For a hand-picked selection of Christmas games and stocking-filler puzzles for every age, browse the seasonal range at games for children.
Think about space and time too. A large jigsaw needs a table or board where it can stay out for days, which is not always practical. Puzzles can be a calming, screen-free way to spend a wet afternoon, and working on one together is a quiet way for a family to sit down side by side without a fixed finish time.
To compare word games by pace and age suitability, and see which reward speed versus vocabulary, take a look at the word games at puzzle games for adults.
From about six upwards, children can handle puzzles with a bit more thinking. The Genius Square and Genius Star ask them to roll dice and fit shapes into a grid, which keeps them busy without needing anyone to read a long rulebook. Games like these also work solo, which is useful for a quiet half-hour or a long car journey.
Home escape room games take the idea of a real-life escape room and pack it into a box. You work through a story by solving a chain of puzzles, cracking codes, reading hidden clues and combining objects until you reach the final answer. Most are built for two to six players working together, which makes them a good fit for a family board games evening or a small get-together.
For a hand-picked selection of brain teasers across easy, medium and fiendish levels, have a look at the adult puzzle range at escape room puzzle games.
