Family games recommendations

[Caravansandfestivals]

Looking for some new family games. We have all the usual ones: monopoly, frustration, connect 4, cluedo, operation, Jenga, dobble etc etc. kids are aged 8 and 10 and are very competitive 😀. Any recommendations please?

This isn't aimed at the OP, sorry, but the thread is attracting a lot of boardgamers looking for presents!

If you have 4 or more people who like games, and you want an incredible experience, you could try "The King's Dilemma." It's a one-off legacy game played over 15-20 sessions each of 30-60 minutes. We played a couple of games per day over the whole Christmas holidays last year, and still talk about it.

Essentially you're playing the King's council" in a Game-of-Thrones type setting. Definitely only for those who would be happy with a 15-cert film, as some of the plotlines are pretty dark.

Jaipur is loved by my 9 and 7 year old who can play it independently.
Settlers of Catan
Tsuro
Citadels
Sleeping Queens

Uno. If you've already got the basic card game, then try Uno Extreme - DS and his friends played it for ages yesterday, although they are now teenagers, he loved it when he was younger too.
www.amazon.co.uk/Mattel-Games-Uno-Extreme-GXY75/dp/B08LDT6818/ref=asc_df_B08LDT6818/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=570343122631&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2928869829552353075&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9046620&hvtargid=pla-1156431100486&th=1

Ticket to ride
Settlers of catan
Forbidden island
The mind
Cluedo mysteries
Task master
Ant anddecs Saturday takeaway

Oh yes, Exploding Kittens as well!

Articulate kids (plenty challenging enough for adults too imo)
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Rhino Hero Super Battle
Carcasonne
Scotland Yard
Ticket to Ride

Telestrations (if they get too good at it combine cards- so if the prompts are easy e.g window or penguin, make it a window in a penguin house or something- its more fun if its hard to guess and most 8 year olds can draw a window)
10 second challenge (blue and yellow thing with a sand timer)
Think words!
Cards against humanity (family version)

Hogwarts Battle is another great co-operative one, though maybe a wee bit advanced for an 8 year old.

I think it’s great for that age as it builds in complexity as you move through the games.
The box has seven games and more cards, features, mechanics are added as you progress. So it starts simple and you learn the gameplay.
We’re a bit obsessed and have the expansion packs too. Can take all day to play, or just an hour or so depending on the combinations you choose.