Fast games are the backbone of the evening. Card and tile games such as Flip 7 and Mobi play in a few minutes, so a child who loses a round is straight back in for the next one. Dexterity and throwing games like Tossit get everyone up and moving, which helps if the little ones have been sitting still for a while. These are all available from The Happy Puzzle Company alongside its own titles.
If you like the Genius Square, the same puzzle idea runs through a small family of games. Genius Star adds a bonus mechanic and a different set of pieces, Genius Gems and Genius Connection change the shapes and the goal, and Bee Genius is pitched at younger children who are new to shape puzzles. Each one keeps the roll-and-fill pattern while giving you a fresh challenge.
Brain teaser puzzles for adults come in a few broad styles. There are mechanical puzzles, such as interlocking metal or wooden pieces you have to take apart and put back together, logic puzzles that ask you to work out a single correct arrangement, and spatial puzzles where you fit shapes into a fixed space. Knowing which type someone enjoys makes it much easier to choose one they will actually sit down with.
To compare escape room games by difficulty and player count, and find one that suits your group, see the escape room range at puzzles and games.
For a shortlist of compact games that pack down small and set up fast, browse the travel-friendly games chosen by brain games for adults.
For a hand-picked selection of Christmas games and stocking-filler puzzles for every age, browse the seasonal range at games for children.
