Once winter comes, it’s all about hibernating in the house awaiting warmer weather. And with that, comes total boredom. But I’ve got a great solution for you. And it’s so easy AND fun. Oh and also totally affordable which I think I love the most.
To get through those dark winter days, I’m sharing a few favorite board games to add to your home to keep you busy. Board games and even just a card game, is such a great way to pass the time and connect with friends. In fact, I’m personally someone who likes games and one year I forced all my friends to come over on my birthday to play Telestrations with me. This is a fun adult board game we played at a friend’s bachelorette in Sonoma once, so fun! Then while on a winter getaway in Stowe, there were games at every nook in the adorable Edson Hill. Scrabble, Yahtzee, Jenga, you name it, I played it.
I realized how much more fun it is to play a game with friends while putting your phones away. You actually get to spend quality time together. So now I’m on a hunt for the best board games for adults to keep around.
Best Board Games For Adults
So to make your winter weekends a little more interesting (and maybe spend a little less money out at the bars) here are a few of my favorite adult board games to have on hand no matter what kind of mood you’re in. These are all so easy to learn and fun to play. Some are more of a strategy game, while others are just for fun! And whether you want to spend ALL night working on a game (hello Monopoly) or something more fast paced, I got you! And most of these are definitely for adults, but some could be games for kids too!
My Favorite Games To Have On Hand For Impromptu Game Night
1. Telestrations After Dark
The game that kicked off my adult obsession with games. We played this at Cathy’s bachelorette party and we DIED LAUGHING you guys. It’s a mix of Pictionary and telephone. There are 8 blank pages in a book and you write down something dirty on the first one (you pick it out of a deck) and then on the next page, you draw it out. Then pass it to your left. That person has to guess what it is and write it down, passes, then draws, then pass, etc. By the end you usually have a pretty hilarious progression of the original word. There are actual rules to this game with points to figure out who wins the game. But we never read them. Just showing everyone the progression of these insane photos got us rolling on the floor laughing.
2. Catchphrase
We played this game growing up after family dinners a lot. There’s two teams and a timer, and you want your team to guess the word on the Catchprashe. The timer makes things interesting and you can easily get into heated shouting matches trying to figure out the word. There’s also a new uncensored version if you want to give that one a try too!
3. Scrabble
I mean, if you like Scrabble, you like Scrabble. If you don’t, you don’t. I realized I’m not smart enough for this game and we kept coming up with 3 or 4 letter words. It’s still a fun game and also one I think everyone should have on hand for game night. It’s definitely not a fast paced game and requires some time and patience but perfect for when you have hours to waste.
4. Yahtzee
A solo game that can also be played in a group and is a great game for kids too. It’s a classic, that’s great to play over conversation and wine if you ask me. Doesn’t really take much thought, but can be fun to bet on. In fact, I grew up playing Yahtzee so this game of dice is nostalgiac to me.
5. Cards Against Humanity
I played this for the first time ever on my birthday once everyone was sick of drawing dirty things for Telestrations. I loved this game. Even though I thought all my answers were hilarious, I rarely got selected. Moreover, it’s a dirty one and I absolutely loved it. Buying this now to add to my house.
6. Jenga
This game seems to be having a bit of a comeback. It’s at lots of bars I go to now and they even have life size ones that make it even more interesting. It’s also perfect for those who may not be into trivia or strategy. It’s a more laid back game that keeps you occupied.
7. Monopoly
Personally, I never understood how to play Monopoly, but again, a classic to keep on hand. Some people love it, some hate it. There’s also this new fast version that I’ve linked below that may make it a more tolerable game that won’t last for hours.
8. Celebrity
So this isn’t technically a board game, but hands down one of my favorite games to play with a group. Everyone writes down a celebrity and puts it in a bowl. Then there’s 3 rounds you play. First round, you describe it until they guess it. Second round, you put all the names back in the bowl, and then do a round where you can only give a one word clue. Then the third and final round, you have to act it out. The fun part is by the third round, you kind of know what’s in the bowl so it makes it fun for people to guess and try to remember what’s left.
FREE!
9. Accentuate
Test your accents with this fun and interactive game. I haven’t personally played it, but I’ve heard great things about it. May be adding this one to my pile of games for the next game night! This one I’m sure gets people giggling!
10. Hello 90s
If you were born in the 80s, you’ll LOVE this fun pop culture game all about the 90s. It’s a great trivia game on all things 90s from the fashion, the food and television. There are also other decades like Hello 00s, but as someone who was born in 1987, the 90s one was actually more my speed just looking at the sample trivia cards on the back of both boxes.
11. What Do You Meme
This game is SO much fun and I’ve played it a few times with friends. A popular meme is displayed and you have to choose your best caption based on the cards you’ve been dealt. Players take turns judging the captions to the meme. The person with the most meme’s at the end, wins the game. They give you the giggles and is a fun game to play. It’s similar to Cards Against Humanity which is also a great game.
