In this article we’ll be covering a wide variety of the best board games for kids based on what type of game it is, strategy, fun, or educational, and for what age groups. Read on to find the perfect game to play with your children and watch them grow!
Playing board games can bring many benefits to a child’s life. Often in areas where we wouldn’t expect it. During those early years of personal development introducing something which has educational value, and which also helps to improve important life skills can only ever be a positive step. A child’s age, and how well they are developing will help us to assess what type of game will benefit their personal growth most.
What Makes the Best Board Games for Kids?
Let’s take a look at the different aspects we can hope to improve on :
- Learning to take turns
Children are notorious for being impatient. Turn based games will help to instil a willingness to wait for what they want. Concentration can also be built up this way by forcing them to pay attention while the other players take their turn.
- Learning about competition
Competitive pursuits can be a lot of fun. Children can be taught to lose gracefully while understanding that winning and losing is a normal part of life. A child’s attention span can be greatly improved by using their natural desire to win.
- Improving numeracy skills
Many games have some type of scoring system which requires a basic use of numbers. Game elements such as a number of cards which can be played over a certain number of turns remaining can help a child gain some confidence with basic arithmetic. It is obviously important that the parent does not give in to any complaints that it’s too time consuming, and then do the calculation themselves. It’s supposed to be a learning experience.
- Taking responsibility for their own actions
When children begin to play any type of competitive team game we often see many of them unwilling to accept they are at fault for a mistake. With most board games being played individually it becomes easier to teach a child that they have to face up to their own errors. Instead of concentrating on the mistake we can teach how to look back on the decisions which led to it in the first place; a great way to improve analytical thinking.
- Planning
One of the best things about being under ten years old is that you live in the here and now. There isn’t any dwelling on the past, nor looking to the future. The problem with this is that young children are terrible at planning by looking ahead. Learning even to plan a turn or two ahead will help to repeat this behavior in real life situation.
- Making tough choices
Very often, just as in real life, there may not be a perfect choice available during a tense game moment. When a decision has to be made the child will quickly learn to assess positives and negatives for each option followed by an opportunity to learn when the consequences are there for all to see.
It doesn’t have to be all about learning though. Fun is an important part of playing games with friends and family. Fostering the idea that learning can be fun with your children will also improve their attitude towards their mainstream education. With all this in mind I’ve selected a wide variety of games all of which I consider are fun to play, with some choices educational in one way or another.
Best Board Games for Kids: Our Picks & Reviews
Hoot Owl Hoot Review
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 4+
This is a game for the younger end of the children’s market. A fully cooperative game where the players have to work together to bring four to six owls home to their nest before the sun comes up.
At the start of the game owl tokens are placed on a track made up of colored sections. Players draw three cards initially, and then play one every turn followed by drawing a replacement. Most cards have a color, but there are also cards with a sun which the player must play right away by moving a sun token one space along the sun track.
When a player plays a color card an owl token can move to the next instance of that color on the owl track. If the section is already occupied then the owl can move along to the next one. This concept gives the players a way to work together by getting them to think ahead to formulate the most effective plan to get the owls home based on what cards they are all holding.
If the sun token reaches the end of its track before the owls are home in their nest then all the players lose together.
Maybe not a game which can maintain a child’s interest for too many years, but for the recommended age group it is extremely popular.
Robot Turtles
Number of Players : 2-5
For Ages : 4+
Only released onto the market in 2013 Robot Turtles is a modern game with a twist. Invented by a software programmer who one afternoon decided if he could produce a game which teaches the fundamentals of programming but still captivates a child’s interest.
The players use “code cards” to dictate the movement of their robot turtle on the board. Forward, left, and right. Any mistakes along the way can be rectified by playing a “bug” card, and the player shouting “undo.” The aim is to reach a jewel which means they win, although it is usual for all players to continue until they have a jewel too.
Varying levels of difficulty have been built into the rules, with ever more complicated code cards, and obstacles available. This helps to give the game decent longevity across a wide range of suitable ages.
Scoring high on most reviews this educational gem comes highly recommended.
Forbidden Island
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 10+
Another cooperative board game, but this time aimed at the older end of the children’s market.
Players each take the role of a different adventurer searching for hidden treasure on a mysterious island. As the island sinks all around them they have to work together to find the treasure and escape in the helicopter before it is totally flooded.
The island is represented by twenty four double sided tiles with one side colored blue to show that section is now flooded. During each turn players can take actions such as moving, shoring up a tile from flooded to not flooded, passing a treasure card to another player in the tile, and collecting a treasure.
There are also two free actions which can be done at any time outside of the player’s normal turn by discarding the corresponding treasure card. Helicopter lifting another player , and sandbagging a flooded tile.
Multiple levels of difficulty have been built into the game, with variation possible by switching around some of the rules. Much has also been said about the high quality of game components provided. Visually impressive, the level of attention to detail is incredible.
At an average of thirty minutes per game this multi award winning game is sure to keep your child entertained for many hours. At such a bargain price it has to be worth a try. I think this is one of the most fun / best board games for kids for the value.
Splendor
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 8+
This multi award winning game absolutely crushes the reviews section anywhere you look. Only published in 2014 Splendor was nominated for the prestigious “Spiel des Jahres” award at the end of its first year on the market.
Players take the role of gem merchants during the renaissance period accumulating prestige points with the aim to collect fifteen before any of your opponents. This is achieved by buying gem mines, means of transportation, or shops.
Each turn a player can collect gems, buy and build a card, or reserve a card. All cards will increase your wealth by giving a bonus on further purchases.
The gameplay is extremely smooth,and simple, with most games completed with half an hour. At first glance you might think it is just too simple to hold interest for long, but that is not true. The best strategy depends on what your opponents are doing, with more players it then becomes much more difficult to play optimally.
A great lesson in planning and forward thinking for any child. This beautifully crafted game is a welcome addition to any collection.
The Magic Labyrinth
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 6+
An easy game to understand and play, The Magic Labyrinth is suitable for the younger end of the market.
Players take the role of magician apprentices trying to recover some magic objects without their master noticing anything. Played on a six by six board which is laid on top of the maze so that the walls are in effect invisible. Players roll dice to determine how many squares they can move each turn, with the aim to move to the square containing a treasure.
Each magician apprentice has a magnetic ball attached beneath the playing piece which becomes detached if the player attempts to move through the wall. The players have to return to their corner starting square if this happens.
The longer this goes on the more accurate mental picture can be built up to locate a clear path to a treasure. A simple but effective tool for encouraging a child to improve their memory.
As each treasure is found, another one is placed with the first player to collect five declared the winner.
Pyramid (AKA Fluch der Mumie or Curse of the Mummy)
Number of Players : 2-5
For Ages : 8+
This is a game with asymmetrical goals where one player takes the role of the mummy, and all the other players are tomb raiders hunting treasure.
The board is set up vertically with a mummy piece on either side, but the tomb raider pieces are hidden from the mummy player.
All players move their piece according to the roll of dice, with the mummy trying to deduce where the tomb raiders are by the color of their treasure cards and what numbers they roll.
Once the mummy moves over a tomb raider player they are considered caught and lose life points. Once the mummy collects a certain number of life points it is the overall winner. If the treasure hunters secure a certain number of treasures then they win.
With the use of dice we have an element of luck. Memorization and even bluffing can become important too.
7 Wonders
Number of Players : 2-7
For Ages : 10+
As a leader of one of the seven great cities of the ancient world you will battle for dominance against the other players. Build up your military supremacy while gathering resources and developing commercial routes.
7 wonders is a dedicated card game with aim of earning as many victory points as possible. The game is played over three ages with a different deck used for each phase. As the age starts each player is dealt seven cards, they select one to play and pass the remainder to an adjacent player face down. This process is repeated until five of the seven cards have been played. Then each player chooses one of their remaining two cards, discarding the other.
The cards represent structures, and when you play the card you are building it. This costs either coins or resources which you have saved. It is also possible to buy resources from a direct neighbor.
With such a wide variety of cards in each deck the possibilities for inventive strategies are many. There are seven different ways to achieve a victory point.
After a great deal of quick success five official expansion packs have been released, with several fan published options available for download free of charge.
Overall this is another highly rated choice that does well in many different review sections online.
Dominion
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 10+
Players take the role of a medieval monarch eager to build an ever more powerful kingdom. They strive to create a dominion!
This is another card based game, but with a difference. Dominion is a deck building game where players compete to create the most valuable deck from fourteen different card types.
Players draw cards from a deck of their own which allow them to perform actions and then buy cards from a communal deck. The aim is to earn the most victory points by the end of the game.
The game comes with five hundred cards allowing incredible variety. No two games are ever likely to be the same.
Each turn the players go through the same sequence of phases. Action phase, buy phase, and clean up phase. The game ends under two different conditions. Either the province card stack is depleted, or when three other stacks from the supply are exhausted. Different end of game conditions were introduced in the game’s expansion packs for some added variety.
At thirty to forty minutes per game it is possible to get through a decent number of games in an evening. One point often made about Dominion is how an experienced player can beat a newbie quite easily. With each game not taking up too much time experience can be built up quickly.
My First Carcassonne
Number of Players : 2-4
For Ages : 4+
This remake of the classic Carcassonne is aimed at including an even younger section of the market.
The back story for this version is that all the town’s sheep, chickens, and cows have been set free in the town of Carcassonne. The children have to capture all the animals before sunset.
Just like in the classic version players draw a landscape tile and place it. The difference is that all the tiles match and so can be placed anywhere on the board. By completing roads players will be able to place their “meeples” wherever on the path there is a picture of their character. The game’s underlying strategy is all about which paths to close off and which to leave alone.
At an average of only twenty minutes per game there shouldn’t ever be any problems with attention spans not being up to the task.
The game teaches children a variety of skills from basic arithmetic, to spatial awareness. If your child learns quickly and masters this version, then of course there is the classic version which will keep them occupied for years to come.
Chess
Number of Players : 2
For Ages : 4+
A repetition from the adults and kids list, but deservedly so. Every single educational benefit mentioned in the introductory section applies to chess. In recent years we are seeing more and more scientific evidence showing how playing the game regularly from an early age can aid brain development.
Attending school with a boosted analytical ability and decision making ability can help a child stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive world.
The mental clarity gained from regular practice can help with just about any other part of somebody’s life. There are no negatives whatsoever, providing other important aspects of a child’s personal development do not get neglected at the expense of chess study or practice. Mainstream education and learning social skills remain firmly at the front of priorities.
Creativity is another aspect of your child’s life which can be boosted through chess. Logic and critical thinking are used mostly, but so often during a game there is opportunity for original thought.
Finally, chess is a discipline which rewards hard work. With a clear numerical rating system for players, any improvement will be highlighted fast enough. A child growing up with the understanding that working hard really does pay off will see this idea pay dividends throughout their life.
Best Board Games for Kids: Conclusion
Unlike choosing a game suitable for both adults and children, choosing for children alone allows us to be more specific in what we are targeting.
Education over fun?
Any of the games listed above will at the very least be fun. If you’re choosing a game without any input from your child then rather than me providing a recommendation, I strongly suggest you look a bit further in depth at a short list to consider what educational aspects are your priority. Overall the best board games for kids is one that’s most of all fun, and if it provides educational or strategic value past that – it’s a bonus! If your children are considering getting into RPG games you can check out my review of the best dice sets for DnD and other similar games.
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