Whether your kids are little or big, start a new family tradition -- or continue an old tradition -- with a family game night.
Family game night is a great way to spend time together without electronics. Let each child choose a favorite board or card game to play. Grownups can pick a game too.
Here are 13 of our family's favorite classic board and card games to try -- or choose one of your family's favorites.
Locally, you will find an exceptional collection of board and card games at Givens Books and Little Dickens, located at 2236 Lakeside Drive in Lynchburg.
1. Candy Land - You don't have to read to play this fun game. Your goal is to be the first player to get to King Kandy's Castle. Watch out for hazards along the way. For 2-4 players ages 3 and older.
2. Chutes & Ladders - This fun game teaches numbers and a little bit about cause and effect. Do a good deed and climb a ladder up. Make a mistake and slide down the chute. Your goal is to be the first player to get to the 100 spot. For 2-3 players ages 3 and older.
3. Go Fish - You can play with a plain deck of cards or buy a specialized card game. We like the oversize card game with colorful fish pictures. The goal is to collect the most sets of cards. You'll find the rules of the game at the link above. For 2-6 players ages 3 and older.
4. Spot It - Okay, this may not be a classic in the truest sense of the word, but our family loves Spot It! Only one symbol matches on any two cards in the deck. Your goal is to be the first to find the match and to find the most matches. For 2-8 players ages 6 and older.
5. Mouse Trap - Watch the video to see how to build the mouse trap on the game board as you play the game. The goal is to be the last mouse not caught in the mouse trap. For 2-4 players ages 6 and older.
6. Uno - Match a card in your hand by color or number to the card on the top of the deck. There are wild cards, draw cards, and other special cards to keep you on your toes. Your goal is to be the first player to run out of cards. For 2-10 players ages 7 and older.
7. Jenga - Take turns pulling blocks from the stack of blocks and adding it on top without knocking down the entire stack. Whether you play the classic game or the oversize outdoor version, Jenga is a great party game. For one or more players ages 6 and older.
8. Monopoly - Buy, sell, and trade properties as you make your way around the board. Build houses and hotels after you gather a set of properties. Try not to go bankrupt! The player with the most money at the end wins. For 2-8 players ages 8 and older.
9. Crazy Eights - Eights are wild in this classic card game. Find the instructions at the link to play with a regular deck of cards or use a specialized card game. On your turn, match a card in your hand to the top card in the discard pile. The first player to run out of cards wins. For 2-4 players ages 5 and older.
10. Operation - Take turns using the tweezers to 'operate' on Cavity Sam, removing one of the 12 funny ailment parts. Don't touch the sides of the cavity or the buzzer will sound. The winner is the player with the most successful surgeries. For one or more players ages 4 and older.
11. Yahtzee - Introduced in the 1950s, Yahtzee is just as much fun today as it was then. Take turns rolling the dice and try to get the highest score on each turn. The winner is the player with the most points. For a twist, try the newest way to play Yahtzee with family or friends on Zoom.
12. Scrabble -The goal in this classic crossword game is to create words using tile letters. Each letter has a point value and you can add extra points by using extra value spaces on the board. The player with the most points wins. For 2-4 players ages 8 and older.
13. Twister - Get up and moving with this fast paced game. On each spin, you have to place a hand or foot on a specific color on the mat without falling down. The more players, the more twisting fun! The last player standing wins. For 2 or more players ages 6 and older.
Find out what's happening around town in every season with the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid event calendar. Follow us on Facebook for advance notice on local events, specials at local family-friendly businesses, and more.
Lynchburg Macaroni Kid helps you Find Your Family Fun® in any season! It's FREE to subscribe to our weekly newsletter, so click HERE and join the fun!
