Inside: Looking for the best board games for kids? Here’s my list of the very best games for kids under age 8 – don’t miss this chance for some good ol’ family fun!

What are the best board games for kids?

Sign me up for a good game night: I love board games. But kids…. hmmm… it gets a little trickier trying to find games for kids that are still fun for adults or older siblings.

RELATED: Looking for more toy ideas for kids? Check out my list of 100+ ideas broken down by age!

Why are games so awesome for kids?

Thanks for asking: board games are amazing.

I give my kids a new game for every birthday or Christmas – we have grown quite a collection over the past years and I am here for that!

I truly think of board games as a “write off” for toys: you can’t have too many.

Board games teach our kids so many amazing skills and we need these powerful tools in our lives:

Communication skills
Taking turns
Sharing
Winning AND losing graciously
Rule following
Math skill (most board games have a math element to them when you really think about it…)

When should we start our collection?

How young is too young? How early is too early?

For my kids, age 3 was the golden ticket number for each kiddo with “entry level” game play. These are games like Candy Land and Memory – simple to understand and limited rules to follow.

Around age 3 is when I started helping my kids amass their board game collection and board game repertoire.

Let’s hear it for the game: HERE ARE THE BEST BOARD GAMES FOR KIDS

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Hissss

An absolute whole family favorite and works from age two to 92. It’s a lot about luck in this game of building color matching snakes. Games that are luck based are great for toddlers who don’t quite have their skills up yet.

Yeti in My Spaghetti

What a perfect game for toddlers on up to elementary school – this game awesome. Don’t let the Yeti fall into the bowl… a steady hand is needed here!

Lucky Duck

It’s a little bit memory, a little bit carnival game. The ducks move on a rotating track and my kids LOVE it. This 36 year old happens to really enjoy this one too.

Shark Bite

Another game of total luck: you “fish” for the prey inside the sharks mouth but one will trigger the giant mouth to snap shut. Makes the kids giggle every single time.

Let’s Go Fishin’

Do you remember this one? The fish spin and you try to reel them in. I love this one because kids can play alone OR in a group.

Hi Ho Cherry-O

A fantastic game with some math built it – this is a great one for kids to begin using pieces with and works really well with older siblings too.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

It’s a classic for a reason. Everyone should own Hungry Hungry Hippos. The End.

Perfection

Do you remember this game? You need to add all the pieces back into the puzzle before the timer pops them all loose. It’s fun for kids with the pressure and without – and it’s all about spatial awareness…

Bop-It

Ok technically not a board game but this is the best. It’s not easy but trying to follow the verbal directions of the game with a physical motion is hilarious. Perfect for littles, bigs, and adults (not to toot my own horn, but I do have the neighborhood record right now…)