# Board Games for 11 and 13 year olds?



## kwilson (Nov 30, 2011)

Every year we pick cards from a children's Christmas gift tree & buy gifts for them. This year I got cards from an 11 year old and a 13 year old. Both of them requested "Board Games". No further explanation. Does anyone know which board games would be favorites of boys that age?


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## Paumavista (Nov 30, 2011)

*Blokus*

Assuming they already have monopoly and Uno.  We got Blokus a couple years ago - it's a real award winner.  Rummikub is an old favorite too.  And Mancala.


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## Tia (Nov 30, 2011)

Risk was my sons favorite at around that age.


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## wackymother (Nov 30, 2011)

Scattergories and Pictionary.


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## Skittles1 (Nov 30, 2011)

Headbandz is a lot of fun.  Would You Rather is a good one too.  The game of Life is always a good game too.  Or Clue.


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## gnorth16 (Nov 30, 2011)

Catchphrase is hilarious !!!  Great for kids, teenagers and adults !!

Bop it! is a pretty neat game (not really a board game).  The new one is Bop It Extreme. 

Of course Uno or the newer one, Uno Extreme are great as well.  Lately we have been on an Uno Extreme kick since both kids have been sick from school all week.  We play at least an hour per night!

Trouble is my all time favorite.  One minute you've almost won, then the lead changes!  

My kids (7 and 9) would rather play board games than play Wii most of the time.  Quality family time.


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## Corinne (Dec 1, 2011)

Apples to Apples.  It's more of a card game than a board game, but very fun for all ages, especially for 11-13 year olds. (Don't get the adult version.  It's a little too...adult).


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## SDKath (Dec 1, 2011)

Harry Potter CLUE (as well as the traditional Clue edition)!  So much fun.  We play it all the time.    My DD is 12 and it's the perfect age.  Also love Yahtzee if you are looking for something smaller/less pricy!


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## kwilson (Dec 1, 2011)

*Wow!*

I'm more over the hill than I thought, Never heard of most of these. Thanks to all for your help. Thanks to you this won't be as hard as it might have been.
I love doing this but always worry the kids won't be happy with my choices. The hard part is we never get feedback.


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## sstamm (Dec 1, 2011)

I second the suggestion of Risk.

My son, now 15, has enjoyed that for a number of years.


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## normab (Dec 1, 2011)

I second the apples to apples, my teenaged nephew and niece love to play it with the family.  It's fun and luck is as important as knowledge, which makes it easier when playing a game with all ages.

A note-I think we are playing the "adult" version, and I don't recall anything inappropriate about it?


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## Big Matt (Dec 1, 2011)

Scrabble is fun for kids that age if they are at all decent at spelling.  

I liked the game of Life at that age.

A good old checkers/chess/backgammon set is great too.


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## #1 Cowboys Fan (Dec 1, 2011)

Have you heard of SEQUENCE    ???
It's kind of a combination of cards/bingo----strategic fun.

It is best for three or more, but is 'okay' for just two.

I would HIGHLY suugest that one!!!

(The forementioned Apples to Apples is VERY good, Scattergories is quite good also.)

Pat


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## pedro47 (Dec 1, 2011)

How about chess or banana gram similar to Scrabble.


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## Mosca (Dec 1, 2011)

Stratego? That was always a good one.


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## glypnirsgirl (Dec 2, 2011)

We love board games - some of my newer favorites:

Settlers of Cataan - the premise sounds boring but it is far from it. It is somewhat like monopoly but is more random as the board is a puzzle of hexagons and each hexagon represents a commodity. Each settler is trying to build a settlement and the components of the settlements (houses, roads, settlements). If you decide on this, add the expansion pack so that more people can play.

Blokus and Blokus Trigon are both favorites. 

+1 for Apples to Apples - everyone in the family loves this game

A really old game that is difficult to find is called Acquire - I played this game every night for years --- and it is a great combination of luck and skill so that everyone can play. I recommend looking for the old version with the raised board for setting the tiles in. We wore out 2 of these games and I have restocked them from ebay. This Avalon Hill Game or this MMM game are what you are looking for. 

And Taboo .

We like games that can transcend age groups. So that the adults and kids can play together.


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## glypnirsgirl (Dec 2, 2011)

#1 Cowboys Fan said:


> Have you heard of SEQUENCE    ???
> It's kind of a combination of cards/bingo----strategic fun.
> 
> It is best for three or more, but is 'okay' for just two.
> ...



My son has loved sequence since he was the age of these boys. Jordan is a special needs child so some things are harder than others. He particularly loved this game because he could win.

We love all of these games --- and that reminded me that we got Balderdash about the same time. It is great fun - a bluffing game.


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## natasha5687 (Dec 2, 2011)

Phase 10 and/or Phase 10 Masters are great game for all ages but they are card games. I have 3 boys (4,12,14) who love to play and the adults love to join in as well.  Buy 2 decks...1 for the child and the other for yourself.


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## gnorth16 (Dec 2, 2011)

I totally forgot about Sequence! Great game.

Another one, sorta off the grid, is Play Nine.  It's a card game based on pairs and golf scoring (bogey, par, eagle).  My son absolutely loves this game.


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## kwilson (Dec 3, 2011)

*Too many suggestions.*

But thanks again. I bought Risk and Clue. I also suffered sticker shock. I had no idea a board game could cost 25 bucks! Oh well, if it makes the kids happy it was cheap.


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## pianodinosaur (Dec 4, 2011)

chess and go


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## tlwmkw (Dec 4, 2011)

Labyrinth- it's a game where you have to search for certain items on the board and the board changes as the players take their turns.  My kids love it.

Apples to apples is good.  Who-nu? is also a very good card type game.  My kids love Blokus too.

tlwmkw


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