How to use this list: Purchase any game below from your favorite local game store or online and donate it to Board Game Buddies. Every game goes directly into our programming at hospitals, veterans groups, recovery programs, and youth organizations across the Chicagoland area.
📦 How to Get Your Game to Us
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Amazon Wish List
Games purchased through our wish list ship directly to us automatically — no extra steps needed.
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Ship to Us
Mail your donation to 8744 W Bruce Dr, Niles, IL 60714. Please include a note with your name so we can thank you!
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Local Drop-Off
Want to drop it off in person? Contact us and we'll coordinate a time that works.
🎲 Have games at home you'd like to donate? We gratefully accept gently used games from personal collections — even if they're not on this list. As long as they're complete and in playable condition, we'll put them to good use. Contact us before sending so we can coordinate.

📄 Shopping in person? Download a printable version to bring to your local game store.

⬇ Download Printable List (PDF)
🟢 Easy & Gateway Games
Works in any setting — hospitals, youth programs, community events
UNO
The classic card game everyone already knows. Perfect icebreaker for any setting.
2–10 players 20 min
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Hilarious reflex card game. Zero skill needed — always gets the whole room laughing.
2–8 players 15 min
Sleeping Queens
Fun and whimsical card game. Great for kids and adults alike.
2–5 players 20 min
Jenga
No reading required, works with limited mobility. A universal crowd-pleaser.
1+ players 20 min
Connect 4
The perfect 2-player bedside game. Simple, fast, and familiar.
2 players 10 min
Guess Who?
Classic deduction game great for one-on-one sessions with kids or seniors.
2 players 15 min
Hedbanz
Hilarious guessing game — easy to teach and great for groups.
2–6 players 30 min
King of Tokyo
Dice-rolling monster fun. Easy to learn, exciting, works with any group.
2–6 players 30 min
Classic Card Games 6-Pack
Go Fish, Crazy 8s, Old Maid and more — familiar games with zero barrier to entry.
2+ players Varies
Ocean Bingo
Beautifully illustrated bingo with an ocean theme. Great for all ages.
2+ players 20 min
Battleship with Planes
Classic strategy with a twist. Perfect for veterans and one-on-one sessions.
2 players 30 min
Qwixx Mixx
Roll-and-write dice game. Everyone plays simultaneously — no downtime.
2–5 players 15 min
🟡 Medium Games
Adult events, veterans groups & recovery programs
Dominion
The original deck-building game. Easy to teach, endlessly replayable for adult groups.
2–4 players 30 min
Sheriff of Nottingham
Bluffing and negotiation — incredibly social, perfect for veterans and recovery groups.
3–6 players 60 min
Stone Age
Worker placement with an accessible theme — great gateway into strategy games for adults.
2–4 players 60–90 min
Citadels
Plays up to 8 — ideal for larger adult events. Easy to teach, strategic enough for veterans.
2–8 players 30–60 min
Coup
Fast bluffing game. Punchy and competitive — always a hit with veterans groups.
2–6 players 15 min
Harmonies
Beautiful and calming tile-placement game. Low stress, great for care facilities.
1–4 players 30 min
Parks: Base Camp
Gorgeous national parks theme. Relaxing strategy that works across all settings.
1–5 players 45 min
Sea Salt and Paper
Elegant card game with beautiful ocean art. Fast and satisfying for adult groups.
2–4 players 30 min
Scout
Clever hand-management card game. Small box, big fun — great for travel to program sites.
2–5 players 20 min
🔵 Kids & Youth Games
Ages 4–12 — hospitals, youth programs, family visits
My Lil' Everdell
Kid-friendly worker placement with adorable woodland art. Ages 6+.
2–4 players 30 min
Risk Jr.
Simplified Risk — introduces strategy concepts in a fun, accessible way. Ages 5+.
2–4 players 45 min
Cascadia Junior
Based on the award-winning Cascadia. Simple nature theme, easy to learn. Ages 6+.
2–4 players 20 min
My First Carcassonne
The classic tile game adapted for young players. Ages 4+.
2–4 players 15 min
Catan Junior
Introduces Catan's core ideas in a pirate-themed, kid-friendly format. Ages 6+.
2–4 players 30 min
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
Train adventure scaled for young explorers. Perfect stepping stone to the full game. Ages 6+.
2–4 players 15–30 min

Want to donate online? Shop our curated Amazon wish list and send a game directly to Board Game Buddies — fast, easy, and ships straight to us.

📦 Shop Our Wish List →
A note from our team: Board games are a community hobby, and local game stores are at the heart of that community. Whenever possible, we encourage donors to shop local — your purchase supports a small business and our mission at the same time.