From Toddlers to Teens: 27 Screen-Free Games That Build Connection

We recently hosted a team of high schoolers for a track dinner. These are teens who’ve been running together all season, coming together for pasta and to hang out before one of their final meets. I watched and made small talk as they overfilled their paper plates with mac and cheese, baked ziti, salads, and spaghetti from the potluck table and found spots around the house to eat. And then something caught my eye.

No one was on their phone.

One group was crowded around the dining table, slapping cards and laughing. Another rowdier crew had pushed the furniture aside by the fireplace and was huddled together, yelling, laughing, and making chaotic hand gestures. Even my 12-year-old had somehow gotten a seat in the circle. Turns out, they were playing Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. And they were completely lit up with laughter.

Later that night, when everyone had gone home, I asked my middle daughter about it. As I picked up sticky solo cups and crumpled napkins, she said, “Oh yeah, we play that all the time. On the bus or at meets. Card games are our thing.”

Teens who play card games and put their phones on the back burner? I’ll take it.

Then, last week, I was packing up my twelve-year-old for her second summer at overnight camp. As I fought to zip her bursting duffel closed, she flew into the room, socks sliding on the hardwood floors. “WAIT! We forgot my travel Rummikub set! I have to bring it. Last year, I made so many friends teaching them how to play.” We fit it in, and I smiled to myself, knowing I’d secretly stuck in a waterproof set of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza for her to discover.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Games aren’t just entertainment. They give kids a way to connect, belong, laugh, and reset without the pressure of being perfect.

Why Board Games Are Secretly Magic

Games make it easier to connect. They don’t have to look you in the eye or come up with the right thing to say. They can just participate. You don’t need a big heart-to-heart for it to feel good. Games also teach a lot without anyone noticing. Waiting your turn, losing and trying again, sharing something funny. Games sneak in stuff like reading, counting, and problem-solving. And the best part? No screens or Wi-Fi. Just people in the same room, paying attention to the same thing. Shared attention, what a concept.

Games by Age Group

Toddlers (18 months - 3 years)

Focus On: Cause and effect, turn-taking, simple matching, gross motor skills

• First Orchard - Cooperative fruit-picking game that teaches colors and working together

• Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game - Simple color matching with chunky tweezers for fine motor development

• Busytown Eye Found It! - A Long cooperative board with searching and finding ( I personally love this one!)

• Pop the Pig - Push-your-luck game with silly outcomes that build anticipation

• Zingo - Bingo with pictures instead of numbers

• Simple puzzles (4-12 pieces) - Spatial reasoning and persistence

Why These Work: Short attention spans need immediate gratification. Games should be light and cooperative rather than competitive, with clear cause-and-effect relationships.

Preschoolers/ Kindergarten (3-5 years)

Focus On: Following rules, basic strategy, emotional regulation, FUN, and social skills

• Candy Land - Classic pathway game for counting and color recognition

• Chutes and Ladders - Introduces consequences and recovery from setbacks

• Hi Ho! Cherry-O - Counting and basic addition/subtraction

• Sequence for Kids - Pattern recognition and strategic thinking

• Pete the Cat Game - Based on a beloved character, teaches problem-solving

• Hoot Owl Hoot - Cooperative game about getting owls home before sunrise

• Sleeping Queens - A Simple card game with basic math and strategy

Why These Work: Simple rules and short-term strategy. Preschoolers are beginning to understand winning/losing, but still need games that don't eliminate players and lots of practice winning and losing.

Early Grade School (6-8 years)

Focus On: Complex rules, strategic thinking, handling competition, mathematical concepts

• Ticket to Ride: First Journey - Route-building with geography learning

• Azul - Pattern recognition and spatial planning

• Exploding Kittens - Quick card game with silly theme

• Just One - Cooperative word-guessing game

• Kingdomino - Tile-laying kingdom building

• Sushi Go! - Drafting game with cute art and quick play

• Outfoxed - Cooperative mystery-solving game

• Monopoly Deal - Faster card version of classic property game

• UNO - Classic card matching with strategy elements

• Connect 4 - Strategic two-player game

• Rummikub- Our personal family favorite

Why These Work: Around six to eight years old, kids can typically handle more complex rules and longer games. They’re developing the ability to think ahead and plan a strategy. Some kids are beginning to enjoy direct competition.

Middle Grade School (9-12 years)

Focus On: Advanced strategy, problem-solving, social negotiation, abstract concepts

• Ticket to Ride - Full version with route planning and blocking (full disclosure, my husband and daughter LOVE this game and it is too hard for me to follow…)

• Splendor - Engine-building with resource management

• Catan Junior - Simplified island building and trading

• King of Tokyo - Dice-rolling monster game with risk/reward decisions

• Machi Koro - City-building with dice and strategy

• Azul - Beautiful tile-laying with deeper strategy than younger versions

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza - Fast-paced reaction game

• Forbidden Island - Cooperative treasure-hunting adventure

• 7 Wonders - Civilization building (with help reading cards)

• Clue - Classic deduction and logic game

• Yahtzee - Probability and decision-making with dice

• Phase 10 - Multi-round card game requiring planning

Why These Work: They can handle longer games (45-60 minutes), more complex strategies, and social dynamics like trading and negotiation. They’re beginning to enjoy games that require planning multiple turns ahead.

Tweens & Teens (13+ years)

Focus On: Complex strategy, social dynamics, abstract thinking, identity formation

Quick & Social Games:

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza - Fast-paced reaction game

• Wavelength - Team-based guessing game about concepts

• Telestrations - Drawing and guessing game (like telephone with pictures)

• Codenames - Word-based team game requiring abstract thinking

• Just One - Cooperative word game that scales well

Strategy Games:

• Ticket to Ride - Route-building across maps

• Splendor - Engine-building with gems

• Azul - Beautiful tile-laying game

• Catan - Resource management and trading

• Wingspan - Bird-themed engine builder

Party/Group Games:

• Werewolf/Mafia - Social deduction and bluffing

• Spyfall - Location-guessing game with hidden roles

• Jackbox Games - Digital party games played with phones

• Dixit - Creative storytelling with beautiful art

Why These Work: Complex rules, multiple strategies, and social dynamics. Games become tools for identity expression and peer bonding.

Pro Tips for All Ages:

Want it to actually work? Start simple. Cooperative games are a great way in. They are less pressure and more fun. Keep snacks nearby. Hungry kids end game night fast. Help them win sometimes. Not always. Model what it looks like to lose well. They’re watching. And keep a few short games around. Ten minutes is sometimes all you get.

Skip the stuff that kills the vibe. Games where someone gets kicked out? Hard pass. Nobody wants to sit and watch. Long games are tough, too. A rough rule a friend taught me is age times five minutes. Too much reading? Save it for another time unless that’s a strength. And don’t crank up the competition too soon. You’re not hosting a tournament. You’re trying to connect. The best game is the one your family actually plays. Keep it simple. Show up regularly. That’s where the magic is.

Want to start? Pick one night this week. No need for a whole event. Just clear a little time. Put a few games somewhere easy to grab. When games are visible, they get played. Let the kids pick the game. And lower the bar. You’re just playing together, being together, and that’s the whole point.

I didn’t grow up in a board game family. We were more of an art and pretend play vibe. But my husband, Dave? His family was all about games- Trivial Pursuit, Rummikub, and Backgammon. His parents were always pulling out some kind of game after dinner or on a random afternoon. They’re gone now, but every time we play a competitive family game of Rummikub with their old set, we know they’re looking down on us!

If this post gave you even one new idea or moment of relief, give it a like, share a comment, or send it to a fellow parent who deserves it too. We’re all just trying to raise good humans without losing ourselves in the process.

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Beyond Travel Anxiety: How Family Trips Build Your Story (Even With Toddlers)

It was the end of a long summer break. I had spent most of it toting my three kids to and from the beach, solo. We'd spent some time as a family in Maine, and the kids had done a few weeks of day camp, but by mid-August, I was more than ready for school to start. The magic of summer had worn off, the kids were ready for some structure, and I was more than ready for a break.

That's when my husband's parents invited us to attend a family reunion in Lake George, NY. I remember physically flinching when the invite happened. But the earnest look on my father-in-law's face when he invited us was too sweet to refuse. He couldn’t wait to show off his grandkids to his cousins. He wanted to take them to the arcade and to see the lake.

I had spent almost the entire summer solo parenting the kids, my husband was working in NJ, and just the thought of packing everyone up for a long weekend, fighting traffic through a 5-hour drive on my own with a 9, 7, and 4-year-old was enough to make me weep.

The morning we were leaving, my youngest woke up with a scratchy throat. The sky was thick with an impending summer storm, and it was a Friday... which meant we could expect lots and lots of traffic. We packed up the car with snacks, cozy blankets, our clothes and swim suits, and the kids' scooters. I put on a kid-friendly podcast (no screens to avoid carsickness) and off we went.

We were about an hour past Boston when my little one started crying because she couldn't find her owl. She already wasn't feeling great, and “Owl” was her security blankie (with an owl head). She needed it to fall asleep and she couldn't get comfortable. I had a split second of panic. Could I have forgotten to pack her owl? No way. I would never do that. I moved right on from that thought and passed back a book for her to look at and thankfully she fell asleep.

Traffic started moving, and the rest of the ride was fine. We arrived in Lake George around the same time my husband arrived from NJ and the kids had all fallen asleep in the car, so they were ready for the late dinner reservation with the extended family that evening. Everyone was happy…until bedtime.

My husband was in the hotel bathroom helping the kids get washed and ready for bed, I was laying out jammies and plugging in the sound machine, and that's when I started looking for Owl. My seven-year-old came in and started helping me search through our bags. "Mommy, I think I know where Owl is," she said in a slow and slightly panicked voice, "Sloane had her in the playroom right before we left. She was building a house and I bet she left her in there..."

I almost cried. I was exhausted from driving, I didn't want to come on this trip anyway, and now we'd be up all night wishing for Owl. Traveling with the kids was getting to be too much...

My little one came out of the bathroom, climbed into bed, asked for Owl, and I broke the news. She cried, and then suddenly, my sweet nine-year-old had an idea. He took some rubber bands, a washcloth, and a marker and made her "Owl's Cousin." By some grace of the universe, it worked. She happily clutched "Owl's Cousin" and fell fast asleep. For the remainder of the weekend, she proudly held Owl’s Cousin in one hand and her Papa's hand in the other. We went from the arcade to the candy store to the pool and back again. The kids had a blast, and more importantly, their grandparents were so happy we made the trip. We all look back fondly on that weekend and, eight years later, we still talk about Owl's Cousin, the really fun playground at the hotel, and scootering through the puddles in the rain.

I've spent the years since then redefining what successful family travel looks like. It's not about checking off the must-see attractions or maintaining the same rules and routines you have at home. It's about creating a different kind of rhythm—one that becomes a shared adventure that changes all of you in unexpected ways. My in-laws have since passed, and that was one of the last trips we took with them. I am so glad we said yes.

And that's the thing about traveling with children—behind the logistics, exhaustion, forgotten comfort items, and occasional tears lies the possibility for connection that shapes your family story. These moments become the memories your children carry into adulthood, the stories they'll tell their own children someday.

Travel exposes children to different cultures, environments, languages, and ways of living that simply can't be replicated through books or screens. Is it a privilege to travel with kids? Yes. Can it be challenging? At times, yes. But I wholeheartedly believe that successful travel with kids is one part preparation, two parts mindset, and a thousand percent worth it.

Over the years, our family has developed traditions and approaches that have transformed our travels from endurance events into genuine adventures. I'd love to share some of these with you—both the small rituals that have become treasured traditions and the strategies that have saved us from countless meltdowns (both kid and parent kinds).

Here are a few of our favorite travel traditions that we’ve returned to time and time again:

Night swimming in the pool with glow sticks and goggles

There’s something so special to little kids about going down to the pool after the sun goes down, it’s such a memory maker.

Dinner at the pool or beach

Skip the hurried showers, and overtired kids and instead stay late at the pool or the beach. Order food to your loungers. Let the kids graze and keep playing while you and your partner sit and eat. My husband loves to try the local food wherever we go, so this was always a great way to enjoy it without carting overtired kids around.

Passing on the Fun

This one is kinda weird, but for some reason my kids loved doing it. At the end of our trip, the kids would gather any pool toys, inner tubes, sand toys that we picked up along the way and pick another family with kids who just arrived and pass it on to them. They felt so big and important offering up their toys, and were always met with such happy, gracious smiles from others.

Get Ready to Transform Your Own Family Travel Experience:

After years of trial and error, I’ve put all my hard-earned knowledge into “Family Travel Decoded: Your Realistic Guide to Traveling With Kids” - and I'd love to share it with you.

Here’s What's Inside:

• Pre-trip planning strategies that set you up for success before you even leave home

• Essential packing tips (including what to bring in your carry-on to avoid meltdowns)

• Screen-time strategies that won't leave you feeling guilty

• Practical approaches to managing big feelings during travel days

• Creating comfort zones in unfamiliar places

• How to make sure parents get a break too (because it should be a vacation for everyone!)

I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you want to keep up with more Workspace for Children content, follow along on Instagram by clicking HERE.

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Teacher Appreciation Gift Guide

Teachers make a real difference every day, often without much recognition. They put in long hours, spend their own money on supplies, and constantly adapt to help our kids succeed.

This Teacher Appreciation season, a thoughtful gift shows we notice their hard work. Something practical, personalized, or just plain fun can brighten their day and show genuine gratitude for everything they do.

personalized plant stake / curated teacher kit / salt and stone hand cream / papier monogram journal / bon bon sour fish candy / garden party gel pens / enamel paper clip set / merci notes (as gift card holders) / 2” minimalist key chain

I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you want to keep up with more Workspace for Children content, follow along on Instagram by clicking HERE.

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Check Out our ebooks!

If you are someone who wants to introduce more unstructured play into your child's life, but you're not sure where to start, check out The Play Plan, a simple guide with 25 open-ended play prompts using materials you already have at home. These aren't complicated setups or expensive activities—just straightforward ways to invite your child into the kind of play that builds independence, creativity, and problem-solving skills. Each prompt can be adapted for different ages and interests, making this a resource your family can use for years to come.

Clever Play Picks for Compact Outdoor Spaces

Doorway Swing Set / Slack Line Ninja Set / Fold Up Water Table / Roller Coaster / Monkey Jump Junior / Play House / Foldable Soccer Net / Swurfer

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