Games for Grandparents and Grandchildren: 3 Printable Games Three Generations Can Play

Sunday lunch at Grandma's is over, the plates are cleared and a 7-year-old asks: “What can we play?” Grandpa would rather not play on a phone, Grandma does not want an hour of rules, and the little one wants to win at least once. That is where a printed game on the kitchen table works: a sheet of paper, a pencil, 2 dice and rules you can explain in a minute.

These are our games for grandparents and grandchildren: 3 printable games for 1 to 8 players, ages 6 and up – a calm dice game, a quick card game and a Christmas dice game. Each one has a free edition you can print at home today.

Games for grandparents and grandchildren: what makes them work

• Rules in a minute. All our rulebooks start with “The game in 1 minute”, so one person reads it out loud and everyone else learns by playing.
• Everyone plays at the same time. When one roll counts for the whole table, nobody waits for a turn and nobody has to hurry.
• Luck and choices together. A bit of luck means a 7-year-old can beat Grandpa fair and square, and a few real choices keep the adults interested.
• Short games. 10 to 20 minutes is enough: you can stop after one game or play another.
• Paper, pencil and dice. Nothing to install or charge, and the whole game is on the table where everyone can see it.

1. Grandma's Garden & Jars – a calm dice game for every generation

Someone rolls 2 dice for everyone: one die is the row, the other is the vegetable. Everyone draws the vegetables on their own garden sheet, grows big beds and fills Grandma's shelf with jars at every harvest. In winter, the player with the most points wins.

Why it suits three generations: everyone uses the same roll, so a grandparent and a grandchild make the same decision side by side and compare their gardens at the end. Let the youngest roll for the whole table and read the numbers out loud.

For 1 to 6 players, ages 7 and up, about 20 minutes. The free edition has the garden sheet and the 8-page rules: Download the free edition. The full edition (€3.90) adds 6 of Grandma's helpers with special powers, the Master shelf with 3 recipes and a solo ladder for a grandparent who wants to play a round alone. Want to see a whole turn first? Read how to play Grandma's Garden & Jars.

Grandma's Garden & Jars – free edition Grandma's Garden & Jars – full edition

2. Knock Knock Hotel – a quick card game for a lively table

Each round, 1 new room goes under each door. Everyone secretly picks a door and lays that door card face down; at “Knock knock!”, all players reveal their cards at once. Alone at a door? You take all the rooms under it. Two or more at the same door? You bump: nobody gets anything and the rooms pile up for the next round. When the rooms run out, the player with the most stars wins.

Why it suits three generations: everyone reveals at the same moment, so it does not matter who is the fastest at the table, and a bump at the same door gets everyone laughing.

About 10 minutes, ages 7 and up. The free edition has 72 cards on 8 sheets for 2 to 5 players. The full edition (€3.90) has 135 cards on 15 sheets, room for up to 8 players and 8 hotel guests with funny powers – enough for the whole family around a holiday table.

Knock Knock Hotel – free edition Knock Knock Hotel – full edition

3. Star on Top – a Christmas dice game for the youngest grandchildren

One player rolls 2 dice for everyone. You choose 1 of the 2 numbers and write it in a bauble on your own Christmas tree; when your top bauble hangs, the star goes on top. After 21 rolls, the player with the most points wins.

Why it suits three generations: it starts at age 6, so it is the best pick here for the youngest grandchildren, and it is a good game to print now and keep for the winter holidays, when the whole family gets together.

For 1 to 6 players, 15–20 minutes. The free edition has the Christmas tree sheet and the 8-page rules; the full edition (€3.90) adds 12 event cards with 6 little helpers and a solo ladder.

Star on Top – free edition Star on Top – full edition

Tips for a good game afternoon with grandparents

• Let the grandchild explain. After the first game, ask the youngest to explain the rules to someone who arrives late – it is a nice role for them.
• Good light and a clear table. Put the dice in the middle and give every player their own sheet and enough space to write.
• Print spare sheets. In the dice games each player fills one sheet per game, so a few extra sheets let you play again straight away.
• Stop while it is still fun. Play one more game only if everyone wants to – then the next visit starts with “Can we play again?”

More games for grandparents and grandchildren – no printer needed

• Classic card games with an ordinary deck: Go Fish, Snap or War.
• Dominoes or draughts – many grandparents already know the rules.
• I spy, or a story game in which everyone adds one sentence.
• Ask the grandparents to teach a game from their own childhood – then let the grandchildren teach one of theirs.

Which game for which visit?

• A quiet afternoon for 2 to 4: Grandma's Garden & Jars.
• The whole family at the table: Knock Knock Hotel – up to 8 players with the full edition, 2 to 5 with the free one.
• Grandchildren aged 6: Star on Top.
• Only 10 minutes before you leave: Knock Knock Hotel.
• A grandparent on their own: Grandma's Garden & Jars or Star on Top – both also work for 1 player.

What you need to print

A home printer and A4 or US Letter paper. For Grandma's Garden & Jars and Star on Top, print one sheet per player; you need 2 normal dice for the table and a pencil for each player. For the Knock Knock Hotel cards, thick card (250–300 gsm) works best, and scissors are all you need for cutting. For the free editions you enter your email on the product page and the PDF download links appear right away – no checkout and no payment. If you get stuck on a rule, you can find all our games on the How to Play page.

Print one game before the next visit and let the youngest roll first.

The photos in this article are AI-generated scenes. The games are digital products for your own household (and for your own class, club or group). Small printed parts are not suitable for children under 3.