Can anybody recommend a good board game for children and adults?

[Niecie]

DS2 said he would like a board game for Christmas but doesn't have one in mind. He just likes the idea. Since it isn't some some of computer game I am all for it!

He is 7 but can cope with 8+ stuff. We have monopoly and he plays that OK. We also have Scrabble, Cluedo and Game of Life already and he isn't interested in drawing so Pictionary is out. He seems completely disinterested in the Lego board games too although he had one for his birthday.

Can anybody recommend some good ones please?

Oh and I forgot we have a very old version of Trivial Pursuit but I think that might be too difficult for a 7yr old whose general knowledge is not up to playing standard yet.

Thanks!

Cadoo here
Bit of drawing, acting, miming, questions.....

Stratego is great. You can get it in different versions, I think, Civil War or Superheroes etc

Can whole heartedly recommend Pictureka, kids and adults alike! We bend the rules a bit to give younger ones chance, and um, bend them a bit more just for the adults... :o

Uno Extreme is good we love playing that and Boggle

Oh thank you!

Some good suggestions to investigate. I reckon DS1 might like the Stratego one as well even though he is not a board game type of a boy so maybe I will get them one game each.

Other good ones are Carcassonne - says 8 & up, but dd could easily wipe the floor with me last yr age 7.

And Galaxy Trucker - really fun and the bits are fab too, little spacemen, 'batteries' for your spaceship etc. There's a nice review of it here, I think their point that its one of those games where it doesn't matter in the least if you lose is very true.

Junior Monopoly if you can find a copy.

Oh, Carcassone looks good

DS loves Monotony Monopoly. I just love it too

He also likes Mancala. There are dozens of versions of it (Mancala being a generic name, like chess, rather than a trademark iyswim)

Not stictly a board game but we have had lots of fun with Man Bites Dog here.

*strictly even ...

the really nasty horseracing game. Thats the name not my opinion!

Cranium for Juniors is a hit in our household and Draw Out Junior- you can buy them from Toy's R US. Both my 8 and 6 year old play and I have to help the youngest one smt to explain the meaning of the word, but is still fun non the less.

What's the difference between Cranium and Cadoo?

Which would be best for 6/7 year olds?

HUllaballoo. Great for everyone.

Doodledice
Othello
Blokus

All good.

We like Taboo - says its for age 12+ but we have played with my niece since she was about 6/7

Thanks for the suggestions! There are some I haven't heard of here - well a lot really - which is great.

It is good to know where you can ignore the age limit. 7 is a difficult age - too grown up for 4+ yrs games but seemingly too young for 8+ unless you have MN to ask which are the more child friendly ones.

I shall look them all up and have a think and see which ones I want to play.

I second pictureka, good fun and quite fast, my two criteria for a game involving DS.

I third pictureka! Great fun, easy to play for all ages, kids can play amongst themselves if they have friends round.

Carcassonne is really good! I was surprised. DS is 6 and plays it fine, though of course he's not that subtle yet.

Niecie, we have too many a lot of board games, and there aren't that many that dd couldn't play when she was 7. It probably depends whether you are planning on playing with your dcs, & want a game that you will all enjoy (in which case go for an 'older' game, as you'll be able to explain any awkward bits in the rules or give the odd hint as needed) or whether you want games that they can play together or with their friends.

For games appealing to adults & children, we also like Stone Age and Settlers of Catan though they are both quite long games to play, more a wet-sunday-afternoon sort of game rather than a quick game after tea, IYKWIM.

Blokus - strangely addictive. simple, yet brilliant!