Looking for something new and exciting to do with your teen? Check out our list of the best board games for teens!
As spring approaches, many families look for activities everyone can do together. What better way to occupy teens than playing games on a game night?
Keeping the whole family entertained and engaged is essential to keeping stress levels low, especially during this unusual year. As such, we’ve put together a list of our favorite board games specifically designed for teens this spring – from tense strategy-builders to upbeat party games – allowing them (and even smaller kids!) to explore unforgettable worlds and enjoy timeless fun.
Board games have been a source of entertainment for centuries and are popular among many age groups, including teenagers. This spring season is the perfect time for teens to break out of their favorite board games. Board games allow teens to spend quality time with friends, interact face-to-face in an increasingly digital world, and build valuable skills such as critical thinking, creative problem-solving, and strategic planning.
Board games can also offer a unique opportunity for adolescents to practice self-regulation regarding social interaction. This can manifest through agreeing upon rules, taking turns while respecting one another’s opinions, and working together towards a common goal.
In addition to providing a fun way for teens to engage with one another, board games are also an excellent way for adolescents to learn new things. From playing a classic board game to new board games, there is something for everyone. In addition, board games provide an avenue for teens to have fun playing in an entertaining format that encourages conversation and sharing of ideas.
This blog post will provide you with ideas on which top board games will be surefire hits amongst your teenage children or their friends this season. Playing board games provides a positive outlet where adolescents can sharpen their minds while enjoying quality time with friends and family. This Spring season may be the perfect chance to make sure your teenagers get much-needed engagement without relying on technology!
Whether they are into playing a classic game, expansion packs, a cooperative game, party games or hilarious adventures – there’s something fun here for everyone.
Let’s get started bringing some entertaining games for teens to your springtime family game night!
Here is the list of the best board games for teens in spring:
Wavelength
Players: 2-12 | Age: 14+ | Game Time: 30-45 minutes
Wavelength is a great game to bring people together in a fun and creative way. This strategic game uses the classic format of clue-solving but with a modern twist. Players compete for the most points won by guessing progressively more precise answers about their opponents’ clue selections.
The goal of Wavelength is simple: two teams (or two players) must aim for the center of a target called “The Loop” by making increasingly accurate guesses. Each unit has a clue card from which they pick one word or phrase, and then each team guesses what they think their opponent meant by the clue they picked. The closer their guess to their opponents’ answer, the higher their score will be.
How to Play:
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The game consists of three rounds, beginning with the number selection phase in which each player secretly chooses one card from their hand.
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In the second round, called the ‘guessing’ phase, each player must give a range (low and high) of numbers that include their secret number.
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After each player gives their guesses, they then reveal the numbers on their chosen cards.
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If one player guesses correctly, they win the round; if not, another game is played until someone correctly thinks their opponent’s number.
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If, after three rounds, no one has guessed correctly, both players draw another card and play another round. This repeats until someone guesses accurately and wins the game.
Its unique form of play sets Wavelength apart from other games for teens. Teams have to use clues to guess answers correctly, and they also have to think fast so that their opponents don’t guess first! This encourages quick thinking and teamwork, making Wavelength stand out compared to other board games today.
Wavelength also includes an additional party expansion pack that can be used to make things even more interesting; these cards allow players to alter the rules or add elements of surprise, like extra points or random noise that can distort one team’s guesses. Again, this helps keep things dynamic and keeps every match from becoming too easy or boring for either side.
Wavelength is an exciting and fun board game that brings plenty of laughs along with it as well! Whether looking for a great game to play with your friends or family members on a rainy day or want something new, Wavelength can provide hours of entertainment on your family game night. So give it a try – you won’t regret it!
Monikers
Players: 4-12 | Age: 14+ | Game Time: 30-60 minutes
Monikers is a fast-paced game that tests your knowledge of people and pop culture. This card game can be played by 4-12 players in teams of two, making it a great pick for large groups of friends or family members.
How to Play:
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Gather three or more players and a deck of cards with creative words.
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Shuffle the deck and split it into three equal piles.
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Pick one pile for each player (or draw from all three banks). Place the remaining cards in a draw pile face down in the middle of the group (leave enough room for discard).
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Each player draws seven cards from their pile and arranges them in hand, facing away from themselves.
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The goal is to get your opponents to guess these words without using any part of the word itself, verbal hints, or sounds. Use gestures, physical clues, references, etc.
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One person at a time is “the judge”; they pick one card from their hand, and everyone else has 15 seconds to guess what it is. The judge should keep score for each word guessed correctly by another player.
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If no one can guess correctly before time is up, place the card back in its original position as if never seen by anyone else, then go on to the next round. Repeat until someone guesses all their words correctly or only one person has any cards left after 30 seconds without a successful guess.
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The first player who guesses all their words (no matter how many rounds it takes) is declared the winner!
What makes Monikers even more exciting is that they are drawn from a range of categories: actors and actresses, world leaders, sports figures, historical figures – you name it! The variety helps to make this game unique; every time you play, you are guaranteed to learn something new and put your knowledge of people and current events to the test.
Monikers also offer an extra level of strategy by allowing each team to earn bonus points if they can come up with multiple correct guesses in a row without anyone interrupting them. So you must be quick and think two steps ahead too.
Monikers is a fun game that offers something for everyone, from playing a few rounds with family or friends to afternoons spent quietly competing against yourself, trying to beat your old records. This fast-paced card game never fails to entertain – give it a try and enjoy hours of fun!
Linkee Trivia Game
Players: 2-30 | Age: 13+ | Game Time: 30 minutes
Linkee is an exciting and fun game that combines classic trivia with a modern twist. This great game has become hugely popular among groups of friends and teenagers. It’s made up of two parts: Link cards, which contain four related words or phrases, and Linkee cards, which include the common link between the four words or terms on the Link card.
The goal of Linkee is to correctly identify the common link between all four words/phrases on each Link card before anyone else, which makes it fast-paced and highly competitive! Players can look for clues in words themselves (e.g., synonyms) and ask their opponents for hints if they get stuck. The quicker you find the link and shout out your answer, the more points you’ll earn!
How to Play:
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First, divide your group into as many teams as you like
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Next, give each team a deck of Linkee cards and a rules sheet
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Each team then takes turns to try and guess the ‘Linkee’ between five random clues
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Take the top card from your deck and read out the five clues before giving your answer
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If the team gives an incorrect answer, they lose a point
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The first team to get three points wins
What sets Linkee apart from other strategic card game are its fun “action” cards – these add even more excitement to each round by allowing players to skip turns or steal points from their opponents! In addition, rule variations (such as playing with themed decks) can be implemented to make each game different.
Whether you’re looking for a party game that everyone can enjoy together or want new game ideas and interesting to play with your family members in front of the TV, Linkee is the perfect game. With its unique blend of trivia and strategy alike, these popular board games will keep you entertained for hours on end!
Fire Tower Board Game
Players: 2-4 | Age: 13+ | Game Time: 15-30 minutes
Fire Tower Board Game is one of the best games for teens that has been making waves in the gaming world. This unforgettable and captivating game pits three players against each other in a battle to become the supreme ruler of Fire Tower.
The game’s objective is to build your kingdom while simultaneously defending it from the other two players’ armies. To attain victory, you must collect resources, build an army, and advance your technology while trying to survive the constant onslaught of enemy warfare.
How to Play:
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Fire Tower is a game for 2-4 players.
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All players get seven cards which must stay face down.
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The remainder of the deck should be placed in the center of the table and turned over one card at a time.
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This forms a “tower.”
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Players must turn over their cards as soon as they match any part of the tower.
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If all seven cards are placed on the tower, remove them and start another round with new playing cards.
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The winner is the last player to have one or more cards on the table when all others have none left.
What makes Fire Tower stand out from other tabletop games is its unique “tower defense” mechanic; players must choose which towers they will construct every round and how many units will handle them. The goal is to create the most effective defenses against enemy attacks while also trying to collect resources that can be used to acquire more advanced towers and weaponry. Additionally, effective use of resources allows players to upgrade their civilizations with better research, allowing for further advancement down the tech tree.
Those who enjoy card games such as Magic: The Gathering or board games like Risk will find much enjoyment in Fire Tower Board Game – after all, this combination of strategy and luck provides endless hours of entertainment! With its visually stunning components, innovative mechanics, and ever-changing methods, Fire Tower quickly becomes one of those must-have strategy board games that beg to be brought back out repeatedly. So plunge into this irresistible world full of adventure on your game nights!
Spirit Island Core Game
Players: 1-4 | Age: 13+ | Game Time: 90-120 minutes
Spirit Island Core is an intense and highly strategic game that combines classic RPG elements. Players take on the role of powerful spirits who are fighting to protect their island home from invading colonists. The goal is to drive away the colonist by combining your spirit’s special powers, natural knowledge, and tactical skill.
This game puts players in the shoes of four different spirits- each with unique strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. Your team must work together to ensure that the invading force does not gain control or destroy the land you love. You can craft strategies based on your combined powers or use them separately for maximum effect. As you tackle each challenge, you’ll gradually build up your strength until you’re finally ready to repel the invaders completely- if you manage it before they overrun your homeland!
How to Play:
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Choose a board, insert the island cards in their outlined positions, and place the spirits near the edge of each island.
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Players decide who plays first and then continue clockwise for turns.
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Each player has three possible actions on each turn: Play a power card, explore a new area, disrupt an existing location, or pass to end their turn.
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Spirit Island aims to protect your island from being taken over by invading settlers as they try to build towns and cities.
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There are two types of Power Cards – Major Powers and Minor Powers. Each power has its unique ability that can be used to stop the invaders.
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When one or more players have accumulated enough fear on their island for all four settlers to escape, the game ends, and players tally up points to see who won!
The game consists of two main sections; ‘Base Spirit’ cards which grant access to further abilities and can be upgraded throughout the play, and ‘Event’ cards which allow you to adapt quickly to changing situations. In addition to these components, plenty of other pieces, such as ‘curse tokens,’ ‘recovery markers,’ and ‘discard piles,’ come into play as you progress through each round.
This a fun, fast-paced experience that blends strategy with an interesting storyline full of powerful characters and exciting plot twists. These games for teens will keep players on their toes as they race against time to save their beloved island home!
Medium Mind-Reading
Players: 2-8 | Age: 14+ | Game Time: 30-45 minutes
Medium Mind-Reading is a unique and captivating party game that brings out everyone’s inner psychic! In this 2-6 player game, you must use your intuition to read each other’s thoughts and answer questions correctly. Medium Mind-Reading Game will take your game night to the next level whether you are a skeptic or a believer.
The game’s goal is simple: guess what your opponents are thinking. The game begins when players are dealt ten cards with different images on them. Each card represents an object, emotion, or action you have to telepathically send to another player, who will then identify which card it is. Sounds easy. Wrong! Your opponents are trying to do the same as you and battle it out in this highly competitive yet fun mind game.
How to Play:
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Gather three or more players, a game board, and index cards.
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Choose one player to be the Medium. The other players become the Whisperers.
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Write down words on each index card, one word per card. Place them face down on the board in five rows.
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Begin with the first row of cards and have the whispers whisper one word at a time to the Medium.
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The Medium then guesses which word each whisper whispered by examining their facial expressions.
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If they guess correctly, they move on to the next row until all rows are completed, meaning they guessed all five words correctly.
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Once done, flip over the cards in that round, and if they are correct, they get the point.
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Keep playing rounds until all cards are gone, or you feel like stopping!
It’s all about honing your critical thinking skills while honing in on your opponent’s thoughts! As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also the added element of misdirection—each player has three “distractors” they can call at any time, throwing off their opponent’s focus and guessing power. With so many levels of strategy and creativity, Medium Mind-Reading Game promises hours of entertainment for all kinds of mind readers!
This is also educational – perfect for developing social interaction and communication skills in younger kids and fostering an environment for expressing feelings in older ones. Ready to take on the challenge? Gather up friends or family members for an enjoyable experience no matter how long you’ve known each other – this game requires skill but keeps things light and entertaining too!
The Game of Wolf
Players: 2-4 | Age: 14+ | Game Time: 30-45 minutes
The Game of Wolf is a thrilling game that pits players against each other in a race to see who can become the ultimate pack leader. In this 2-4 player game, you must outwit your opponents and utilize cunning strategy to claim victory. Every turn brings an exciting challenge as you seek to build up your pack and protect it from danger.
The main objective of The Game of Wolf is to build the strongest pack of wolves possible by upgrading and creating new packs. Players can perform four main actions on their turn: hunt, howl, defend, or trade. Hunting allows you to gain resources from the board, such as meat, bones, and fur while howling will enable you to add more wolves to your pack. Defending protects your wolves from attack by enemies, and trading lets you exchange items with other players for points.
How to Play:
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Choose a starting player.
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Deal all of the cards facedown to all players.
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Each player can now pick up their cards, look at them and arrange them in any order they want within their hands.
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On each turn, the starting player must lay down one card from their hand on the table for everyone to see. The next player must follow suit and play one card with the same value or higher than the last played card (for example, if an Ace was played, the next card has to be an Ace or higher).
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Cards are ranked from highest to lowest as King, Queen, Jack (or sometimes Joker), 10 through 2, and Ace is both highest and lowest (Ace high-low).
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If a player cannot play a card due to not having one of the same value in their hand, they must draw new cards until they can ‘follow suit’ or match the last played card’s number/value. This keeps going until someone cannot match the last played card, which is when a Wolf is declared!
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This wolf will then log all points won by every other player left in that round, contributing to their overall points/score at the end of the game, alongside how many wolves have been captured by that particular person throughout that game session!
The Game of Wolf also features dice rolls which add an element of chaos into the mix – these allow you to gain additional benefits such as extra movement or even special powers! As the game progresses, each player’s pack will gradually grow bigger until, eventually, there is only one winner left standing – but beware! Your enemies can also ambush your vulnerable wolves if they’re not careful!
The Game of Wolf is a great way to spend time with friends or family while testing your strategic skills simultaneously. It’s challenging yet rewarding – don’t miss out on all the fun this game offers!
Why we play the best board games for teens!
Board games are a great and fun way to engage teens with friends and family. They offer an opportunity for collaboration, strategic thinking, problem-solving, social interaction, and just plain old fun. This combination is essential for teens growing up in a highly technological world—especially those dealing with the isolating effects of social media. Games can provide an opportunity to interact with others in real-life scenarios—stimulating creative problem-solving in ways that technology cannot replicate. Their favorite board game also increases empathy as teens must consider other people’s views while playing.
The possibilities for board game entertainment and learning are endless! Parents can encourage their teen children to get involved by regularly suggesting new and great games to diversify their gaming experience or offer more challenging versions of any game they have already played. Consequently, investing time in games could positively impact teenagers’ cognitive skills, emotional intelligence, and general happiness levels, all while providing a high-quality enjoyable time on your game night!
What are the benefits of playing board games:
Develops Social Skills
Many board games foster social interaction between teens, allowing them to practice communication and collaboration.
Enhances Strategic Thinking
Playing games helps teens develop critical thinking skills and solve puzzles as they evaluate their strategic options to win the game.
Increases Concentration
Teens need to stay focused on the game, which can be difficult in an age of technology, but playing some popular games encourages them to pay attention and concentrate on the task.
Improves Problem-Solving Ability
As they play board games, teens must find solutions to challenging problems while managing time and resources effectively during gameplay.
Encourages Family Bonding
Games provide a fun way for families to come together and spend quality time without screens or technology getting in the way.
In Summary:
Board games are an excellent way for teens to bond and have fun this spring season. They provide the opportunity for joyful conversations, laughter, and healthy competition, all of which can benefit teens’ mental well-being. Board game play also gives teens a chance to practice logic, strategic thinking, and decision-making skills, preparing them for many real-life scenarios in the future.
Moreover, playing games with family or friends allows teens to cultivate meaningful relationships and learn important communication and collaboration skills that will last long beyond this season’s events. Teens may even find new interests or talents within themselves as they enjoy different games that challenge them in unique ways.
From classic board games for teens to modern party games, there are countless possibilities for playing board games this spring season with teens. They will have a ton of fun exploring these choices and deepening friendships while doing it; they’ll also gain valuable skills and memories they’ll use throughout their lifetime.
— In this blog, we talked about the best board games for teens this spring, including Wavelength, Monikers, Linkee, Fire Board, Spirit Island, Medium, and The Game of Wolf. Hit the comments and let us know which games you’d like to hear about!