Nothing beats family time or friends catching up. This often happens around a table, say during dinner time. That’s not just a moment for having fun but also bond. Sadly, you’ll see most people on their phones during such times when they have nothing to say to each other, failing to take advantage of this precious moment. Don’t be like that; find fun games to play at the table to engage and have a good time.
We have compiled some of the best games you can play at the table to make family time memorable and catch up with friends. The best part is that our selection incorporate affordable choices that you can easily get or even improvise yours at home.
Fun Object Games to Play at Table
These are games you play with objects like disks, balls, dice, and cards among others. Often, you need some sort of skill to perform well in such games. Here are our top picks.
Disk Games
These games involve sliding or flicking disks across special boards or over your table surface. Depending on which game you choose, the disks may be small coins to some as big as the largest plate in your home. Some of these games you can play at your table include:
- Sjoelback
- Crokinole
- Carrom
- Pucket
- Shuffleboard
- Table-top tennis game
- Pitrush disk flicking game
- Shuffle puck
Ball Games
Well, not all ball games require skill but most do. The good news is that you only need to be as good as the one you are competing against to enjoy the experience. Some of the ball games you can play on a table top include:
- Rollet
- Bagatelle
- Bar skittles
- Puff billiards
- Hesherball
- Weykick football games
- Bingo
- Tabletop minigolf
- Blow football
- magnetic table football game
- Kubbolino
- Tyrolean roulette
- table bowls
Dexterity Games
If you are looking for games that demand good eye and hand coordination then go with dexterity games. There are many dexterity games for all age groups. Here are a few:
- Pick up sticks
- Jenga table top tumble towers
- Jacks
- Magnetic fishing games
- Tiddlt winks
- Cannonball drop table game
- Toptafel
- Tabletop climbing maze
- Shoot the moon
Dice Games
There’s a wide range of dice games out there that would be entertaining done at a table. Here’s a selection of some of the best.
- Shut the box
- Poker dice
- Wooden dice trays
- Dice cups and shakers
- Casino craps
- Liar’s dice
- Knucklebones
- Precision casino dice
- Crown and anchor game
- Cowrie shells
- Poker dice in wooden barrel shaker
- Giant dice
Card Games
Card games have been around for many years and they still rock considering that they are entertaining but very affordable. The best part is that a single deck of cards can be used to play hundreds of games. All you need is quality cards that can move around the table many times without damaging. Here’s our list of card games you can invest in.
- Cribbage
- Poker tables and poker tops
- Poker sets
- Playing cards
- Rummy
- Bridge
- Blackjack
- Card clothes
- Canasta
- Baccarat
- Giant playing cards
- Modern card games
- Low vision broad-size cards
Fun Games to Play at Table Without Objects
These are table games that you can play without using any object. Just the people at the table.
Story Starters
As the name suggests, this game involves use of stories. You can start a story then pass it to the next person around the table to proceed with it. Each of you may submit a sentence or a few sentences as you create the story from start to finish. This game kindles creativity in all ages and would work for anyone that can talk and think.
“It” Questions (10 Questions)
You choose one person on the table and give him or her a name of an object. The rest of you should ask questions about “it” and let the person explain. Once you have asked and they have answered your questions satisfactorily, another person becomes the next object.
Let’s take an example to be a cup. The questions here can be as basic as “which color are you?” “how many handles do you have” to something as complex as “which beverages can you handle?”
Alphabet Game (ABC Game)
The name says it all; go around the table as each one of you says a word (or words) that start with alphabetical letters in any order you agree on. You can start with three words Apple, Angry, Angel, then the next person, Boy, Ball, Baby… Go all through the alphabet to the last letter; Zebra, Zigzag… You can as well start with ZYX all the way to A.
Depending on the age of those sitting at the table, you can decide to use random words as long as they start with the letters. Or you may specifically go with nouns, verbs, adjectives,
Guessing Ingredients
In this game, one of you should cook a meal, serves it then everyone else is given an opportunity to guess the ingredients in the food. Those guessing should be able to know the main ingredients as well as the spices and herbs.
Guess the Animal
There are many ways to play Guess the Animal. Everyone on the table chooses the animal they want others to guess then adopts their behaviour then the others guess what it is. You can eat like, sound as, or do any other activity related to the animal as other mention names.
Follow the Leader
Call this “Do as I do” as well. Those around the table choose one person (a leader) then they follow whatever he or she does. This can be anything from how they eat to the sound they produce.
Final Thought on Fun Games to Play at Table
There are hundreds of fun games to play at table. Some need items to play, others just require you are your partner. You just need to know what your requirements are and what those you want to play against want. If you love several of these games, try one at a time whenever you get time.
