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Christmas family games

Something for the whole table, from the 6-year-old to Grandad.

After the big meal, before the film. Games that work with a wide range of ages and don't need anyone to read a manual first — just a phone each and the TV as the board.

Ludo and Snakes & Ladders both scale down to two players just as well as four, so it still works if half the family's gone for a nap after dinner.

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Hosting this one

  1. 1Put the board on the TV and hand out phones as controllers — closest thing to the real box, without hunting for the dice.
  2. 2Memory Match is the one the youngest cousin can actually win.
  3. 3Save Imposter for after the kids are in bed — it plays better with a bit of bluffing nerve.
  4. 4Doing a gift exchange? The Secret Santa generator at /draw draws the names and emails everyone a private link.

A game for every generation at the table

Christmas is the one day the whole age range ends up in the same room, and it's hard to find a game that works for everyone. The trick is to choose games with no reading and few rules. Snakes & Ladders and Memory Match are rated 5 and up, Ludo, Connect 4 and Hangman are 6 and up, and all of them can be explained in a sentence.

Ludo and Snakes & Ladders both work with two to four players, so it still works when half the family has gone for a nap. Memory Match takes up to six, and is the one the youngest cousin can win.

After the meal, before the film

Put the host on the TV and hand out phones as the controllers. That gets you the closest thing to the box on the living room floor, without the missing dice. If relatives are elsewhere, they can join from their own homes with the room code and a call running alongside, so the game night includes the people who couldn't make it.

Save Imposter and Bomb Pass for later in the evening, once the younger kids are in bed and the adults are feeling brave.

Questions people ask

Will the grandparents actually be able to play?
Yes — there's nothing to install and nothing to remember between turns. Big buttons, a name and an avatar to join, and the board does the rest.
Can six-year-olds and adults play in the same game?
Memory Match and Snakes & Ladders both scale down to a five-year-old with no reading required — colours and counting only — while still holding an adult's attention.
Does everyone need to download an app?
No. It's a website — open it in any phone or laptop browser, no app store, no account, no download.
What if half the family goes for a nap after dinner?
Ludo and Snakes & Ladders both work fine down to two players, so the game doesn't stall waiting for a full table.
Is it free to play?
Yes, fully free — it's supported by ads that sit in fixed slots and never cover the board or the controls.
It's the gap between presents and Christmas dinner — will it fill the time?
That's exactly the slot it's built for — rounds run 3 to 20 minutes depending on the game, so you can fit one quick game or a few longer ones before the table's called.

How a game night works

  1. 1

    Pick a game

    Eight to start with. Quick fillers to full board games.

  2. 2

    Create a room

    One tap. You get a 4-digit code and a QR to share.

  3. 3

    Share the code

    Friends type it in, or scan the QR from their phone.

  4. 4

    Play

    Host hits start. You're in. Play again in one tap.

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