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.

Difficulty is worth checking before you buy. A puzzle that is too easy gets solved once and put away, while one that is far too hard can end up back in the box. Many puzzles carry a difficulty rating, and it helps to match that to how much time The Happy Puzzle Company online person likes to spend. Someone who wants a ten-minute coffee-break challenge needs something different from a person happy to pick away at the same puzzle over several evenings.

Fast games are the backbone of the evening. Card and tile games such as Flip 7 and Mobi play in a few minutes, so a child who loses a round is straight back in for the next one. Dexterity and throwing games like Tossit get everyone up and moving, which helps if the little ones have been sitting still for a while. These are all available from The Happy Puzzle Company alongside its own titles.

For a hand-picked selection of Christmas games and stocking-filler puzzles for every age, browse the seasonal range at puzzle games for adults.

If you want a shortlist of games tested for family play and grouped by how long they take, browse the family and party games chosen by jigsaw puzzles.

To compare escape room games by difficulty and player count, and find one that suits your group, see the escape room range at brain games for adults.