We’ve been itching to play board games for kids with our family for a while, so once everyone was on board (no pun intended), we hit the ground running, seeking out what all three of our children can enjoy together. This list includes my family’s favorites, from classic to math board games for kids. After a long day, these cooperative board games help us all come together and laugh (and learn how to lose).
But what games can you start with so your four-year-old can begin to understand board games? After years of one-on-one play before preschool, I have a few favorites I cannot wait for you to try. And since my oldest is now nine, I also have games for that age! These are the most fun board games for kids!
Related: Have multiple ages and interests? I have a toy gift guide for every age and stage.
We’ve played and tested these games over the last year, so much that I can play in my sleep. When we began, my four, six, and seven-year-old kept my husband and me on our toes with this collection, and I cannot wait any longer to share them with you.
And boy, did we find some winners! – And, of course, I’ll leave the ho-hum games we tried off this list. Why add something that doesn’t spark joy?
I also created this list so it is simple to scan. Everything is organized into two categories:
- Best board games for ages 4+ (Many suggestions can be played at three)
- Fun board games for ages 6+
Why Play Board Games with Kids?
Do you remember board games as a kid? It is safe to say you do. We grew up with some fun classics! I couldn’t get enough from Clue to Mall Madness (I realize I just dated myself). Board games make the best birthday or holiday gift. The AAP has a good read about 3 ways your child builds important life skills through play.
Board games teach cooperation, such as how to win and lose, and strategy.
They also teach interpersonal skills like communicating ideas, taking turns, playing with rules, and what to do when a player doesn’t play fairly.
Math board games for kids teach number recognition, number sense, classification, and strategy.
Related: Board games on this indoor activity list are great for winter!
Do kids still like playing board games?
The novelty of a board game lives on! Starting around age four, kids understand how to listen to the rules and play accordingly. Classic board games still have their place, and many new games have come to the forefront, captivating families’ attention. Here are my favorite board games for kids.
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Board games for 4 and up
If you are looking for a starting place to begin board games with your littlest kids, I’ve got you! These are the easy board games we adore and enjoy with ages four and up.
Let’s Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar
New to our board game list is the Let’s Feed the Hungry Caterpillar Game. This was a fun and easy preschool game to learn about when I visited the NY Toy Fair. If you have a three-year-old that you want to begin playing games with, this is a perfect intro game.
Trouble
This math board game helps my son recognize number symbols and helps him slow down moving from space to space. This game also teaches us that sometimes our playing piece gets sent back to the start. Losing is a skill that may take time and practice to lose graciously.
Outfoxed
LOVE THIS GAME! The pot pie has gone missing, and it is up to all game players to track it down before the fox reaches the end of the gameboard. Players discover clues and eliminate suspects as they play. Outfoxed is a cooperative board game for ages 4+ where everyone works together.
Eboo Memory Matching Game
This memory-matching game is the BEST! We love many Eboo products, and this memory game takes the cake. My seven-year-old seems to swipe in and scoop up all the matches as I try to remember where I left my water bottle. – Let’s say me playing is probably a good thing for my brain! We are so hooked on memory games that we enjoy the I Never Forget a Face variation.
Sequence for Kids
No reading is required for this Sequence for Kids thinking game! Children pick a card and match their playing chip to the board. The goal is to be the first to create a sequence of four in a row.
Charades for Kids
Our family cracks up when all three of my boys show off their acting skills, trying to guess one another’s cards. It is delightful to watch our youngest son. His acting is on point! No reading is required because there is a picture included on each card. This is a lot of fun for the entire family!
Let’s Go Fishin’
Talk about hand-eye coordination! This game has all ages holding a steady hand as the fish connects to the small fishing pole. We’ve played this game since my boys were three. It’s a great game to keep at the grandparent’s house to play together.
Zingo
Zingo is easy to learn and fun for ages 4+. Build language skills by matching simple words with their image—clear instructions to play. This educational game is well-loved by many.
Jenga
Jenga is another game that works well with many different ages. Stack the pieces up and carefully pull one at a time without having the tower tumble over. Steady hands and a slight risk are the focus of this game.
Don’t Break the Ice
You may have seen this classic before. Just like Jenga, Don’t Break the Ice presents a fun challenge to hold a steady hand and take a little risk without causing the ice to come crashing down.
Board games for ages 6 and up
Remember, ages are simply a guide. Here, it felt like five was when my boys got into most of the games listed on this board games for ages six and up list.
Tapple
Ditch the worksheets and work on vocabulary and initial sounds with this fun and fast-paced game. It’s not just for kids—adults also like to race to compete with it.
Super Mario Monopoly
Years later, this is still my favorite variation of Monopoly. Have you played Monopoly with your kids? Super Mario Monopoly was our introduction to Monopoly, and I am so happy we started here. It simplified the parts and pieces needed to advance players and purchase properties with only two coins. My boys also love the Mario Brothers, so this game was a winner as soon as they unwrapped it. It is a strategy and math game that reinforces skip counting.
UNO Attack
If your family enjoys traditional UNO, you must try UNO Attack. My youngest received it as a gift for his sixth birthday, and the boys are hooked. It is a clever spin on the classic game. It is literally high-flying fun, like the box suggests.
The Genius Square
Roll the dice and plug in the wooden circles. The goal is to fill in the missing spaces using the different puzzle pieces. Players can play this game alone or challenge a friend to see who can complete the puzzle in time. The Genius Square is SUCH a fantastic math board game for elementary-aged children and beyond.
Ticket to Ride
A friend suggested this Ticket to Ride board game for kids for my six and seven-year-olds to play. It has inspired lots of strategic thinking! The goal is to complete train routes by gathering cards of coordinating colors. We like to play this game before bedtime and get everyone involved. If you are looking for a strategy board game for elementary-aged children, THIS IS IT!
No Stress Chess
Admittedly, this game is more for me than it is for my boys. They learned pretty quickly with my husband’s guidance. I, on the other hand, cannot remember where the queen can move. All joking aside, No Stress Chess simplifies the game to help all ages learn how to play and continue the love for years to come.
Sleeping Queens
Have you played Sleeping Queens? This is a fun card game for kids that takes twists and turns along the way. Did you know this game was created by a six-year-old?
Rummikub
This game just arrived at our home after a few of my friends urged me to try it with our family. It is a fast-paced game that reinforces sequencing, patterns, and cooperation.
Kannodle Pyramid
This is another game I took notice of at the New York Toy Fair. The Kannoodle Pyramid makes a fun stocking stuffer with 200 challenges for your child who enjoys strategy games.
Kanoodle Head to Head
Now kids can challenge family members over the holidays, making this well-known brain teaser game into a game for two. Fun fact, it has been around for a long time, but TikTok made it famous by reintroducing it. Gotta love the power of social!
Outsmarted
I was introduced to Oursmarted at the New York Toy Fair. This interactive game is for 2 to 24 players and adjusts difficulty based on each player’s age. Bring this LIVE family game show right to your living room!
Qwirkle
Qwirkle is a game we can introduce at a young age. The idea is to build lines by matching the tiles based on color or shape. Younger children can play with matching tiles. Older children can deepen the play by adding spatial recognition, planning, and problem-solving skills to collect points for each line created—an excellent game to extend concepts such as sorting objects by more than one attribute.
Something to think about
What we learn in school may be the foundations, but playing board games allows us to put the concepts into practice! Let’s improve on what we’ve learned through play. Board games do just that! Board games for kids have entered our home and are here to stay.
Which game will you introduce to your family first? I cannot wait to hear which board game you pick.
More toy ideas for kids:
Frequently Asked Questions
My older three-year-old really enjoyed Trouble and Sequence. I start by teaching my preschooler how to play correctly and modify based on maturity. For Trouble, we had some time where we focused more on recognizing number symbols and total amounts over the strategy of sending players home.
My boys really enjoy Super Mario Monopoly. Use coins to buy properties, build houses, and win! This game also teaches them strategy and how to lose.
Losing isn’t easy, which is why we practice. We shake hands at the end of each family game night and say great game. This builds sportsmanship. The more we play, the more wins and losses to practice feeling both.
