Families are experiencing some of the hardest changes with social distancing. Kids are home from school and parents have had to transition to a new way of learning for the first time. There’s also the issue of keeping kids entertained while they’re stuck inside for hours. We’ve made a list of family-friendly games, sorted by age group, to make the downtime a little easier.
This is the third piece in a series where I’m highlighting board games and tabletop roleplaying games for folks to try out at home.
We started with single-player-friendly games (sometimes referred to as solo or “solitaire play” games), then two-player games, and now family-friendly games. We’re also keeping the door open for more articles in the future, including one for board games and RPGs for folks who’ve been separated by social distancing.
I’m including a mix of physical games and digital versions”Steam versions of existing games, or PDFs of various RPGs”for folks wanting options that don’t involve home delivery. Amazon has been facing serious delays because of high demand, so that’s something to consider when making purchasing decisions.
Young Kids (3-6)
Animal Upon Animal
Animal Upon Animal from HABA is an entertaining stacking game where kids (and adults) try to create large structures out of wooden animal pieces. Think of it like Jenga in reverse, only with more unique challenges and problem-solving skills. There’s also a version for even younger kids called Animal Upon Animal: Small and Yet Great!, which features larger animal pieces. Animal Upon Animal costs $42 and is available on Amazon.
Rhino Hero
Also from HABA, Rhino Hero is a variant on the “house of cards” game, where players try to build a tower by placing cards in different patterns”all while the pesky rhinoceros thief is trying to scale the building. The game says it’s for kids ages five and up but I’ve played it with my four-year-old nephew just fine. Rhino Hero costs $39 and is available from The Gamesmen.
Count Your Chickens
Tired of Candyland? Count Your Chickens follows a similar structure”only instead of taking a leisurely trip through a candy forest, kids are working together to bring a hen’s baby chicks back to the coop. It’s a great collaborative game that helps with cooperative and counting skills. Count Your Chickens costs $US16 ($40) and is available at several stores like Starfish online.
No Thank You, Evil!
No Thank You, Evil! is a tabletop roleplaying game designed with younger kids in mind, helping them learn the initial rules of RPGs through the already-familiar concept of make believe. Players create their own kid characters based on a couple of fun, inspiring traits (like a robot who only eats candy canes) and they work together to explore the lands of Storia: The Land Next Door.
There are a number of tools available online”including as PDFs”to help parents set up their own games, including character sheets, scenarios, and adventure packs. No Thank You, Evil! is available as a PDF for $17 on MonteCook’s website or in hard copy from Gameology for $58.
Kids Dungeon Adventures
If No Thank You, Evil! sounds a little daunting for your four-year-old, there’s Kids Dungeon Adventure. It’s a simple two-step roleplaying game where kids use their blocks, Legos, or other at-home toys to build a dungeon, then create a story to go along with it. Creator Ben Garvey has made a rulebook for the game that includes storyline suggestions, treasure ideas, monster cards, battles, and tips for introducing kids to roleplaying games. Kids Dungeon Adventure costs $10 and is available on Garvey’s website.
Older kids (7-12)
Dungeon Mayhem
Wanting to get your kids familiar with Dungeons & Dragons? Dungeon Mayhem is a great way to get the ball rolling. It’s a two-to-four player card game where players do battle using a variety of spells, abilities, and weapons. Each character in the game is based on a different D&D class”paladin, wizard, barbarian, and rogue”so it’s great to try different combinations and see what comes of it.
I’ve played this with kids as young as six and they’ve gotten the hang of it pretty easily, though you may want to start off by pairing them up with an adult player to explain the rules. Dungeon Mayhem costs about $25 and information on availability is on Wizards of the Coast’s website.
Disney Villainous
Of course I was going to recommend Amazon.
Stuffed Fables
Stuffed Fables from Plaid Hat Games is a fantastic way to get kids familiar with RPG campaigns. Players take on the role of stuffed animals trying to save their child from a series of terrifying nightmares. What makes this game special is that it’s a roleplaying game you don’t really have to plan. Instead, it plays like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, with each page telling a new part of the story”and featuring a new map for the latest encounter or adventure. Stuffed Fables costs $83 and is available at Amazon.
Hero Kids
Hero Kids is a tabletop roleplaying game that was designed for kids and adults to play together. It’s set in a fantasy world, and players take on the role of noble (underage) heroes trying to save their friends and the world. What’s great about this pen-and-paper game is you only need traditional six-sided dice that you’ll find in any old Yahtzee box, meaning it’s accessible for adults who are new to the genre as well as kids. It also says it works for kids as young as four, with gameplay options to keep kids engaged even when it’s not their turn. Hero Kids is available as a PDF for $10 on DriveThruRPG.
Broomstix
For kids who’ve outgrown the most introductory RPGs but aren’t quite ready for Dungeons & Dragons yet, there’s a cool intermediary game that uses more complex rules in a setting they’re most likely familiar with. Broomstix, a free roleplaying game from Jared A. Sorensen, takes place in the world of the Harry Potter series. Players are students at Hogwarts”ideally part of the same House, although they can be from different Houses (except Slytherin).
They take classes, compete in Quidditch tournaments, and perform other tasks the average Hogwarts student would complete. It’s a fun way to show kids who’ve read Harry Potter how to understand complex RPG rules, because they’ll already understand a bulk of the material. Broomstix is available as a free download, but it doesn’t come with a campaign.
Teens (13+)
Betrayal Legacy
A Legacy game is a smart investment for social distancing, because it’s an ongoing story that the family can look forward to every month. Obviously we’re avoiding Pandemic Legacy for, well, forever, so instead I’m recommending Avalon Hill’s Betrayal Legacy“which I’m currently playing with a couple of friends (or, rather, I was).
Set in the world of Betrayal at House on the Hill, Betrayal Legacy is a 13-episode game that unfolds slowly with each session”adding new characters, locations, and challenges. By the end of the game you’ll have a unique copy of Betrayal that can be played on its own. Betrayal Legacy costs $85 and is available at Amazon.
Wingspan
Wingspan is technically for kids 10 and older, but I’m putting it in the teen section with the caveat that some younger kids might be down for it too. This is a beautiful and calming strategy resource game where players are building natural habitats to attract certain birds. It’s a great game and an even greater educational tool”plus it’s a way to get your kids chatting about nature during times they can’t really go outside. Wingspan costs $90 and is available at The Gamesmen.
Joking Hazard
From the folks behind Cyanide & Happiness, Joking Hazard is a Cards Against Humanity-style game that replaces phrases with memes and comic strips. One player puts down two panels and it’s up to everyone else to come up with the final piece of the comic strip.
Keep in mind, there are several panels in the set that are really adult, so it might be a good idea to go through and pull out the worst ones before playing. I’m not saying you have to; your teens are almost grown-ups, they’ve seen porn, they’re trapped in your home, and the world sucks. Maybe they can have a little raunchy humour, as a treat. Joking Hazard costs $28 and is available on Gameology.
Bubblegumshoe
Evil Hat Productions’ Bubblegumshow is a tabletop roleplaying game where players are teenage detectives solving mysteries in a small town. You can make it like a Nancy Drew story, Stranger Things, or something even weirder. Using the Gumshoe system, this is a game that can be played with two or more people, giving it a lot of variety.
This one is for kids 13 and older, so it’s a perfect way for pre-teens to learn the rules of more complex roleplaying games and get them familiar with the collaborative storytelling experience. Bubblegumshoe is available as a PDF for $14 on DriveThruRPG or $40 for a physical copy on Amazon.
Dungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Morty
It’s time: You’re finally ready to introduce your kids to Dungeons & Dragons. But how do you get them familiar with the rules and keep them entertained? A great solution is a starter kit that takes Dungeons & Dragons and adds the quirkiness of Rick and Morty to spice things up. Taking place in an old-school dungeon (and inspired by the graphic novel series of the same name), players can use one of several pre-made characters to explore and find all the references that non-fans will not understand.
Dungeons and Dragons vs. Rick and Morty is a funny game with lots of tongue-in-cheek jokes and nods to the series, but it’s also a surprisingly effective learning tool for Dungeons & Dragons. Plus, the starter set comes with everything you need to start a campaign. Dungeons & Dragons vs. Rick and Morty costs $49 and is available on Amazon. There’s also a digital version on Steam for $43.