my kids have gotten older, they’ve become more adventurous in the kitchen! We love putting together cooking competitions where we team up and create culinary delights to wow the judge (always Mom!). Sometimes we choose a specific cuisine, but usually, we let the kids pick a type of food (appetizer, dessert, etc.) and let their creativity flow. The only rule is that they need to have an adult oversee any open flames, but other than that, we love to see what they come up with!

Crazy 8s

Similar to Uno, Crazy 8s is a card game where players race to get rid of their cards first. Each player starts with 7 cards and takes turns laying one down on the discard pile. Their card must match either the number or the suit of the previous card. If they don’t have a matching card to play, they must draw from the draw pile. Or, if they are lucky enough to have an 8 card, they can play that, no matter what suit! 8s are wild and will allow the player to change the suit to any that they choose! When a player discards all of their cards, they win!

Uno

With a deck of Uno cards, a group of people plays to see who can get rid of all of the cards in their hands first. Be warned: when you get down to one card left, make sure to yell, “Uno!” If you don’t, and someone else notices, you could be fined two extra cards!

Musical Chairs

In Musical Chairs, players walk around a row of chairs (one less than the number of people currently playing) while music is playing. When the music stops, the players scramble to find a seat. Whoever is left without a chair is out of the game. The game continues until there is only one person left sitting!

There you have it! 68 family game night ideas that the whole family will love! Do you have more game night ideas? Share them in the comments so we can try it on our family game night too!