This year, my annual gift guides are new and improved to make them more helpful than ever!

The gift guide includes the following sections:

  • New 2025 Game Recommendations
  • An all-time favorite Board / card games (For older children, teenagers and adults)
  • An all-time favorite Games for young children
  • An all-time favorite Outdoor sports

This means you don’t have to go clicking through 15 years of gift links links…All recommendations are here in one place!

Remember that none of the items in the gift guides are sponsored. I bought or gifted friends / family everything on this list – all games we truly love and play often! Affiliate links are included which means I receive a small commission if you click on a purchase link; But as always, feel free to shop around for the best deal.

New 2025 Game Recommendations

Our all time favorite games

This list includes board games, card games, puzzle, brain games and more. And if you’re wondering if we own all these games – yes, yes we do! (But don’t ask to see my game close…it’s too good a mess to see it become.)

Mastermind: I had this game growing up, and it’s close! My kids love to play this one (and we bring it out a lot when the grandparents come to town).

Clues: This game is a viral favorite for a reason. Very sweet. And there are many variations (Disney, 2 person, etc). It is played in groups, so it works best with at least four players.

The best games for young children

Hoot Owl Hoot: We played this game hundreds of times when my kids were little. It’s a favorite!

Bedroom queens: This is one of the best card games for young children! It’s another game we played endlessly when my kids were little.

Child sequence: I love the old and nostalgic versions of the series, and this mini version is so cute.

Don’t break the ice: My kids played this game when they were little (and we still have them tied up in our game close). It’s a classic and fun, active game for kids (and adults!).

Ocean Raiders Math Game: Such fun games, you don’t realize that you are learning math, the best types of games! This is a cooperative game. Best for ages 4 to 5 to 5.

Count your chickens: This adorable game gets rave reviews from my friends who have kids in grades 3 through 6. I’m a romantic because: Chickens!

Squaky snacky squirrel: The most recommended game on this list of “TOYS” FOR KIDS, this game is perfect for preschoolers (kind of like hi ho cherry-o with counting colors). It also has over 10,000 star reviews on Amazon!

Hello cherry-o: Another classic in our family, I played this hundreds of times with my kids when they were little. It was very competitive! (haha, back down, mom!)

The Yeti in my spaghetti: This game is fun for the whole family and can be played with children even under 4 (as the box suggests).

Posted by: This cooperative style game is great for younger kids (even my teens got into it when they played with the little nieces and nephews.

Nuts about mutts: A great card game for little kids! I have owned this game many, many times for young nieces and nephews. It’s quick and easy to learn and fun to play.

Pancake pile-up: This is a great fun fun game (so it works!) that also teaches kids patterns.

Good outdoor games

Spikeball: My kids (all of them) are obsessed with spikeball. It’s easy to pack up and take the road and play some places.

Battlechip: A unique cross between cornhole and golf, we found Brian Lo a game for father’s day and highly recommend it as a great game to add to the outdoor game played.

Rampshot: This game is like a combination of corn hole and spike ball (both of our favorites). Highly recommended!

UKWB: We have a homemade version of this game, but we have passed this version on to many friends (and our parents). Below are some of our favorite Earce Yard games!

Rampshot: This is such a fun, simple outdoor game that is great for all ages. We’ve had this for years, and it’s always fun to play.

Slingball: A fun variation of playing “catch” with a partner! It’s good for all ages with modifications, but it’s more fun for kids and adults who can’t catch a ball easily (haha, not me).