Retro Family Game Night Featuring 1950s Games

Step back in time to the nostalgic era of the 1950s with a retro family game night, featuring a curated selection of beloved 1950s games to enjoy with friends and family.

I have always loved board games. My family played them often and my best friend and I were especially into board games. Our favorites were a game called Herd Your Horses and Monopoly.

My husband and I have also have quite the board game collection and love having game nights. While game nights have changed over the years and with more choosing to use technology-based entertainment these days they don’t seem to be as popular. I say they need a comeback!

Disconnecting and playing a game with family and friends is a great way to connect and slow down a bit. That’s why I wanted to take a look back at 1950s games and what game nights would have looked like back when lives were less controlled by TV and there wasn’t the internet to take away our attention. 

Retro Game Nights and 1950s Games

The post-war 1950s was a time when leisure time was really pushed. It was something that all but disappeared during WW2. This brought on a lot of great board games that we still play today.

Popular 1950s Board Games for Retro Family Game Night

I’m going to link to these at Barnes and Noble because it’s the easiest place for me to find them online but before buying new ones check thrift stores. There are always so many board games available.

1. Monopoly: Monopoly started its life as The Landlord’s Game, and was designed by Elizabeth Magie. It was first patented in 1902. Now we have all kinds of Monopoly games to choose from. Growing up I had a Corvette version (did you know I love cars? I even helped my dad rebuild his 1966 Mustang!). This was the version my best friend and I played all the time.  
2. Candy Land: Perfect for younger players, Candy Land whisks participants away to a whimsical world of candy-themed adventures. Candy Land was created in 1948 by Eleanor Abbott. She created it while she was recovering from polio. As a young kid, I loved this game, likely because I love candy!
3. Clue: Channel your inner detective with Clue, the classic murder mystery game that challenges players to solve a whodunit. Clue was released in the 1940s and it gained popularity in the 1950s and is still popular today.
4. Scrabble: Get ready to exercise your vocabulary and strategic thinking with Scrabble, the classic word game that has been delighting players for generations. Created by American architect Alfred Mosher Butts in 1938 as a version of an older game called Lexiko.
5. Yahtzee: This fun dice game was produced by the Milton Bradley company in 1956. Hasbro (the owners of Milton Bradley) say the game was invented by a Canadian couple that called it The Yacht Game because they played it on their yacht.
6. Risk: This game known for taking a very long time to play was invented in 1957 by Albert Lamorisse, a French filmmaker. It’s now one of the most popular board games in history.

Which of these is your favorite? Monopoly has to be mine, though it can be a bit of a time commitment.

How to Host a Successful Retro Family Game Night

Game nights are a fun way to connect with family or friends. It’s also a pretty easy gathering to host with minimal prep needed.

Decide what you want to play in and if you are going to need a table. Make sure you have comfortable places for everyone to sit.

No game night would be complete without snacks and refreshments, so why not add a retro flair to the menu? Think classic treats like popcorn, soda floats, homemade cookies, or even a box of 1950s candy.

Now once you are ready be sure to turn off the TV and put cell phones away! This is a time to disconnect from technology and connect with family and friends. Turning on some music can be nice but otherwise, skip all the distractions and focus on connecting and enjoying each other.

Bringing Retro Gaming into the Modern Era

While traditional board games hold a special place in my heart, there are also plenty of ways to bring retro gaming into the modern era. Especially when people are far apart it can be nice to use technology to our advantage. 

When I was a teenager we had a horrible ice storm and we lost power for a week. My best friend and I got creative and played Monopoly over a landline. We both had boards set up and kept out pieces for the other person to keep track of what was going on. This made it easier for me to adapt to game nights when 2020 changed everything.

My family started having Zoom game nights right away and we still have them often. It works out well on busy nights because we are already in our homes and can connect even when time is limited. 

You can also find digital versions of many of your favorite games to play on smartphones or computers, often with family and friends all over the world. 

Getting creative can allow us to enjoy game nights no matter what is going on in our lives at the time and help us connect in this fun way.

Whether you’re reliving childhood memories or creating new ones with your own family, retro family game nights offer a special opportunity to connect, laugh, and make lasting memories together. So gather your loved ones, dust off those vintage board games, and get ready for a night of retro fun that’s sure to be remembered for years to come!