Best Family board games Australia

As a dad, I’m always on the lookout for entertaining things to do for both kids and parents. Board and card games are a great way to entertain the whole family if you can convince people to unplug from video games or endless YouTube videos. They also have lots of educational and emotional development benefits.

As always I’m going to focus on games you can buy in Australia. The topic of board games is a huge one, so I’ll split it into categories below with age groups and board games styles.

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Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
		Jenga	6+	3+	2 – 6	20 min	Skill	$10 -20 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Spot it / Dobble	6+	3+	2 -8	15 min	Skill	$17 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Sequence for kids	3+	3+	2 – 4	15 min	Strategy	$20 Get a price
		Connect 4	6+	4+	2	5 min	Strategy	$20 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Uno	7+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Card	$8 Get a price
		Trouble	5+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Classic	$25 Get a price
		Monopoly Junior	5+	5+	2 – 4	20 min	Classic	$20 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Chess	4+	5+	2	25 min	Strategy	$20 + Get a price
		Guess Who	6+	5+	2	15 min	Guessing	$25 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Catan Junior	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$35 Get a price
		Ticket to Ride – First Journey	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$54 Get a price
		Phase 10	7+	6+	2 – 6	40 min	Card	$10 Get a price
		Pictionary	8+	6+	4 (2 teams)	30 min	Drawing	$20 Get a price
Top Pick 5/5		Carcassonne	7+	7+	2 – 5	40 min	Strategy	$42 Get a price
Top pick 5/5		Suchi Go	8+	6+	2- 5		Card	$25 Get a price
		Telesstrations	12+	8+	4 – 8	30 min	Drawing	$25 Get a price
		Exploding kitten	7+	8+	2 – 5	15 min	Card	$30 Get a price
		Dixit	8+	8+	3 – 6	30 min	Strategy	$60 Get a price
		Codenames	14+	10+	2 – 8	15 min	Strategy	$22 Get a price
		Pandemic	8+	10+	2 – 4	45 min	Strategy	$35 Get a price

Classics Family Board Games

Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
		Jenga	6+	3+	2 – 6	20 min	Skill	$10 -20
Top Pick 5/5		Sequence for kids	3+	3+	2 – 4	15 min	Strategy	$20
		Connect 4	6+	4+	2	5 min	Strategy	$20
Top Pick 5/5		Uno	7+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Card	$8
		Trouble	5+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Classic	$25
		Monopoly Junior	5+	5+	2 – 4	20 min	Classic	$20
Top Pick 5/5		Chess	4+	5+	2	25 min	Strategy	$20 +
		Guess Who	6+	5+	2	15 min	Guessing	$25
		Pictionary	8+	6+	4 (2 teams)	30 min	Drawing	$20

Best Board Games for 4 year olds

Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
		Jenga	6+	3+	2 – 6	20 min	Skill	$10 -20
Top Pick 5/5		Spot it / Dobble	6+	3+	2 -8	15 min	Skill	$17
Top Pick 5/5		Sequence for kids	3+	3+	2 – 4	15 min	Strategy	$20
		Connect 4	6+	4+	2	5 min	Strategy	$20
Top Pick 5/5		Uno	7+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Card	$8
		Trouble	5+	4+	2 – 4	15 min	Classic	$25

Best Board Games for 5 year olds

Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
		Monopoly Junior	5+	5+	2 – 4	20 min	Classic	$20
Top Pick 5/5		Chess	4+	5+	2	25 min	Strategy	$20 +
		Guess Who	6+	5+	2	15 min	Guessing	$25
Top Pick 5/5		Catan Junior	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$35
		Ticket to Ride – First Journey	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$54

Best Board Games for 6+ year old

Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
Top pick 5/5		Sushi Go!	8+	6+	5	15 min	Card	$25
		Phase 10	7+	6+	2 – 6	40 min	Card	$10
		Pictionary	8+	6+	4 (2 teams)	30 min	Drawing	$20
Top Pick 5/5		Carcassonne	7+	7+	2 – 5	40 min	Strategy	$42
		Telesstrations	12+	8+	4 – 8	30 min	Drawing	$25
		Exploding kitten	7+	8+	2 – 5	15 min	Card	$30
		Dixit	8+	8+	3 – 6	30 min	Strategy	$60
		Codenames	14+	10+	2 – 8	15 min	Strategy	$22
		Pandemic	8+	10+	2 – 4	45 min	Strategy	$35

Best Family Strategy boards games

Dad Stuff pick	Image	Name	Age range (on box)	Real age	Number of players	Play time	Game type	Price (AUD)
Top Pick 5/5		Sequence for kids	3+	3+	2 – 4	15 min	Strategy	$20 Button Text
Top Pick 5/5		Chess	4+	5+	2	25 min	Strategy	$20 +
Top Pick 5/5		Catan Junior	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$35
		Ticket to Ride – First Journey	6+	5+	2 – 4	30 min	Strategy	$54
Top Pick 5/5		Carcassonne	7+	7+	2 – 5	40 min	Strategy	$42
		Dixit	8+	8+	3 – 6	30 min	Strategy	$60
		Codenames	14+	10+	2 – 8	15 min	Strategy	$22
		Pandemic	8+	10+	2 – 4	45 min	Strategy	$35

Board Game details

Connect Four

The classic game of lining up four discs in a row. Its a quick game that is repeatable. Good to building some planning skills and those social skills of learning to be a good winner / looser

Monopoloy and Monopoly junior

Monopolfy junior is just like the normal monopoly however with two main differences. All money is only $1 dollar with property value are from $1 to $5. This makes counting easier for the little ones. Also, there is not houses and hotel upgrades. This makes it a simpler game that is played much quicker.

Chess (& checkers)

While chess might seem complicated for little kids as young as 4 and 5 can figure out the rules with a bit of practice. And my 7-year-old beats adults. So with a little practice, this game can be fun for all. Can I recommend getting a magnetic set as they’re less prone to being knocked over. Also, think about one of those sets that comes with checkers is it’s a 2 in 1 game opportunity.

Jenga

This game is good for kids of all ages from 3 year olds to tipsy adults at Christmas. Builds up those fine motor skills and the thing comes crashing down to the ground at the end so what more can you ask for. You can buy generic version of this game that cost less than $10.

Spot it / Dobble

This is a symbol matching game. Flip over two cards and find the matching symbol, there is only one matching symbol per pair. My kids love this game. Got to pay attention and scan fast. Both kids and adults like this one with the kids beating adults routinely.

Uno

Classic game for kids 4 on up. Nothing like dropping a Draw 4 on someone to ruin their game. Good to little kids to learn there numbers and fun for the whole family. They have a junior version but its really not necessary.

Sequence for Kids

I’m a big fan of this game as it requires a little bit of strategy and luck in equal measure. Basically, you’re trying to get 4 tokens in a row while also trying to stop your opponents from doing the same. A fun game for people of all ages.

Trouble

A classic family board game with bonus points for the PodOmatic die holder. No more searching for the die cause someone threw them across the table. This game is pretty straight forward make your way around the board and and try not to bopped. Teaches counting I guess.

Guess Who

Classic guess game where you narrow it down to guess your opponents character. This is a little harder for those little kids less than 5 as they’re still working on the vocabulary and the skills in characterising things.

Phase 10

Rummy style card games. This one is fun for adults and fun for older kids (6+). The game can take a while to play all 10 phases (rounds) and their is score keeping required. However, you can play only a few rounds and come back at it later.

Telestrations

A drawing party game. Part pictionary and part chinese whispers, with hilarious results. Better for the olders kids that can draw 8+.

Pictionary

Another party drawing game. If you haven’t play Pictionary its a drawing charades game. Card tells you what to draw and other guesses. Compared to when I was a kid the modern version has wipeable cards and kid’s clues.

Carcassonne

A strategy tile based game where you build out a map and place your little people for points. As an adult I went through a phase of playing this one obsessively. A previous winner of the “Spiel des Jahres” awards. This game also has lots of expansion packs to spice up the game. Better for olders kids.

Catan Junior

This game is a modified version of the popular “The Settlers of Catan” strategy board game. It’s a much loved resource management game. Just tell the kids it’s like minecraft…or something

Codenames

Did you know Germans love board games? They have a board game award called “Spiel des Jahres” which is the most prestigious awards for board games. Anyway this was the winner in 2016.

Ticket to ride – First journey

Once again a junior version of the popular ticket to ride strategy game. Pick up cards and connect journeys on the map. Teaches strategy and planning for those older kids.

Dixit

This game is a storytelling game that is better played with 5+ people. Cards have interesting pictures on them and you need to give the other players a clue as to what is on your card. Choose correctly and you get points. Good for creative storytelling skills and better with more verbose or creative people.

Pandemic

A strategy game where you play as disease-fighting team where you must work together to fight a global pandemic (too soon?). This is the most complicated on the list and is good for only older kids.

Exploding kittens

A card game, part Uno and part russian roulette. A fun card game where you try to avoid the exploding kitten. The crazy illustration really adds fun to this game featuring goats and magica enchiladas.

Sushi Go

Fanatastic card game. Good for younger kids and fun for adults. Part strategy and part luck.

Basically you score point by picking groups of cards placing one card down at a time and then swap all cards to the next player, going in a circle until all cards a choosen.