16 Family Game Night Ideas That'll Get Everyone Off Their Phones

You've blocked out the evening. You've announced it's family games night. Now you just need games that won't have your teens sloping off to their rooms or your younger kids losing interest after five minutes.

Let's face it, board games are brilliant, but they're not the only option when you're planning game night ideas that work for all ages.

This list gives you everything from quick 10-minute games to longer tournaments. Some need zero supplies (perfect for spontaneous family time). Others work brilliantly as board game tournament ideas if you've got a competitive family.

I've had such fun putting this list together, roadtesting the ideas... I hope you find some that spark your interest. 

16 Game Night Ideas the Whole Family Will Appreciate

Here's your mix of active games, thinking games, and ones that just make everyone laugh. Pick what suits your family's mood and run with it.

Reverse Charades

Instead of one person acting while everyone guesses, the whole family acts out the word whilst one person guesses. It's chaos in the best possible way.

• Number of players: 4+
• What you need: Slips of paper with words or phrases written on them, a timer

How to play

• One person sits facing the family and is the guesser
• Set a timer for 60 seconds
• Everyone else acts out the word or phrase together (no talking!)
• The guesser shouts out answers until they get it right
• Score a point for each correct guess within the time limit
• Rotate who's guessing each round

Puzzle Chess

Competitive jigsaw puzzling with a chess clock. Turns out puzzles are way more stressful when you're racing against time.

• Number of players: 2-4 (play 1v1 or in pairs)
• What you need: A jigsaw puzzle (300 pieces or less), chess timer or chess clock app

How to play

• Turn all puzzle pieces face up and complete the border together first
• Set your chess timer to 20 minutes per side (download a free chess clock app if you don't have a physical timer)
• Flip a coin to see who goes first
• On your turn, connect one piece anywhere inside the puzzle border
• You can only touch one loose piece at a time
• You can move pieces around during your turn, but can't leave any loose pieces inside the border when you finish
• Once you've placed your piece, tap your timer to start your opponent's clock
• Keep alternating until the puzzle is complete
• Whoever has the most time remaining on their clock wins
• If your timer runs out first, you lose (even if the puzzle isn't finished)

Two Truths and a Lie

A classic talking game that works brilliantly for family get togethers. You'll learn surprising things about each other.

• Number of players: 3+
• What you need: Nothing

How to play

• Each person thinks of three statements about themselves
• Two statements must be true, one must be false
• The person shares all three statements out loud
• Everyone else discusses and votes on which one is the lie
• The person reveals the answer
• No points needed, but you can award them if your family likes keeping score

Minute to Win It Challenges

Quick games that use household items. Perfect for game night kids who need to move around.

• Number of players: 2+
• What you need: Various household items (see individual challenges below)

How to play

Choose from these one-minute challenges:

• Cookie Face: Place a biscuit on your forehead and move it to your mouth using only facial muscles
• Junk in the Trunk: Tie an empty tissue box (filled with ping pong balls) around your waist and shake until all balls fall out
• Stack Attack: Stack 36 plastic cups into a pyramid and back down to a single stack
• Penny Hose: Put a penny in each leg of tights, wear them on your head, and knock over water bottles
• Each person gets 60 seconds to complete their challenge
• Winner of each round gets a point

Family Trivia Face-Off

Test how well everyone knows each other whilst earning snacks along the way. The questions get personal, the answers get surprising, and someone always disputes what Dad's actual favourite film is.

• Number of players: 3+
• What you need: Paper, pens, a bowl of treats (sweets, crisps, biscuits—whatever you've got), something to keep score

How to play

• Split into two teams or play individually
• Set out your treat bowl in the centre where everyone can reach it
• Create three question categories: Family History (When did we get our dog? What year did we move here?), Personal Favourites (What's Mum's go-to takeaway order? What song does your sister play on repeat?), and Who Said It? (read out funny quotes your family says and guess who said it)
• Teams take turns asking the other team a question from any category
• Correct answers earn one point plus the chance to grab a treat from the bowl
• Wrong answers mean the asking team can steal the point (and the treat) if they know the correct answer
• The person being asked about confirms whether answers are right
• First team to 15 points wins, or play until the treat bowl is empty
• For younger kids, stick to easier categories like favourite colours, best friends' names, or favourite dinner

The Big Quiz Night

A proper trivia night with multiple categories. Makes you feel like you're at a pub quiz without leaving your living room.

• Number of players: 4+ (works best with 6+)
• What you need: Printed trivia questions sorted by category (search for "printable trivia questions" or make your own), paper, pens, a bell or buzzer (optional but fun)

How to play

• Print out trivia questions across 8 different categories (Sports, Movies, Music, Science, Geography, History, Pop Culture, Food & Drink work well)
• Divide into teams of 2-3 people each
• One person acts as quizmaster and isn't on a team
• Play 8 rounds (one per category) with 5-10 questions each round
• Teams write their answers on paper after each question
• At the end of each round, teams swap answer sheets and mark each other's answers as the quizmaster reads out the correct ones
• Each correct answer is worth 1 point
• Keep a running total on a scoreboard everyone can see
• Add a bonus round at the end where questions are worth double points
• Highest score after all rounds wins
• If you don't want to print questions, assign each team a category to write 10 questions for before game night starts

Murder Wink

A quiet game that creates genuine suspense. Brilliant after dinner when everyone's still at the table.

• Number of players: 5+
• What you need: Playing cards or slips of paper

How to play

• Take cards equal to the number of players (include one Ace)
• Everyone draws a card and keeps it secret
• Whoever gets the Ace is the murderer
• Sit in a circle where everyone can see each other's faces
• The murderer "kills" people by winking at them secretly
• If you're winked at, count to five silently, then dramatically "die"
• Other players try to identify the murderer
• If you think you know, say "I accuse" and point to someone
• You need a second person to agree before revealing
• If you're wrong, you're out of the game
• If you're right, the murderer is caught and a new round begins

Balloon Keep-Up Tournament

Active and simple. Works for mixed ages because younger kids can compete fairly with older ones.

• Number of players: 2+
• What you need: Balloons, timer

How to play

• Blow up one balloon per player
• Set a timer for 60 seconds
• Everyone must keep their balloon in the air using only their hands
• If your balloon touches the ground, you're out
• Last person with their balloon airborne wins
• For a harder version: use only heads, elbows, or feet

Categories

A fast-talking game that needs zero setup. One of the best game night ideas for kids and adults together.

• Number of players: 3+
• What you need: Nothing

How to play

• Choose one person to pick a category (animals, countries, pizza toppings, etc.)
• Go around the circle with each person naming something in that category
• You can't repeat what someone else said
• You have three seconds to answer
• If you can't think of anything or repeat an answer, you're out
• Last person remaining wins that round and picks the next category

DIY Board Game Tournament

Turn your existing board games into a proper competition. Great for families with teens who like structured challenges.

• Number of players: 4+
• What you need: 3-4 board games you already own, paper for scoring

How to play

• Choose 3-4 games everyone knows how to play
• Assign points: 1st place gets 4 points, 2nd gets 3 points, 3rd gets 2 points, 4th gets 1 point
• Play each game once (use shorter versions or set time limits)
• Keep a running total of everyone's points
• Highest score after all games wins the tournament
• Good games for this: Uno, Connect Four, Jenga, Yahtzee

The Laughing Game

Sounds simple (don't laugh), but it's harder than you'd think. One person always cracks.

• Number of players: 3+
• What you need: Nothing

How to play

• Everyone sits in a circle and must keep a straight face
• First person says "Ha"
• Next person says "Ha ha"
• Third person says "Ha ha ha"
• Continue around the circle, adding one "ha" each time
• You can't smile, laugh, or even crack a grin
• If you laugh, you're out
• Last person keeping a straight face wins
• Make it harder by allowing people to make faces or do silly voices

Spoons

Fast-paced card game that gets competitive quickly. You'll need space around your game night set up for this one.

• Number of players: 3+
• What you need: Playing cards, spoons (one fewer than the number of players)

How to play

• Place spoons in the centre of the table
• Deal four cards to each player
• Goal is to collect four of a kind
• Dealer picks a card from the deck and discards one card to their left
• Everyone keeps passing cards left around the circle
• When someone gets four of a kind, they quietly take a spoon
• Once one person takes a spoon, everyone grabs for the remaining spoons
• Person without a spoon gets a letter (S-P-O-O-N)
• Once you spell SPOON, you're out
• Last player remaining wins

Photo Scavenger Hunt

Gets everyone moving through the house. Each person uses their phone to document finds.

• Number of players: 2+
• What you need: Smartphones, a list of items to photograph

How to play

• Create a list of 15-20 things to find and photograph (something blue, something older than you, something that makes noise, etc.)
• Set a 10-minute timer
• Everyone searches the house taking photos of items that match each description
• You can't use the same item for multiple categories
• Meet back and go through photos together
• Most items found wins
• Bonus points for creative interpretations

Build a Tower Challenge

Engineering competition using household items. Surprisingly engaging for families with teens who think they're too cool for games.

• Number of players: 2+ (or split into teams)
• What you need: Building materials (pasta, marshmallows, tape, paper, straws—whatever you have)

How to play

• Give each player or team identical supplies
• Set a timer for 10 minutes
• Challenge: build the tallest free-standing tower
• Towers must stand on their own for 10 seconds to count
• Measure heights and declare a winner
• Alternative challenges: strongest bridge, most creative structure

Fishbowl

Combines three games in one. Works brilliantly for family games for teens mixed with younger kids.

• Number of players: 6+
• What you need: Paper, pens, a bowl or hat

How to play

• Everyone writes 3-5 words or phrases on separate slips of paper
• Fold papers and put them all in the bowl
• Divide into two teams
• Round 1 (Taboo style): Describe the word without saying it. 60 seconds per turn
• Put correctly guessed papers aside, return others to the bowl
• Round 2 (Charades): Same papers, but act them out silently
• Round 3 (One word): Same papers again, but you can only say one word as a clue
• Team with most points across all three rounds wins

Telephone Pictionary

Drawing meets Chinese whispers. The results are always ridiculous.

• Number of players: 4+
• What you need: Paper, pens

How to play

• Everyone gets a small stack of paper (same number of sheets as players)
• On the top sheet, write a phrase or sentence
• Pass your stack to the left
• Next person reads the phrase, flips the paper over, and draws it on the second sheet
• Pass left again
• Next person looks only at the drawing, flips the page, and writes what they think it is
• Keep alternating between drawing and writing
• When stacks return to original owners, flip through to see how the phrase evolved
• Share the best transformations with the group

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