We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
1. An air fort so your kid doesn't need to arrange all the furniture and take every blanket in the house to make a fort anymore. And as if that isn't great enough, some of them glow in the dark showing star constellations! Save the mess and chill out in this inflatable fort!
AirFort is a California-based small business that specializes in handmade mess-free inflatable forts that blow up in less than 30 seconds. Attach this to a floor fan and let the family fun begin! Easy to store, too! Your fort comes with a carrying bag (only the size of a folded pair of jeans!) that it folds up and fits into.
Promising review: "I got this for my nieces and nephews, and we had a blast with it! I want to get one for my own house or over my bed! Super easy to use and incredibly roomy on the inside. Huge upgrade to the couch pillow forts we had to make as kids! Kids from ages 4-14 enjoyed playing with it, so I call that a win! And, several adults hung out inside for awhile, my sister’s husband even took a nap inside! Great value for fun, and folds down and takes up no space when not in use. Perfect!" —Jason
Get it from Amazon for $59.95 (available in 16 styles/colors).
2. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game that's an absolute BALL to play. This game gets super silly and super intense! Reviewers are loving this game just as much as their kids are, mayyyybe more. A darn near perfect family game night pick.
To play, pass out all of the cards to players and have everyone keep their pile face down. Everyone takes turns putting a card in the middle while saying "taco," "cat," "goat," "cheese," and "pizza," in that order. If the picture on the card that's placed down matched the word that's been said, everyone races to slap the center pile of cards and whoever slaps the pile last has to add the center pile to their personal pile. Oh! And there's also "narwhal" where everyone makes a unicorn horn with their hands clapped together above their heads, "gorilla" where everyone bangs on their chest like a gorilla and "groundhog" where everyone has to knock on the table. Whoever does the motion last picks up the center pile. Whoever runs out of cards first wins! You can play with three to eight players and the *recommended* age is 8 and up.
Promising review: "My kids (ages 7–13) LOVE this game and it’s incredibly fast and easy to learn (as opposed to so many games these days). We love how loud and silly it gets. We’ve played with groups of adults and they seem to enjoy it as much as the kids do! We will keep this game in rotation for a long time." —Dear_Jane
Get it from Amazon for $8.37.
3. A pack of 16 slingshot chickens to have EPIC slingshot battles. Fling them onto the ceiling and just let them eventually fall off and startle you, in a silly way!
Promising reviews: "I bought these as stocking stuffers for my boys — 4 and 11. Even the 4-year-old can shoot them easily and accurately! They play with them ALL the time. They don’t stick super well to the walls, but I found that to be a plus. They do eventually break down, but we still have at least half of them left six months later. I’m planning on getting more this Christmas, it may become a tradition!" —Katie
"Bought for my teenage students to blow off a little steam, and they LOVED these chickens! They keep asking when the rubber chickens are coming back. My hubby and I love shooting them in the house to see whose flies farther. Fun little pick me up!" —Allison
Get it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four colors).
4. A Silly Poopy's Hide & Seek game that you and your kiddies will get a kick out of. I mean, what could possibly be better than a classic game of hide and seek with a rainbow poo?! The little guy even gives farting clues and says "yoohooooo!" Find poopy, win the game and have a lil' dance party at the end.
Two AA batteries are included but funky smells are not. The recommended age is 3 and older.
Promising review: "The Easter bunny brought this for the kids, and it has been such a hit! Months later, they play with it almost daily! We adults even got into the fun and had a three-hour game of hide and seek. One of my favorite Amazon purchases EVER! Hours of fun!" —Rochelle P.
Get it from Amazon for $12.99.
5. Just Dance so everyone can get up, get moving, and shake a little booty. And anyone can play! A great way to do something together with a little friendly competition — who's got the best moves in your fam?
Just Dance is recommended for everyone! Just follow along and do what the dancer on your screen does! This game is available on Nintendo Switch, through a Nintendo Switch digital code, Playstation 4, Playstation 4 + dock, Playstation 5, Xbox series X|S, and through an Xbox digital code. There are also eight kid-friendly songs with kid mode! Get your groove on to songs like "Save Your Tears" by Ariana Grande, "Run The World (Girls)" by Beyoncé, "Believer" by Imagine Dragons, "Love Story (Taylor's Version)" by Taylor Swift, and so much more.
Promising review: "I’m not the youngest reviewer of this product, however being an older player/dancer it’s fun for the whole family from me to the grandkids. You look a little silly doing it but it definitely gets you moving." —Bud
Get it from Amazon for $12.78+.
6. A Bop It Extreme to challenge the entire family. Bop it, pull it, and twist it solo or make it a family face-off with the different modes this toy has! '90s kids, I expect you guys to CRUSH this because this was our jam.
The recommended age is 8 and up BUT the company also says their recommended age is kids in general! Bop It is an easy peasy game with audible directions that you have to follow — bop it, twist it, flick it, spin it, and pull it. Just follow the instructions correctly! It's also got different game modes and challenges!
Promising reviews: "Had one years ago and the whole family absolutely loved it! We have no idea what happened to it, we all missed it. Found this on Amazon and ordered it immediately! Arrived quickly and just in time for our vacation to the coast. The eight-hour drive will be a little more bearable with this super fun game. So much fun, and brings the family together WITHOUT screens! So happy to have this game again." —KClagg09
Get it from Amazon for $25.37.
7. A good ole game of Uno. You can't go wrong with this one, man, it's a classic! Uno is super fun, super easy, and suuuuuuper competitive. A little friendly competition never hurt anyone, but your spouse may have to sleep on the couch if they give you that draw four!
In Uno you race to get rid of the seven cards in your hand. You match one of the cards in your hand with the current card on top of the deck by color or number. There are special action cards that you can use to sabotage your competition like draw two, draw four, color changing wild cards, skips, and reverses. Once you're down to one card be sure to yell "UNO!" Whoever gets rid of their cards first is the winner! Recommended for ages 7 and up!
Promising reviews: "I admit I haven't played Uno in years but my son wanted it for Christmas after playing it in line at a store. We played for three hours, we haven't done that in years." —Sonya J. Steiner
"My 10-year-old bought with his allowance and we have all enjoyed playing the game. Super fun, easy to learn, and great for a family game night." —Jeanette L Eakin
Get it from Amazon for $10.99 (available in 12 versions).
8. A Crash Bandicoot racing game for Xbox that'll take you back to the '90s. Yep, millennials, this one's for you guys, too. Challenge the kiddies to some good old video game racing with this outrageously fun and nostalgic racing game!
This game is rated E for everyone!
Promising review: "When I heard this game was being remastered I was so excited! I finally got my copy of the game yesterday and it did not disappoint. Felt like I was back in 1999 with a touch of 2019. Activision did a great job in bringing back a childhood favorite. They took a Naughty Dog original and made it so a new generation of kids and adults could enjoy Crash Bandicoot and all his friends. I was up until 3 a.m. playing it and trying out the new online feature that pits you against other players." —Cindy Avila
Get it from Amazon for $19.41 (also available as a digital code).
9. A super fun Mafia-style card game, and my personal FAVE to play, Werewolf. This game is easy enough for kindergarteners to play but also fun enough to keep fifth graders interested. You'll have a great time trying to figure out who around you is a werewolf.
Recommended for adults but it's honestly suitable for all. Your group (7–35 people are recommended, the more the better!!) will decide on who will be the narrator. The narrator then gets the included script card that explains the flow of the game in steps and passes out cards with your character. You're either a villager, a werewolf, a doctor or a seer (there's a town drunk but we usually throw that card out). Depending on how many people you have, the narrator can decide how many of each character there is. The villagers' role is to survive and figure out who's a werewolf. The werewolf's role is to eat people without getting caught and convince everyone that other people are the werewolf. The doctor gets to save someone in the group making that player safe that round and the seer can ask the narrator if people are the werewolf and use that info to their advantage. If by the end the villagers get out all of the wolves, the villagers win, but if the wolves are persuasive enough and trick all the villagers, the werewolves win.
This is my personal favorite game to play with the kids at my part-time. We all LOVE this game, from the kindergarteners to the fifth graders to us counselors! It's such a fun mystery game and once you get the hang of it, you can add your own lil spice to it and make it silly. I literally ALWAYS ask the kids if they wanna play Werewolf and I can spend hours playing. It's our school fave, in fact, my kiddos are over my shoulder totally agreeing with me as I write this, lol.
Promising review: "This is a great game for kids of all ages. We use it on scout campouts and it allows 10-year-olds to play with 17-year-olds. Adults can play too. Lots of laughing and fun had by all." —Amazon Customer
Get it from Amazon for $13.95.
10. A bubble gun that shoots out hundreds of bubbles at a time, creating a bubble frenzy! You won't be able to resist joining in on the fun, and it has lights!
The bubble gun comes with two bottles of solution, a charger, one battery, and a plate to pour the solution onto (to dip gun into).
Promising review: "We absolutely love this! Got it as a birthday present but of course, the parents had to try it out first. I can tell you without a doubt like a little kid I was jumping up and down and laughing and spraying my neighbor with hundreds of bubbles! Thank you so much for an amazing toy! Came with tons of solution too!" —Mandie Torres
Get it from Amazon for $24.99+ (available in five colors).
11. Jenga to test how you stack up. Challenge your fam to this simple, chaotic game. Plus it's a classic — *chefs kiss*.
Pull out a block without sending the tower tumbling to win! Recommended for ages 6 and up.
Promising review: "Everyone should own Jenga! This is great to play with kids or draw on and use as a drinking game for adults." —MomLifeGreatWife
Get it from Amazon for $9.97.
12. An instantly downloadable app with several games, Jackbox! With this, your phone is your controller! This game can be streamed right onto your TV and has a family mode to avoid any ~inappropriate~ content. Ya know how you watched Hocus Pocus with the kiddos and they asked "what's a virgin?" Yeahhhh...let's avoid that and put this baby into family mode.
I found this game because some kids I nannied had it. I used to pick them up from school and rush them to do their homework so we could play this all evening. It's so much fun and super funny! It comes with five different games. Quiplash is a say-anything question game, Trivia Murder Party involves matching wits with a trivia-obsessed murderer, Guesspionage is a silly survey game, Tee K.O. is a T-shirt battle to the death, and in Fakin' it, you're figuring out which player has something to hide. Once the kids are away you can totally play with your adult friends and take it out of family mode. In fact, I literally just played this baby this weekend with my adult friends and it was such a blast for all of us. Recommended for one to eight players.
Promising review: "We’ve played with friends, family, kids, adults...everyone loves it and has a blast. Lots of laughs and all you need is your phone!!" —dawn
Get it from Amazon for $24.99.
13. Throw Throw Burrito for a wild dodgeball-like card game night. Burritos will fly and bellies will hurt from all the laughing. If you've never wanted to throw a burrito, I bet ya do now, huh? Oh, and might I suggest putting your nice vase somewhere safe juuuust in case a burrito is chucked at it.
Collect matching sets of three cards then challenge other players to duels, battles, and wars! Duck, dodge and have a great time playing this dodgeball card game. Recommended for two to six players and ages 7 and up.
Promising review: "I saw the reviews on this game and it seemed silly enough that my 7-year-old nephew might enjoy. I was nervous because it wasn’t on his Christmas list and he is VERY particular. He was unsure at first, but after playing some rounds with his mom, dad, and brothers, it was clear that it was definitely NOT a bust!! As my 38-year-old sister would say, 'it’s so much chaotic fun, the more people the better!' This game reminds me of dodgeball mixed with a card game, Spoons, that I played in middle school. I personally would recommend that people of the same age play together, but kids and adults can have a great time together, too!" —Wife and Mom Getting By
Get it from Amazon for $24.99 (available in four styles).
14. A game of Spot it that'll be a blast for the entire fam! Super easy, quick to learn and fun to play. Just be first to figure out what image is on both cards and yell it out! ORRRR be like me and just yell out every image on your card until you figure it out — jk, don't be like me.
Whoever has the most cards at the end wins! Recommended for two to eight players and ages 6 and up.
Promising reviews: "We have a lot of fun playing this with just adults. I bought four sets and give them as gifts after we play with another couple. It’s quick and fun! We also play with just two people and it’s just as fun!" —chris m.
"Fun for kids and adults. There's a few different ways to play so it doesn't get boring. My kids ages 6 and 7 have a blast with it. Comes in a tin case which is sturdy so cards don't t get ruined." —Nikki T.
Get it from Amazon for $7.97+ (available in six styles).
15. A set of two Banzai Bump N Bounce Body Bumpers, kinda like the Sock'em Boppers your mom wouldn't let you have in the '90s. Totally don't be a regular parent, be a cool parent and snag these for the kiddos...and yourself. You know you wanna try.
BTW, make sure helmets are worn during bump-offs for safety!
Promising reviews: "Loved watching the grandkids bounce around in these things, my 3-year-old grandson thought these were the greatest! Even a few of the older kids squeezed themselves into them. I thought for sure they'd pop under the adult usage, but they didn't!! And these older ones didn't hold back at all!!! Great little game for outside play!" —Bruce & Jennifer
"My adult kids had as much fun as my grandkids!!!! Fun to watch, too" —1966bitburgmom
Get it from Amazon for $17.99.
16. A pack of kinetic sand that you might find yourself playing with without the kids! This stuff oozes through your fingers like butter and many reviewers used this to help their anxiety.
Recommended for ages 3 and up.
Promising reviews: "I'll admit that I'm an adult that plays with kinetic sand. I have a very stressful job and this sand is very therapeutic for me. The sound as you slice through the sand is calming but the real stress relief comes from slowly letting it fall out of your hands. It is sooooo relaxing. I can spend hours decompressing with this sand." —Vonner
"What's not to like about kinetic sand? If you haven't ever felt it before it's essentially a great feeling of magnetic sand! My children love to play with it. My son who is two and a half will easily play with it for over an hour as well as my 7-year-old daughter, and myself if I sit down long enough! We like to put an assortment of things (small animals, sea creatures, tiny shovels, and small containers to fill and dump) The two pound bag is an added bonus that makes sure we have plenty to go around! I highly recommend putting it in a container that is tall enough so that none flies out. Fun fact, kinetic sand is washable and I found that out because my son decided to dump his orange juice on it. 😐" —The Guy
Get it from Amazon for $9.99.
17. A inflatable winter snow tube for kids (and adults, too) to go sledding when this cold weather comes this winter. Tubing is a blast for all ages and the best part of snow is playing in it!
Promising reviews: "Our little one had a great time on this 'sled' this winter! First, it looks awesome, kiddo loves to tell people about it and pose with it lol. It also allows us to get some decent speed while remaining stable. Only down side is that this thing is pretty big, but we attached a tether to one of the handles and she can now get it back up a hill by herself. Being big is also an upside — plenty of room for parent and kid. Fun, fun, fun and highly recommended!" —Ed
"I'm an adult, and I have to admit this is truly fabulous. We were the envy of the neighborhood sledding hill when we arrived with the GoFloat unicorn and dragon. My husband is 6'3" and he can ride his dragon just fine. The rafts are a pain to inflate until you get used to it. Use an air compressor then insert the one-way valve when it's almost fully inflated (some air will escape), then just finish inflating it with your mouth. The rubber is supposed to be raft rubber, and it seems pretty sturdy. If you're looking for a sled that you control, this ain't it. Live on the edge and go with it. Run over a few kids on your way down. I moved from California to Wisconsin and someone told me that I needed to find something that I like to do in the snow in order to survive the bitter winters here. I think that I've found it. Good job, GoFloats." —TK
Get it from Amazon for $39.99 (available in six styles).
18. An Ultimate Catch Phrase game that's kinda like heads up or charades. Great to play with your teenage kid who seems uninterested in everything.
Okay so how do you play? Split up into two teams and Catch Phrase will give you a word. Describe it to your team and if they guess it correctly, your team gets a point! If you're caught with the Catch Phrase when the timer goes off, your team loses a point. Recommended for four or more players and ages 12+, although i'm sure elementary-aged kids could play too!
Promising review: "This was a huge hit for a family night game. First it was just the adults and when the kids showed up (teenagers) it was just as fun!! Great all around family fun game." —Christopher Kelsey
Get it from Amazon for $23.93.
19. A trivia game where parents and kids are pitted against each other for a little friendly competition, Beat the Parents. This fast-paced version of a "who am I" game will give your kiddies the perfect opportunity to try and kick your butt. Let's get ready for a family showdown, baby!
Beat the Parents is a game of "who am I" with two teams, kids versus adults. You'll compete head to head, answering questions with one word or sound. Guess three cards before the other team to win the round! But don't take too long because the card will blast off! And when I say blast off, I mean ~literally~ blast off. How? With a headband that has a timer! Attach the headband to your head, attach your card to the headband and set the timer. If your team doesn't guess the card in time it'll blast right off your head! Recommended for six players ages eight and up.
Promising review: "This game is fun and even gave the adults a good challenge. I enjoy the challenge questions. We couldn’t stop laughing at each other. Great for family night." —Tiana
Get it from Amazon for $15.75+ (available in four styles).
20. A What Do You Meme Family Edition game that'll be loads of fun and laughs for EVERYONE PLAYING. You'll be sure to get some cackles outta this one with silly memes and even sillier phrases. Perfect and hilarious for game night!
How do you play you ask? Just like Apples to Apples but with pictures! Everyone starts with seven answer cards in their hand and every round you'll have a judge and they'll pick a meme card. Players choose which card from their hand is the best answer, anonymously of course (face down). The judge picks the winner of the round and that player keeps the meme and is the next judge. Everyone draws another answer card, keeping seven cards in their hand at all times, and whoever gets seven meme cards first (or has the most meme cards by the time you're done playing) is the winner. Recommended for three or more players, ages eight and up.
Promising reviews: "This was a great buy. My 9-year-old, 12-year-old, husband and I were able to play this together with each adult being separate and the kids teaming up to help each other with reading, and it was FUN. I can't wait to incorporate more people. Recommend." —Amazon Customer
"We have the adult version and always have fun playing it so it was a no brainer to get the family version when I saw it. The pictures are cute, the memes are funny and all family appropriate. My daughter is 7 (and a good reader) and loves playing it." —Gwen Ross
Get it from Amazon for $19.99.
You and your kids playing with the new games and toys you bought off this list:
