We LOVE the cranium games. Balloon Lagoon is terrific (probably because I don't like board games and it is more like a collection of 4 carny games). It isn't going to lock in a 7.5 year old with parents reading this website for long... but it isn't a brainhammer like candyland. Conga and Candoo can be manipulated for little kids to play - you just need to alter the rules of play a little so it doesn't frustrate. Also, we love charades - we have a girly set of cards the oldest girls picks from then we make up ones for the youngs
Also, we had luck with Jenga - the little kids just get to stack the blocks up for the adult while the bigger kids can pull from the middle. Silly games still work for us - the occasional hungry hippos - the 2 year old's favorite. When our oldest was little - 3 - she did like the princess monopoly game. We also let the middle play scrabble with us when she was barely 3 - instead of words she had to make a pattern 4 Bs or SSNNSS or FDFD. Of course one day she spelled pickle (without an e though) and I almost said exclamed something one shouldn't say.
Everybody tastes are so different but those were some of our favorites.
