Try these games galore for a little family competition

In this Tetris-like game, you have blocks that you must try to place on the board. The catch is that you must start from your corner of the board and each piece you play must touch one other piece of the same color at a corner. The goal is to be the first to use up all of your pieces in the least amount of blocks. Good for helping kids understand spatial reasoning and strategy. 2-4 players; ages 5+

It has simple rules but it’s based on strategy. You build and claim cities and roads using square cardboard tiles and score points for completing roads and cities. It’s easy enough for children to understand the basic rules, but there are options that allow adults to utilize more advanced strategies. A game generally lasts around 45 minutes. 2-5 players; ages 7+

This is a good pick for people who like board games that involve some strategy. In this popular civilization-building game, players control their own civilization and look to spread across a modular hex board in a competition for victory points. Beware the robber’s nefarious plans as he steals resources and plunders the wealthy. The game board can be set up differently every time you play. 3-4 players with standard version; expansion pack allows for 5-6 players; ages 10+

The point of this classic game is to take turns tapping on the ice until someone taps the wrong block and the ice breaks. It’s fun to watch the suspense grow as the players wonder who will make the penguin fall through the ice. A family classic for more than 50 years! 2-4 players; ages 3+

This simple game takes a minute to learn and is great for players of all ages, from young kids to grandparents. It plays quickly and keeps everyone engaged in every play, as opposed to waiting for your turn. And it’s always good for laughs. Players take turns being the judge. The judge begins each round by playing a card that features a one-word characteristic, such as crunchy, smelly or excellent. The other players must then look at the cards in their hands and select the one they think is best described by the judge’s card. 4-10 players; standard version recommended for ages 12+; junior version, 9+

The point of this game is to guess the identity of your opponent’s mystery character before they guess yours. You have to ask questions like color of hair or if they’re wearing a hat to draw your conclusion. This is another classic game parents will remember from their childhood. It may take a little coaching to get younger children to understand the best questions to ask, but they will catch on quickly. 2 players; ages 5+

Branded IP games can be lame but this one is good. The rules are simple enough for kids to understand, and there’s enough strategy for someone new to Minecraft to enjoy themselves. You play with standard cardboard tiles and a host of Minecraft Blocks for “purchase.” Kids will like battling the various Minecraft monsters. 2-4 players; 10+

This is a fun adventure/treasure hunting game where you have a map and use cardboard tiles to build a path to different “temples” on your board to find various treasures. Everyone has their own board and builds their own paths, but the first person to a treasure gets more points. Problem-solving and logic come into play. 2-4 players; ages 8+.

Play a card from your hand, and place a chip on a corresponding space on the game board. When you have five in a row, it’s a Sequence. Each player or team tries to score the required number of five-card sequences before their opponents. This strategy game is easy enough for kids and challenging enough for adults. 2-12 players, ages 7+

A classic game made just for kids. Play a card from your hand, and place your chip on the corresponding character on the board. The first with four chips in a row wins. No reading required. 2-4 players; ages 3-6

This game has similarities to the “telephone game” but with both words and pictures. Each player starts with their own erasable sketch book, marker and word card. The timer is set and everyone draws their word. After 60 seconds, everyone passes their book to the player on their left. Then each player guesses in words what they see, and passes again. The timer is set again and everyone draws the guessed word. This continues until the sketch book is back to its original owner. There are two scoring options: one for the highly competitive types, and “friendly scoring” for a more gentle game. 4-8 players; ages 12+

Strategically race across the United States, claiming and occupying (camping) at parks and collecting trail stones on the way. This game play is engaging, thanks to multiple objectives. Cards for each National Park – some you may not know existed – feature fun facts that are educational for kids and adults alike. 2-5 players; ages 10+