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 bigger group, party and bluffing games give teenagers and adults something to sink their teeth into. Titles such as The Traitors board game and card game, both available from The Happy Puzzle Company, lean on reading the room and second-guessing each other, which tends to spark the loudest laughs of the night. Keep one of these for when the whole family is together at Christmas or on a birthday.

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 The Happy Puzzle Company.

Snakes and Ladders is one of the first board games most children learn, and for good reason. The rules could not be simpler: roll the dice, move your counter, climb a ladder if you land at the foot of one and slide back down if you meet a snake. There is no reading and no strategy to master, so even three and four-year-olds can join in and stand a fair chance of winning.

Home escape room games take the idea of a real-life escape room and pack it into a box. You work through a story by solving a chain of puzzles, cracking codes, reading hidden clues and combining objects until you reach the final answer. Most are built for two to six players working together, which makes them a good fit for a family evening or a small get-together.

To see the traditional board alongside the 3D, giant and garden editions, have a look at the Snakes and Ladders range at The Happy Puzzle Company.