Ion is the rare educational game that manages to be a genuinely good game first. It takes the core mechanic of hits like Sushi Go!—passing cards around a circle—and applies it to the periodic table. It’s light, fast, and does a better job of explaining ionic bonding than most middle-school textbooks.

For families who want to lean into STEM without the game night turning into a forced study session, this is a top-tier pick. It’s short enough to play before bed and deep enough that you won’t mind when they ask for a rematch.