On a day off when the whole family is together but you’re not going anywhere, or when unexpected free time pops up, how do you and your family kill time?
If you’re just thinking, “I’m bored…,” then let’s play some games together as a family!
In this article, we’ll introduce games that everyone in the family can enjoy.
We’ve picked a wide range of options, from classic familiar games to popular board games and video games, as well as games you can play without any equipment.
If you find a game that catches your interest, be sure to try it out with the whole family!
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Games that the whole family can enjoy together (1–10)
Space changeNEW!
This is a game where you switch spaces with each other by moving to the sound of a whistle.
Two parent-child pairs face each other with a bit of distance between them.
Then, distinguish between the whistle tones and move to the other pair’s space using the indicated movement such as “run,” “skip,” “jump,” or “side step.” There’s no winner or loser in this game, but aim to move quickly and accurately without bumping into the other pair! If memorizing the whistle tones is difficult, you can give verbal cues for the movements instead.
Balloon Ball Passing GameNEW!
It’s the balloon version of the ball-passing game.
You can set any method for passing the balloon: back-to-back and pass it overhead or between the legs, twist your bodies to pass from the side—whatever you like.
If you include it as a field day event, it would be great to have several teams compete simultaneously to see which parent-child pair can pass the balloon 10 times the fastest.
Or make it a class competition, with classmates and their guardians working together to set the fastest time—that sounds fun too.
If you play outdoors, be careful so the balloon doesn’t fly away!
Mario Party
Mario Party is a delightful game starring the globally beloved character Mario and his friends! With a board game in the style of a dice-based romp and a wealth of mini-games, it offers endless fun for the whole family.
The Mario series has been cherished since the Super Famicom era, when home consoles began gaining wider recognition.
For grandparents and parents, it’s nostalgic; for kids, it feels fresh—sure to spark conversations like, “We couldn’t pull off moves like that back in the day!”
translation
The no-katakana game you often see on TV and elsewhere.
The rule is that during everyday conversation or when discussing a given topic, you’re not allowed to use katakana words.
Hearing the explanation, many people probably think, “Oh, that sounds easy.” But in reality, we use katakana far more often than we realize, so those words just slip out naturally when we talk.
Can you smoothly convert the wasei-eigo and katakana terms you normally use into proper Japanese and put them into words?
Finger Smash
Finger Suma, a game you can start right away with no prep, is an easy, family-friendly game! First decide the order with rock-paper-scissors, then put out both hands and start.
After a cue like “Ready, set,” call out a number.
If that number matches the total count of all the thumbs everyone has raised, you clear a hand! Pull one hand back, and the next person predicts and calls a number in the same way.
The first person to pull back both hands wins! The game’s name and the cue words can vary by region.
Choose the call that feels right for everyone and enjoy a fun time with the family.
The Game of Life
When it comes to games that are sure to liven up family gatherings, many people probably think of The Game of Life.
What makes The Game of Life so fun is not just that it moves forward like a board game, but that you progress while imagining realistic life situations written on the spaces.
The target age range varies by manufacturer and series, and the content of the spaces is tailored accordingly.
By choosing a version that matches your child’s age, the whole family can understand the game well and enjoy playing together.
Magical Banana
An association game that starts with everyone shouting “Magical Banana!” While keeping rhythm with hand claps, players say words they associate.
The first person starts from banana: “When you say banana, you think of ___.” The next person continues: “When you say ___, you think of ___,” linking words by association from the previous one.
If someone can’t continue or repeats an answer, they’re out.
The key point is not just the associations, but saying them in rhythm.
People get flustered and blurt unrelated words or stumble off-beat, making it trickier than it seems—perfect for lots of laughs with the whole family!
