Odds are, you’re looking for the best things to do when stuck at home. Maybe you’ve binged everything on Netflix, or you’re simply looking for another fun thing to kill time when you’re bored. Lucky for you, we know the best games to play at home (or anywhere else!). We are big fans of travel/card games (many classic board games have travel-sized versions), as they’re easy to pack or simply to store somewhere.
Best Games to Play At Home
There are many sorts of games out there, so we’re making a division between board games, card games, playing cards games, and travel games. Many games are made into a travel-sized game, and sometimes, that version is even more fun than the original thing!
The Best Board Games
Monopoly
This classic family board game has now hundreds of versions, including online banking ones. If you want to play a long game, this is the one to pick!
2-6 players
Get Monopoly
Ludo / Parcheesi
In Dutch, this game is called “human, do not get annoyed” because you will get frustrated!
2-4 players
Buy Ludo
Scrabble
If you’re good with words, you must give this game a go. It’s like wordfeud, but you can’t just make up any word and see if it’s a word. So, have your dictionary ready.
2-4 players
Play Scrabble
Rummikub / Rummy Board Game
It’s really no surprise that Rummikub is so popular – it has all the elements that make a great game: it’s easy to learn and fast-moving, it’s different every time it’s played, it combines luck and strategy, and it changes quickly so every player has a chance to win until the very end.
2-4 players
Get Rummikub
Settlers of Catan
This game is perfect for a long game night too. It’s a civilization-building board game of harvesting and trading resources. Every player is an adventurous settler seeking to tame the remote but rich isle of Catan.
3-4 players (more with extensions)
Buy Settlers of Catan
Already got the game? Go get the extensions, travel edition, or dice version!
Carcassonne
A little similar to Settlers of Catan, this board game takes a while to play and works with tiles as a playing board. The name Carcassonne comes from the medieval fortress in southern France.
2-5 players
Get Carcassonne
Trivial Pursuit
Are you knowledgeable? Let’s check it with the trivia game Trivial Pursuit!
2-6 players
Play Trivial Pursuit
30 Seconds
The quick-thinking fast-talking board game for the whole family! Your team-mate(s) have to guess as many names (that you’re trying to explain) as possible, in 30 seconds.
4 or more players
Buy 30 Seconds
Ticket to Ride
A cross-country train adventure in which players collect and play matching train cards to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points!
2-5 players
Get Ticket to Ride
Labyrinth
Get lost in a maze of fun with the Ravensburger Labyrinth! It’s not a normal labyrinth, it moves every turn.
2-4 players
Play Labyrinth
Dixit
If you love getting creative with storytelling, this is the game for you. Every picture tells a story – but what story will your picture tell?
3-6 players
Get Dixit
Escape Room: the Game
If you can’t go to an Escape Room, bring the escape room to you! You have 60 minutes get out of the room together, will you make it?
3-5 players
Buy Escape Room: the Game
Playing Cards Games
There are endless card games to play with simple playing cards games. We highly recommend getting at least 2 complete sets to have the freedom to play a variety of games!
Get your playing cards
Got small hands? Invest in a cardholder!
Card Games to Play
- (Gin) Rummy
- Solitaire
- War
- Go Fish
- Crazy Eights
- Shithead
- Hearts
- Blackjack
- Canasta
- Donkey / Pig
- and many, many more!
Check out this Youtube channel for card games instructions.
Travel / Card Games
We love travel card games! The best part: you can play these games anywhere and they don’t take up much space. And if the box is too big, just take the cards out and pack them in packing cubes!
Monopoly Deal
The card game of the iconic board game is a lot more fun because it’s a lot quicker! Yet it’s very similar to the family game. Go give it a try!
2-5 players
Play Monopoly Deal
Set
A fast game where there are no turns! The first person with the most ‘sets’ at the end, wins.
1 or more players
Get Set
UNO
If you don’t know UNO, I don’t think you would’ve made it this far into the article. The iconic card game now has a sequel, aptly called DOS!
2-10 players
Buy UNO
Skip Bo + Phase 10
Two more fun numbers-card games. Skip Bo is an easy yet fun game about playing out your entire stockpile(s). Phase 10 is similar to Rummy, yet different!
2-6 players
Get Skip Bo + Phase 10
Ligretto
This is a chaotic game as everyone plays at the same time and tries to get rid of their cards. But it’s a lot of fun!
Get multiple sets (different color boxes = different sets of cards) to play with more people!
2-12 players
Play Ligretto
Spot It / Dobble
Another fast game. Try to spot the same symbol on two cards. There are 5 ways to play the game!
2-8 players
Get Spot It!
Bohnanza
A game about farming! Planting beans, harvesting, and selling: it’s all in the game.
3-5 players
Buy Bohnanza
Halli Galli
This fun speed action game in which players watch for sets of exactly five fruit. Craziness guaranteed!
2-6 players
Get Halli Galli
Yahtzee
Roll the five dices and try to get all the combinations! The person with the highest scores wins.
1 or more players
Play Yahtzee
There are lots of other dice games, consider buying a dice 10-pack!
Werewolf / Mafia
There are ‘normal’ citizens and there are Mafiosi or werewolves, there’s a narrator, and a storyline. One of the most fun party games to play with a group of people!
From 6 players
Get Werewolf
Pen and Paper Games
The best games? Free games! Grab some pencils, markers in different colors, and lots of paper. Let’s go!
Battleship
This game was originally a pen and paper game and was later turned into a board game. Try to find out where your opponent has hidden their battleships, first person to let all the ships of the other sink, wins! Download an easy printable here.
Buy the board game or see the pen and paper instructions
2 players
Dots games
Dots and Boxes
Draw lines and try to make as many boxes for yourself as possible!
2 or more players
Sim
Players alternately join dots on a hexagon; the first player who completes a triangle in their own color loses.
2 players
Sprouts
Another line-drawing game and it is even simpler than the dots and boxes game. Depending on the version, the last person to draw a line is either the winner or loser.
2 players
Tic Tac Toe
The classic game! Try to get three in a row in a 3×3 grid.
Video: how to play Tic Tac Toe
2 players
Pictionary
A fun guessing game where you have to draw what you have in mind and your partner can guess what it is (within a time limit). You may only draw, you can’t talk and you can’t write words, letters, or symbols.
4 or more players
Bulls and Cows
Very similar to the game Mastermind, one player has to make up a 4-digit number and the other player has to guess the code.
Video: how to play Bulls and Cows
2 players
Word Square
On a square grid, and the players are going to try to form words in the grid by filling out a letter in a box when it’s their turn.
Video: how to play word square
2 players
Hangman
Another word-guessing game, if you can’t guess the word in time, you’re a hanged man.
Video: how to play hangman
2 or more players
Constantinople
Try to make as many 3-letter words as possible from a long word (optional: within a set timeframe).
1 or more players
Anagram Word Game
Make an anagram of the word you had in mind, the other player has to find the word you thought of. Optional: within a set timeframe.
1 or more players
We’d love to hear what are your favorite games! Tell us in the comments below.
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