by Jay Hutchinson

Created on: June 10, 2009

Board games are a great way for families to spend time together, getting to know one another while having a little friendly, competitive fun. As such, it is quite useful to know which board games will best captivate and entertain even the youngest of children. Three games that I find draw my family together the best are The Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Uno. These three games are able to draw my family a little closer together, and if you've never tried them, I hope I can convince you to do so.

First is the extraordinary board game The Settlers of Catan. This game, first published in Germany in 1995, has been a hit worldwide and has won a plethora of awards. This game is really great at bringing families together. Its gameplay encourages interaction and conversation between participants and allows family members to get to know one another better. While not overly complicated, this game's variable board allows for a unique gaming experience each time, continually challenging even the sharpest of people. One major downside, however, is that unlike Uno and Ticket to Ride, children may not be able to understand the rules and gameplay until nine or ten years old, making this game potentially unsuitable for families with young children. In addition, unless you buy the 5-6 player expansion to this game, it can only be played with three or four people, causing a problem for larger families. However, The Settlers of Catan game is perfect for small families with teenage children and is, arguably, the most fun of these three games.

Next up is an equally extraordinary game called Ticket to Ride. This game was published in 2004 and was designed by Alan R. Moon. This game is the most suitable for the most situations of any game here. The gameplay is quite simple, allowing children as young as four or five years old to play. While not the most challenging game in the world, Ticket to Ride will keep just about anyone entertained. There's not as much interaction between players as in The Settlers of Catan, but definitely more than in Uno. This game is as solid as a board game gets and will entertain anybody, given its simple rules and semi-challenging gameplay. The game can play with as few as two and as many as five. This game is perfect for just about any familial situation.

Finally, a classic game. Uno has been around since 1971 delighting families all across the world. Many households own a copy of this game, and it's that ubiquitous presence

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