Charli Forsyth asked 2 weeks ago
For gift ideas sorted by age band, with the number of players and rough playing time listed for each, browse the games-by-age pages at Happy Puzzle Co.
If you want a shortlist of games tested for family play and grouped by how long they take, browse the family and party games chosen by Happy Puzzle Co.
For a hand-picked selection of brain teasers across easy, medium and fiendish levels, have a look at the adult puzzle range at Happy Puzzle Co.
Playing time is worth checking before you start. Many escape games run for around an hour to ninety minutes, so it helps to set aside a clear evening rather than squeezing one in. Some are single-use, where you mark or fold the components as you go, while others can be reset and passed on to friends once you have finished, which is handy if you want to share the fun.
The pace of a word game shapes who enjoys it. Fast tile and card games reward quick thinking and keep younger players in the mix, because rounds are short and nobody sits waiting. WordSnap XL, an exclusive title from The Happy Puzzle Company, is built around building and spotting words at speed, so it works for a mixed group where you want everyone reaching for letters at once.
Snakes and Ladders is one of the first board games most children learn, and for good reason. The rules could not be simpler: roll the dice, move your counter, climb a ladder if you land at the foot of one and slide back down if you meet a snake. There is no reading and no strategy to master, so even three and four-year-olds can join in and stand a fair chance of winning.