My Mum's Go-To Board Games for a Relaxing Game Night
My mum loves to play games as the evening is winding down. They're a relaxing way to spend time together away from screens. Growing up, our family favorites were Cards and Marbles (a version of the game, Sorry!) and Mexican Train. Recently, the game she plays more than any other is Yahtzee.
Over the past few years, I've wanted to gently push her out of her comfort zone by introducing a few modern board games to add to her rotation.
For a game to earn Mum's approval, it has to meet a few important requirements.
First, it needs to be simple to learn and easy to play. She has no interest in sitting through a 20-minute explanation of the rules. She'd much rather learn as we go.
Second, it needs to be light enough that she doesn't have to think two or three moves ahead. She enjoys making interesting decisions, but she doesn't want game night to feel like homework.
Finally, it can't drag on for hours. If a game takes too long, she'll lose interest before it's over.
The biggest requirement, though, is that it has to be adaptable enough for "house rules." That's one of the things I love most about playing games with my parents—they aren't afraid to tweak the rules to make a game fit the way they enjoy playing.
For example, in Cards and Marbles, instead of sending another player's marble back home when they land on it, they simply place their marble behind it. In Yahtzee, they play with six dice instead of five. Does it make rolling a Yahtzee much easier? Absolutely. But that's the beauty of house rules—you can play in whatever way brings you the most enjoyment.
If this sounds like your mum, your parents, or someone else in your life who enjoys simple, relaxing games, these recommendations are a great way to gently introduce them to the world of modern board games. They're easy to learn, quick to play, and just different enough to become new favorites without feeling intimidating.
2-4 players
8+
30-45 minutes game play
Azul combines beautiful components with satisfying gameplay. As you draft colorful tiles and build your mosaic, you'll find yourself weighing different options without feeling like you need to calculate every possible outcome. It offers enough strategy to keep everyone engaged while still feeling calm and enjoyable from start to finish.
mum's house rule: one more round is played after someone triggers the end of game.
2-4 players
8+
20 minutes game play
Ohanami combines simple card play with satisfying decisions. As you build three peaceful Japanese gardens over the course of the game, you'll find yourself weighing which cards to play now and which to save for later. It offers enough strategy to keep everyone engaged while remaining relaxing from beginning to end.
mum's house rule: the person with the most pink wins
3-7 players
8+
15 minutes game play
Just One combines teamwork with plenty of laughter. Working together, players give one-word clues to help someone guess the mystery word, but matching clues are removed before they're seen, leading to clever, creative, and often hilarious moments. It offers just enough challenge to keep everyone engaged while remaining light-hearted from beginning to end.
mum's house rule: if two people match one can change their word
2-4 players
9+
30 minutes game play
Can't Stop combines simple dice rolling with exciting decisions. Every turn, you'll have to choose whether to bank your progress or risk it all for the chance to move even farther. That constant push-your-luck tension keeps everyone cheering, groaning, and laughing together. It offers enough excitement to keep everyone engaged while remaining quick, light, and easy to play again and again.
no house rules needed for this game
2-6 players
10+
20 - 40 minutes game play
Agatha Christie: Death on the Cards combines mystery with collaborative problem-solving as players work together to solve a murder inspired by the world of Agatha Christie. As you uncover clues and eliminate suspects, you'll feel like you're stepping into a classic whodunit. It offers enough intrigue to keep everyone engaged while remaining approachable and enjoyable from beginning to end.
no house rules needed for this game
At the end of the day, these games aren't my mum's favourites because they're the cleverest, the newest, or the most challenging. They're her favourites because they're easy to pull off the shelf, simple enough that everyone can join in, and fun enough that we keep coming back to them.
Years from now, I probably won't remember who won the most games of Azul or who guessed the most words in Just One. What I'll remember is sitting around the table with my parents, laughing together, teasing each other, and ending another ordinary evening in a meaningful way.
That's what I hope to recreate with my own children.
The games we play, the traditions we create, and even the little house rules we invent become part of our family's story. They're the moments our children will remember long after they've forgotten the score.
Because our stories aren't made up only of life's biggest milestones. They're also written in quiet evenings around the kitchen table, one game at a time.
Bonus Game for a big family gathering!
4-20 players
15+ (we have played with children 8+)
10 minutes
Werewords is a social deduction party game where players work together to guess a secret word by asking yes-or-no questions. Hidden among the group is a werewolf trying to keep everyone from guessing the word before time runs out, creating plenty of laughter, friendly accusations, and memorable moments.
It's fast-paced, easy to learn, and works especially well when you have a larger group around the table. If your family enjoys games that get everyone talking and laughing together, this one is always a hit.
ACTIVITY: Family Game Night Journal
The best part of game night isn't who wins—it's the laughter, the conversations, and the memories made around the table. Take a minute to record the little moments that made tonight special. One day, they'll become part of your family's story.
to download/print the activity page simply click here or on the image below
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