12 Classic Family Games

Scrabble, Monopoly, Twister and more

INTRO: Remember the days when you sat around a board game with your friends or family? Thanks to Nintendo DS, XBox, Wii, and the iPad, some kids can barely grasp the concept of sitting criss-cross applesauce around a rectangular piece of cardboard and rolling dice. It's time to show those gadgets who's boss! Here are 12 old-school games we want to bring back.

CANDY LAND | 3-6 YEARS

 This timeless first game teaches color recognition and matching while introducing the concept of good sportsmanship. And it looks yummy too!

CHUTES AND LADDERS | 3-7 YEARS

 Chutes and Ladders is a classic pre-school game of chance that drives home basic counting skills. Will you cruise up to 84 with ease or chute back to 24?

HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS | 4-8 YEARS

 Sweetie Potamus, Veggie Potamus, Picky Potamus, and Bottomless Potamus have insatiable appetites that preschoolers and young, school-aged kids have long found entertaining.

TROUBLE | 5-12 YEARS

 Trouble is simply a fun romp around the board. And who could ever resist that nifty, built-in Pop-O-Matic gizmo?

SORRY! | 6-9 YEARS

 This race around the game board will help teach your kids that getting sent back to "Start" is sometimes a part of life. (It might also teach them to apologize.)

TWISTER | 6-11 YEARS

 Right foot blue! Left hand red! As it did for our generation, this game will have your whole family twisted and in hysterics. Just make sure you stretch beforehand.

OPERATION | 6-12 YEARS

 If you're already pumping your little Doogie Howser's 529 for med school, sharpen his or her fine motor skills with the challenge of removing a funny bone or a spare rib! It's never too early to practice those steady hands ...

CONNECT 4 | 7-14 YEARS 

Who'll be the first in your crew with the moves to get four in a row? Connect 4 brings tic-tac-toe to the next level to hone your kids' strategic-thinking skills.

BATTLESHIP | 7-14 YEARS

 A "hit" since the early 1940s, Battleship was originally a paper and pencil game called Broadsides, the Game of Naval Strategy. Today's version still presents the challenge of plotting each move while keeping track of all the hits and misses — just with a cool, streamlined "board" (and a catchier name).

MONOPOLY | 8-12 YEARS

 Available in tons of co-branded versions (Monopoly G.I. Joe, Monopoly Star Wars ...), Monopoly develops practical math skills while providing a basic intro to the high-stakes world of real estate development! And watching the kids think Park Place is a smart buy is always a riot ...

SCRABBLE | 8-12 YEARS

 This more-than-60-year-old game is a sneaky way to help your kids bone up on their vocabulary and spelling skills — and keep your brain alert!

THE GAME OF LIFE | 9–14 YEARS 

Originally invented by Milton Bradley back in 1860, this game gives your school-aged kid a glimpse into the ups and downs of grown-up life with a twirl of the big spinner!

Vivian Manning-Schaffel