🎁 Board Games for Kids
The best board games for family game night, organized by age and player count.
Board games build critical thinking, social skills, patience, and family bonds. From simple color-matching for preschoolers to complex strategy for tweens, the right game creates memories and teaches life skills disguised as fun.
⭐ Top Picks
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
Simplified train-route strategy game perfect for introducing strategic thinking.
Hoot Owl Hoot
Cooperative game where players work together to help owls fly home before sunrise.
Blokus
Spatial strategy game — fit your colored pieces while blocking opponents. Simple rules, deep strategy.
Sushi Go!
Fast-paced card drafting game with adorable sushi characters. Easy to learn, hard to master.
Candy Land
The classic first board game — no reading required. Just match colors and move!
Catan Junior
Pirate-themed resource trading game that introduces the beloved Catan system.
💡 Buying Guide Tips
Start with cooperative games to avoid sore losers
Keep game sessions short for younger kids (15-20 minutes max)
Let kids teach the games to build confidence and comprehension
Family game night once a week builds lasting traditions
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What board games are best for different ages?
Ages 3-4: Candy Land, Hi Ho Cherry-O. Ages 5-6: Hoot Owl Hoot, Sorry. Ages 7-8: Ticket to Ride: First Journey, Blokus. Ages 9+: Catan Junior, Sushi Go, Codenames.
How do I deal with kids who hate losing?
Start with cooperative games (everyone wins or loses together). Praise strategy and effort, not just winning. Model good sportsmanship yourself. "I lost but I had fun trying that new strategy!" works better than a lecture.
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