The school holidays are officially here and the weather is finally starting to warm up. Although depending on where you are in Australia, those crisp, chilly days haven’t quite disappeared yet, so keep reading. Before you automatically reach for your phone, grab the console controller, or fire up the TV, try putting the screens away and connecting with the real world instead.

Board games are having a massive resurgence right now. They’re engaging, great for groups, and surprisingly budget-friendly, especially compared to a night out or a trip to a theme park. To save you the hassle, I’ve rounded up a few of my top tabletop picks so you don’t have to do any of the guesswork.

Settlers of Catan: Seafarers Expansion

Regular readers might know that CATAN has long been a favorite of mine. I’ve previously written about how it’s an absolute hit for social gatherings and network events over in my guide on board games for work travels. While the base game is already fantastic for introducing dynamic trading and light strategy to your table, the Seafarers expansion takes things to a whole new level. It opens up uncharted ocean hexes, introducing ships and sea routes that allow you to explore neighboring islands and expand your territory far beyond the original island boundaries.

Adding Seafarers to your collection brings more strategy, more players into the mix, and significantly more fun. Building ships requires timber and wool, creating an entirely fresh resource dynamic where you have to balance land expansion against maritime exploration. The map layouts are far more diverse, allowing for scenario-based play that keeps even veteran CATAN players guessing. If you’ve mastered the core game and want to spice up your family tabletop sessions, this expansion delivers the perfect level of added depth without making the rules overly complicated.

Flamecraft

I spotted Flamecraft when I was at a games store in America, and it instantly caught my eye. This has to be one of the most beautifully crafted board games I’ve seen in terms of artwork, style, and sheer table appeal. You play as a Flamekeeper, gathering shopkeeper dragons to set up shop in a bustling town, crafting items, and placing enchantment cards to help the local artisans thrive. The neoprene mat, adorable wooden dragon meeples, and vibrant pastel illustrations make it an absolute delight to set up and play.

Beyond its stunning aesthetic, Flamecraft delivers a wonderfully cozy, yet strategic worker-placement experience. It strikes a great balance between light engine-building and light-hearted competition, making it approachable for casual players and younger family members while still offering enough tactical decision-making for board game enthusiasts. Players visit shops to gather resources, light fires, and cast enchantments, creating synergistic chain reactions that expand options for everyone at the table. It’s a charming, feel-good game that looks just as good as it plays.

Ticket to Ride

Ticket to Ride is fast becoming one of my favourite games. I’ve played it with my husband and parents-in-law, and we always have a fantastic time with it. The core concept is wonderfully straightforward: collect matching train cards to claim railway routes across the map and connect the cities listed on your secret destination tickets. It takes only minutes to teach, making it ideal for multi-generational game nights where you want everyone from grandparents to teens involved without wading through a massive rulebook.

What makes Ticket to Ride so engaging is the clever interplay between skill and luck. I love the variety of strategies you can deploy, whether you’re focusing on claiming the longest continuous railway track, quietly hoarding destination tickets for high-value connections, or snatching up vital bottleneck routes before your opponents figure out your plan. There is always a subtle layer of tension as you watch other players claim tracks near yours, forcing you to pivot your strategy on the fly. It hits that sweet spot of easy-to-learn mechanics combined with surprisingly tense strategic choices.

Flip 7 with a Vengeance

I’ve been playing Flip 7 with friends lately, and it’s super fun for group gatherings. It’s a fast-paced press-your-luck card game that supports massive groups of up to 18 players, making it ideal for parties, holidays, or post-dinner entertainment. Flip 7 with a Vengeance cranks up the chaos by introducing new action cards into the mix. These action cards heavily impact the luck component, forcing players to adjust their strategy on the fly and ensuring no one is ever truly safe; a runaway leader can be brought down to earth in a single round! If you prefer the classic, standard Flip 7 experience, you can simply filter out the action cards, or even combine two decks together if you’re hosting an extra-large crowd of more than 18 people.

Another massive selling point for Flip 7 is how ridiculously portable it is. Unlike heavy boxed games, all you need is a single deck of cards, making it perfect for traveling, weekend getaways, or tossing into a backpack when heading out. It requires minimal table space and sets up in seconds, giving you high-stakes “will you risk it?” moments wherever you go.

Bonus Tech Pick: Smart Electronic Dice

If you really want to bring a bit of tech into your tabletop setup, you can upgrade your board game nights with electronic, smart dice like GoDice by Particula. These Bluetooth-enabled smart dice connect directly to your tablet or phone, tracking every roll in real-time, calculating scores automatically, and adding interactive animations or sound effects to your physical board games. It’s a neat way to bridge the physical-digital gap, bringing a high-tech modern twist to classic tabletop mechanics.

Which games are you grabbing this holiday season? I’ve also seen Christmas trees appearing in store, so maybe you can start your Christmas shopping early and pick up a game for that special friend or family member. You can find these board games at your local Target, Kmart, Big W, JB Hi-Fi, and EB Games. Prices start from just $24.95 AUD. There are some great promotions happening too, so you might even snag a bargain. Happy gaming.