If you would like a game to cover all of history, Chronology and Timeline are your best bets. While Timeline does not require reading as it is picture-based, Chronology does have lots of words and requires reading for some of the players.
This post may contain affiliate links, meaning if you click on it and make a purchase I’ll receive a small commission at no cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, please check our Privacy Policy and Disclaimers and Disclosures.
Chronology is Perfect for 4 Players, but More can Play
Chronology comes with 6 trays for up to 6 players, but there’s no real reason more couldn’t play. There are plenty of cards for 4 different categories: history, arts & entertainment, inventions & discoveries, and sports. One thing that does make Chronology easier is that everyone makes their own timeline, and you only go up to 5 cards in a timeline.
To play, each person begins by drawing a card from whatever category they want. They read the card out loud (or have someone read it for them) and then place it in their tray. After everyone has one card in their tray, normal gameplay begins.
How to Play
The person to the right of the current player draws a card from the player’s chosen category. They read it out loud, not reading the year or showing the card to anyone. The player must decide where in their timeline the new card goes. If they decide correctly (before or after, or later, between two cards, not the specific year), they place their new card in its correct spot in their timeline.
If the player guesses incorrectly, then moving clockwise, the other players get to guess where it goes in their timeline. If no one can guess correctly (the reader, obviously, does not get a chance to guess), the card is removed from play and play passes to the next player.
Chronology or Timeline?
At first, I thought having both was silly and it was some time before we tried Chronology. However, after playing Chronology, I realized that they’re different enough that they are both good to have. The two biggest differences are, of course, the pictures and whether the timeline is individual or communal. However, nothing is stopping you from creating individual timelines with Timeline.
Something else that is nice about Chronology is that it comes with four different categories. You can get different versions of Timeline, but each one runs around $10. We found Chronology at a thrift store, so were able to get all the cards for just a couple dollars. And of course, both games will use different events.
At the end of the day, I enjoy having both Chronology and Timeline. I look forward to playing both more often as my kids learn more about history.
