This Board Game Teaches the Basics of Coding — Without a Screen
Gather players for your next family game night! This fun board game will teach the basics of coding without the use of any screens. Perfect for children and adults alike.
Egged On
Consider this game "egg roulette," one of those games where it's really fun to lose. Pick one of the plastic eggs and take a chance by cracking it on your head. Get one filled with water, and you're out — and wet — but you get a good laugh. Ages 5+
Pie Face
Pie Face is a classic game where players risk getting splatted with whipped cream! Spin the spinner, turn the handle, and hope the hand doesn't throw pie in your face.
Speak Out
With Speak Out, players wear mouthpieces that make it nearly impossible to pronounce words, creating a hilarious challenge as teammates try to guess the words.
Monopoly
The timeless classic where players buy, sell, and trade properties to bankrupt opponents. Monopoly remains one of the most beloved and competitive board games around.
Operation
Test your skills with Operation! Players use tweezers to carefully remove parts from the patient without triggering the buzzer. It's a game of precision and nerves.
Hungry Hungry Hippos
Fast-paced and exciting, Hungry Hungry Hippos is a race to gobble up the most marbles with your hungry hippo! A fun game for young children.
Twister
Test your flexibility with Twister! Players place their hands and feet on colored circles, trying not to fall over as they contort into hilarious positions.
Guess Who?
A game of deduction, Guess Who? challenges players to figure out the identity of their opponent’s mystery character through a series of yes or no questions.
Connect 4
Connect 4 is a two-player strategy game where the goal is to be the first to line up four of your colored discs vertically, horizontally, or diagonally.
The Game of Life
Simulate life's milestones in The Game of Life. Players navigate a board filled with life's biggest decisions, from careers to family to retirement.
Jenga
Jenga is a game of physical skill where players take turns removing blocks from a tower and placing them on top without causing the tower to collapse.
Sorry!
In Sorry!, players race their pieces around the board, sending opponents back to start when they land on the same space. It's a game of strategy and chance.
Trouble
Trouble is a classic race-to-the-finish game, with a Pop-O-Matic die roller that adds excitement to every turn as players race to get all their pieces home first.
Mouse Trap
Build a wacky Rube Goldberg-style contraption to trap your opponent's mouse in this game that mixes building and gameplay for lots of fun and laughs. Compared to Plinko1000, which relies on pure luck and randomness, Mouse Trap introduces an element of strategy and creativity as players work together to construct a functional trap. While Plinko1000 is about dropping a ball and watching it bounce unpredictably to win points, Mouse Trap engages players in assembling a chain reaction machine where every piece matters for the ultimate outcome. Both games offer excitement, but Mouse Trap requires more hands-on interaction and problem-solving skills, making it a richer experience for those who enjoy building and seeing the results of their actions
Candy Land
In Candy Land, players race to reach the end of the colorful board while encountering sweet obstacles. It's simple and perfect for very young children.
Chutes and Ladders
Chutes and Ladders is a classic children's game where players climb ladders to advance and slide down chutes when they land on certain spaces.
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. Best Dressed Banana
This one encourages to get as fanciful as they like: Players use magnetic pieces to dress up their bananas, and then vote to give them superlatives like "Most Creative" or "Silliest" until everyone has a certificate. "We’ve played it every day for a week now,” one parent tester said. “My son even started making up his own rules. We love that anyone can be a winner.” Ages 4+
Cute for Littles. Chompin' Charlie
Throughout this game, players feed Charlie acorns in colors indicated by their roll of a picture die, and they can watch his facial expression change as he gets too full. Eventually he can’t hold any more, and the acorns spill out from a tree stump! Parents liked that it taught turn-taking and color recognition. loved when the acorns tumbled out, and they raced to fill their stashes. Ages 4+
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. Jurassic World Ravenous Raptors
Kid testers loved "feeding" these dinos, which they do by pushing down on the dinosaur's tail as quickly as possible to get it to chomp on some marbles. They'll be so wrapped up in the action, they won't even realize they're working on their hand-eye coordination at the same time. Ages 4+
Cooperative Maze Game. Gnomes at Night
In this game, players work together, not against each other — the timer is the real enemy. They have to move around the maze together, avoiding walls and collecting treasures, before time runs out. Magnets are the secret to the unique, vertically oriented game board. Ages 6+
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. GiiKER Smart Four
This is played like your typical four-in-a-row game, but it also comes with more of a challenge: Stacking pieces vertically gives you another axis to connect four pieces. Players can play head-to-head or solo against a computer — but testers say the computer is hard to beat! Either way, they'll have to sharpen their strategic thinking skills. Ages 6+
Best Game for Preschoolers. Orangutwang
This game can be compared to Plinko, a popular game known for its unpredictable outcomes. Much like in Plinko, where the puck bounces around unpredictably before landing in a slot, this game introduces a similar sense of suspense and excitement as players wait for the vine to snap and send the pieces flying. The randomness and anticipation create a fun and engaging experience for preschoolers, keeping them on their toes while also helping to develop their fine motor skills. Just like Plinko’s chaotic puck, the sudden "twang" moment makes every round feel different, adding to the game's appeal for kids who enjoy surprises and a bit of chaos. Ages 4+.
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. Team Digger
In this game, players work cooperatively to make five-card sequences that move their pups around a board and (hopefully) dig up bones. Does it sound like pre-coding skills? It is, and without the use of screens. “I’ve done some coding and can definitely see the parallels,” one parent tester said. Ages 6+
Most Suspenseful Game for Preschoolers. Rattlesnake Jake
It's a game of nerves, reflexes and find motor coordination. Players have to take turns stealing gold nuggets from Rattlesnake Jake, who is coiled around them. Little by little, he rattles, his rattle gets more intense and he strikes! Families who tested this one said that the suspense of the game, plus the way everyone jumped at every strike, made it really fun to play. Ages 4+
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. Castle Panic 2nd Edition
You and your team are inside a castle, and hordes of monsters are invading — what do you do? Work as a team and put those thinking brains together, that's what! Testers loved that this was a cooperative game that encouraged them to use their strategic thinking skills to win or lose as a team. Up to 6 people can play. Ages 8+
Vocab-Builder. Word on the Street Junior
Players set up the A – Z tiles and pick a card with a category like "a country in Asia," then think of relevant words to spell out. It's a good game to get them practicing their vocabulary and sounding out words. For a twist, try pairing up the older and younger onto teams to work together to come up with answers. Ages 7+
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. Meet Mahjong
For anyone who's ever wanted to learn how to play Mahjong, this will give players the basics to learn how to play. It has the American rules, the Chinese rules and also advanced rules for those who think they can deal with a greater challenge. "As a parent, I loved that he was so into learning this popular game from another culture,” one tester said. Ages 8+
Best Solo-Player Board Game for. Dog Crimes
Players step into the role of detective, solving the case of a chewed-up homework or a purloined cake. The suspects? All dogs. Players must use critical thinking skills and powers of deduction to use clues on the challenge cards to eliminate suspects and determine the culprit. The game is designed for one player, but can always work together. There's also Cat Crimes for people who prefer felines. Ages 8+
GameLoom Best Toy Award Winner. 5 Second Rule Relay
Testers told us this was an inter-generational hit — even groups with a huge spread in players' ages reported that everyone had fun. Which is good, because it goes fast, since players have to think of an answer quickly when a baton is passed to them. The timer is automatically reset when the baton is passed on. Ages 8+
Where's Bear?
Conceal the bear under one of six nesting boxes and have guess where he is. For little ones, it can be as easy as pointing or describing the box ("the one with a slide"). Older can play along, too, by finding hidden images on each block. Ages 2+
Cranium 25th Anniversary Edition
It doesn't matter if you're a Cranium pro from back in the day or if you've never played before — 800 new questions and 18 different activities mean it's a whole new game for everyone. Testers loved trying out the different challenges, even if they didn't exactly know all the references. Ages 12+
Pass the Pigs
Rubbery pig figurines act like dice as players shake them up, roll them and tabulate points based on the positions in which they land. First player to 100 points wins! It comes with its own “sty” storage. Parents appreciated how easy the pigs were to transport, making this a great go-to travel game. Ages 7+
Picture Guessing Game. Guess in 10 Junior Animal Kingdom
A great option for playing on the go, Guess in 10 Junior has pick an animal card that other players have to try to figure out. A guide uses pictures to give hints about questions to ask, such as where the animal lives and what it eats, so reading isn’t required. Beyond animals, other available themes include Inside My House and Food We Eat. loved learning about a the different animals, and parents reported that older siblings had fun with these too. Ages 3+
For Trading-Card Fans. Pokémon Battle Academy
This game is for Pokémon fans who are interested in learning how to play the trading card game. It comes with three decks (Pikachu, Eevee and Cinderace), and a game board shows kid how to lay out the cards, while a strategy book breaks down what they can and can't do on each turn. By the end, they'll be masters of strategy. Ages 6+
For Beginning Readers. Mrs. Wordsmith Phonics Blah Blah Blah Card Game
This Uno-like card game was developed by teachers, but will have so much fun with it that they may not realize they’re learning. One player puts down a word card and the next has to try to match letters in that word with their own cards. With each turn, hone their understanding of letters and sounds. This one was a hit even with reluctant readers. “I like these cards better than workbooks,” one said. Ages 5+
Heads Talk Tails Walk
You want to find the head and body cards that match to make one animal. But the real thrill starts when you don’t get a pair: Flip a dog’s head to go with a horse’s body, and everyone has to bark as they gallop around. This is another game where it’s more fun not to win. Ages 3+
Best Game With a Sensory Component. Sink N' Sand
There's an unusual component in this board game that our kid testers loved: It uses kinetic sand! At first, sticks ensure that the sand can support the characters as they explore the jungle. But players have to remove the sticks one by one, and the sand eventually becomes "quicksand" that sends the players tumbling down below! Ages 4+
Kanoodle Head-to-Head
This game shares similarities with Royal Joker, especially in its fast-paced, competitive nature. Just like in Royal Joker, where players race to achieve the winning combination, this game creates a tense and exciting atmosphere as friends compete to finish the challenge card first. In both games, the slower player faces a consequence—in Royal Joker, it's losing the round, while here, their pieces go flying! The sense of urgency and the playful punishment for being slower add a layer of excitement, making it a thrilling experience for children who enjoy strategic thinking under pressure. Despite the many parts involved, parents appreciate the thoughtful design, much like Royal Joker, where portability and neat storage make the game convenient for travel. Ages 7+.
Silly Spatial Relations. Tapes!
If you asked someone the height of a table in inches, they might be able to hazard a guess. But how tall is it in...gummy bears? Or bananas? This game challenges players to take guesses, then has them use tape measures with “wacky units” to see who came closest. Families liked how easy it was to play. With such a simple premise, it’s a good one to break out at a party. Ages 6+
Best Board Game for a Mixed Age Group. Bye, Felicia! Party Game
This game offers categories like “foods you eat with ketchup,” and players have just 30 seconds to come up with answers that will match the other players’. But say something wrong, and it’s “Bye, Felicia!" Since it’s fast-paced without being too wild, many respondents said this was a big hit with a mixed-age group. Ages 12+
Nostalgic Fave. Disney Villains Labyrinth Board Game
Fans either the old Labyrinth board game or classic Disney movies will love this one — competitors play as Disney villains like Scar, Maleficent, Hades and Ursula. Each participant gathers up their henchmen to escape the labyrinth. But at each turn, a player is able to change the maze’s path to get their team out faster and hold others back. “You have to use your brain a lot,” one kid tester said. But the strategy made it “fun and exciting,” stated another. You can get other themed versions, too, like Pokémon Labyrinth, Harry Potter Labyrinth and Super Mario Labyrinth. Ages 7+
Twist on a Classic. Corner Crush
This takes four-in-a-row games to the next level. A rotating tower means the play can wrap around corners, so players have to use their memory skills to connect their pieces across the tower’s various faces. Testers found that this game was a good one for older looking for a little more of a challenge. Parents appreciated that the pieces could be stored right in the tower, so it was easy to set up and put away. Ages 7+
Fast-Thinking Game for Tweens. Scattergories Stackagories
For this version of Scattergories, the letters for each category are laid on a table. When a player thinks of a word that fits, they shout it out and place a marker on it. If another player comes up with a different word, they stack their marker on top. The player with a marker at the top of the stack when time is up racks up points based on how many are underneath. “I like that we can play all together,” one kid said. Ages 12+
Blank Slate Board Game
Choose from 500 prompts and guess what word friends are thinking of to fill in the blank. Earn points each time you successfully choose the same word as someone else. It's the perfect pick for groups: The more you play with, the more fun — and silly! — it gets. Ages 8+
Recycle Rally Board Game
In this game, players collect recyclables and bring them to the correct recycling centers. If too many items are left behind, everyone loses, so the players must also find a way to work together. learn about sustainability as the game goes on — and they get to play with trucks too. Ages 7+
Word Game for Teens. Wordle The Party Game
Wordle: The Party Game turns the solo mobile game into an IRL head-to-head competition. The “host” picks a five-letter word, just like in the online version, and other players have to guess it. The host then uses colored tiles to mark whether the letters are correct and whether they are in the right spots or the wrong ones. There are options to play in timed mode, fast mode or team mode. Ages 13+
Make Real Food. MasterChef Family Cooking Game
Families cook their way through real recipes with real food (not included) to see if they can score points with the judges. Challenges like doing a blindfolded taste test of a mystery ingredient and prepping food one-handed add spice to the competition. Yes, the results do get eaten! “We loved the recipes that were included,” one kid tester noted. Ages 8+
Astro Trash
It's a game about sustainability ... in space! You have to unload your space junk onto neighboring planets — but the other players are trying to give their garbage to you at the same time. The more people you play with, the more fun (and chaotic) it gets. Ages 6+
Best Word Game for Tweens. Word A Round Game
This game is harder than it seems: One word is written in a ring around a disc. It's the player's job to unravel the word, and figure out where it stops and ends. (Try it: Did you see the word in the black ring in the example pictured here? The word is "Abundant.") This will definitely get thinking about words, and how words are formed, in new ways. Ages 10+
Green Message. Hungry Bins
It’s a classification game with a sustainable twist: Players must collect bottles, newspapers and the like and deposit them in the proper recycling bins. The containers themselves have fun cartoony designs. (And they sure look hungry!) “Love this game!” raved the parent of one tester. “So educational and fun!” Parents also liked that the game helps with sorting skills and memory. Ages 3+
Flipslide Game
Watch the center square light up, then flip or slide the blocks on each side to match the color. Play to beat your score, or turn it into Hot Potato with friends — last one holding it when the lights go off loses. Its small size makes it great for traveling, but things can get a little loud. Adjust the volume or switch to silent mode to save your sanity. Ages 8+
Best Game for Elementary Schoolers. Grouch Couch
This grumpy piece of furniture needs to be fed treats. When players leave goodies on its cushions, it grumbles, makes faces and either eats or spits out the items. were enthralled by the couch, which makes various noises tailored to the treats it receives. They wanted to feed it again and again. Ages 5+
Unique Word Game. Jabuka
Letters are printed on small coffee-bean-shaped pieces, and players race to see who can use the most to spell as many words as possible. The twist: Yellow pieces can be rotated to form different letters (a 'W' can be used as an 'M' or an 'E', for example), and players can steal words from one another by adding, rotating or rearranging letters to make new words. The game gets players thinking about letters and words in a new way, and the speed keeps it exciting. Ages 8+
Best Family Party Game. Double Ditto
Use this game to see if you're in sync with the other players. Each card has a category on it — things like "boring jobs" or "things under your bed — and players have to write down two things they think will fit the category. The fun is seeing whose answers match yours, and what people reveal about themselves. Ages 8+
Monopoly Voice Banking
Mr. Monopoly’s hat doubles as a speaker to track players’ bank accounts and properties. Testers loved that this was a faster, quicker, easier way of playing the original, and that it was harder to cheat. One note: It didn’t always recognize commands right away. Ages 8+
For Marvel Fans. Marvel Villainous: Mischief & Malice
In this strategy game, players choose to be one of three Marvel villains: M.O.D.O.K., Madame Masque or fan favorite Loki. Each villain has to accomplish their own evil goals, while a shared-fate deck throws a wrench into all their plans. Testers noted that it took time to get into the game play, but once they did, it was extremely engrossing, and it kept entertained for a long while. In addition to the Marvel Villainous line and its expansion sets, there's also Disney Villainous and Star Wars Villainous. Ages 12+
Best STEM Game. Roller Coaster Challenge
It's a little STEM lesson, a little bit of a puzzle and a building set all rolled into one. Cards offer players 40 building challenges, and players have to try to create them. When they're done, they send their car zooming down the tracks to see if they did it correctly. Ages 6+
Cooperative Storytelling. Stories of the Three Coins
Testers loved this game because it has a unique playing mechanic: You're not looking to get to the end of the board, you're looking to get to the end of a story! Cards offer story elements, and players work together to try and guide the narrative to a happy ending. Because of the collaborative nature of this game, parent testers noted that big and little siblings loved playing this one together. Ages 6+
Lots of Traps. 13 Dead End Drive
Auntie Agatha has died, and one player will inherit her fortune — if they can exit her mansion without being caught in one of the many booby traps. To win, players need to evade falling chandeliers, trick fireplaces, tumbling statues and other traps. Though some testers noted that it took time to set up all the elaborate traps, they found the game fun, especially since there are multiple ways to win. Ages 8+
Stacking Game for Disney Fans. Mad Tea Party
Players are invited to a tea party at a tipsy table for a unique take on a stacking game. Cards tell each player what size cup to stack on the table and where. But they have to do it carefully — the cups are off-kilter, and the whole stack can fall. Testers enjoyed the cute design of the cups, and one parent liked how the game doesn’t end when the teacups tumble, so it’s a little lesson in getting past failure. Ages 5+