Best Board Games for Kids

Spot It!

Need a travel game? A car game? A diaper bag game? You need Spot it! It’s part matching, part Where’s Waldo and really just about the best “toy” to always have on you. Fun for all ages of kids.

Outfoxed

Think Clue for kids but with cooperative learning and less murder. This is one of my personal favorite games to play with kids – it has some really cool elements that make it a total stand out.

Note about Outfoxed: This is a truly special game that will be enjoy by kids well into elementary school. The first time they will be interested in it is late preschool-age.

Cooties

Did you also forget about how awesome cooties are? I sure did. Toddlers love them. My big kids love them. In fact, my big kids argue over whose room they should live in.

First Orchard

One of the absolute all-stars in the “my first games” category: First Orchard is a knock out. Counting skills, turn taking, fine motor skills… this is a classic that’s sold millions of copies for a reason.

Unicorn Glitterluck

This is the most adorable game with gems, dice, and cute wooden unicorns. It’s a sweet game for little learners – and one that big kids and adults won’t mind playing.

Hoot Owl Hoot!

A cooperative play game where everyone works together to win (or lose together). These games are fun for little ones to learn basic game play skills (like taking turns).

Sequence for Kids

Here’s the thing about this version of Sequence: my kids started playing this years ago with the neighbor kids. They’re all 7-12 years old now. Guess what game they go back to constantly? Sequence for Kids: a game designed for ages 3+. It’s a banger.

Story Time Chess

Yes, I put this chess game in the right section. Story Time Chess is an awesome, award winning way for kids to learning the game of chess, as early as the preschool years. With a storybook and characters, kids learn the basics in a much more fun way than I ever did.

Kids on Stage

This is the perfect charades game for kids – it’s just so well done. The cards have pictures and words on them so kids who aren’t readers can still enjoy this game with their reading siblings and friends. If you have drama-loving kids, acting it out here will be the best. My kids love this game still.

The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game!

This game gets 10k reviews on Amazon, and I can add 3 more five-star reviews from my kids. It’s a sweet little game with cute pieces.

Lava Lizard

This is a sweet little 2-player matching game and it is perfect for littles. There are 5 different ways to play the game and that variety is awesome. This is a really great first game for kids (and stays fun for years).

Zingo!

This is a just-right-for-kids BINGO!!! This is the best little game for kids and parents or siblings with an age gap – a fun alternative to traditional BINGO that doesn’t require reading skills.

Hi Ho Cherry-O

It’s a GOAT for a reason. If you are looking to add hands-on counting and math skill games into your playroom, this should be on your short list.

Yeti in my Spaghetti

What a perfect game for toddlers on up to elementary school – it’s been a favorite here for half a decade. It’s got a very Jenga-element: remove the spaghetti without letting the Yeti fall.

The Fairy Game

A cooperative learning game (win together or lose together), The Fairy Game pits the players again “Mr. Winter.” Will you help the fairies save the garden? This game is really fun and is one that my 8 year old and his 6 year old neighbor friend pull out often to play.

Lucky Ducks

It’s a little bit memory,  a little bit carnival game. I know it looks gimmicking but it’s really fun. The ducks move on a rotating track and my kids loved it. This 40 year old also really enjoyed this one too. We passed this on to our neighbors when they were 3 and 4 – a hit for that family too.

Dinosaur Escape

Another fantastic cooperative play game from Peaceable Kingdom – part strategy, part luck, and all teamwork. Especially if you have kids who love dinosaurs, this game is a perfect introduction to board games.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

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

Gnomes at Night

This two-player maze game is one of my family’s favorites. You sit on opposite sides of a maze and can only see half of the board. Together, you have to communicate to move the gnomes around the maze. It’s not easy!!! But it’s fantastic, and fun, and something we keep coming back to, especially my 9 year old.

Hurry Up Chicken Butt

This game is perfect. It’s a hot potato style concept – pass around a chicken until it clucks, but you also have to draw cards and do the actions. It’s funny, you laugh a lot, and you’ll race to tap a chicken butt. This game doesn’t technically need reading skills, but it’s helpful which is why I dropped it into the 5+ category.

I Saw it First!

If you have kids who like “Spot It!” and I-spy style games, take it up a notch with I Saw it First! This game is fantastic. 300 jungle animals to spot on 7 interlocking, double-sided hexagons. You draw a token and try to find that animal first. It is addicting. My family has loved this game for years.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

An absolute winner!!!! I’m not sure how to explain this one: it’s a rapid fire card game with a slap jack element. Can you just take my word? Kids over about age 6 (and adults) will love it. Ah! There’s just something about this game. *Chef’s Kiss*

Nekojima

This is an award winning new game in 2025 and what a winner it is. It’s a reverse Jenga-style game where you create a power grid (towers) on Nekojima Island. You also hang cats off the wire. It sounds a little odd, so just trust me. This unique game can be head to head or cooperative play, and was a hit with ages 7+ around here.

Mancala

Did you play Mancala as a kid? I did. Then as a K-1 teacher, I watched hundreds of students fall in love with this. Now, I’ve watched the same magic come over my kids. Mancala is a joy.

Flip 7

UNDER $8!! I am obsessed with this game. It’s a cross between “Press Your Luck” (no whammy, no whammy) and Black Jack. Rounds take only a minute with a good combination of luck and skill. You need to get as many points possible in a round without pulling a duplicate card from the deck. Will you hit and press your luck or stay and hope your opponents bust?

Rhino Hero

10/10 game with many elements. Think Jenga, House of Cards, and Uno rolled into one game with a tiny wooden Rhino as the kicker. This game is excellent for ages 6 to adult (caught my wholesome husband playing it alone).

Super Skills

Remember Minute to Win It? This is basically that but as a self contained game. Perfect for family game night (says 8+ but I say 5+).

Shut the Box

I know this doesn’t look like much, but this game is addicting and absolutely perfect (which is why it’s so simple looking)! It’s technically a math game: roll the two dice, add the numbers or take them as singles, and begin to “shut” the box. You get one chance to close each number before your round is over. If we’re being honest, I’m going to go play a few rounds solo after I finish this sentence.

Sleeping Queens

This is a really fun game for the older kids (the box says 8+, I’d say 5+). The goal is to wake up as many queens as possible… but it takes a little skill and a little luck to win. Side note: I would play this one with adults too. It’s that fun.

Chipzi

I hope you’ll take a chance on this brand new game. I played a demo of this game in 2024 with the creators, and finally got my own set in June 2025. There are 11 games you can play with these chips, so you get a lot of bang for your game buck. None of the games require reading so this works for a wide age range and is fun/challenging for all.

Rat-a-Tat Cat

Hello to the favorite of my neighborhood for all of last winter. Ages 5+ on this one and have the best time trying to avoid the rat and find the cats. This one plays in fast rounds, best with 3+ players (IMO).

Color Brain Disney

I recognize the box for this says 12+ but I spent all last year playing this game with a 4-year-old who consistently beat me, so I disagree… respectfully. If you are a Disney family, pick up this game (which involves no reading). Answer questions like “What 5 colors are on Mrs. Potts tea kettle?” and “What color is Mike Wazowski’s eye?”

Monopoly Junior

This really is Monopoly for kids – it’s so good, such a great first step, and so perfectly done. My son latched onto this game at age 5 and spent years obsessing over it. It plays in about 15 minutes, unlike regular Monopoly.

Happy Salmon

10/10 on this game for kids and adults, mixed ages, or adults only. It’s loud, it’s funny, it uses hand motions. It’s an absolute hoot and the rounds are FAST.

Feelin’ Cute

One of our favorite new games for 2025! This is a subjective game where you are guessing how another person feels about each animal. Is it cuter than that one? My daughter (10) adores this games. She plays it with friends or just looks at the cute animal cards to make her own line up. If you have an animal lover, this is the game of the year for them.

Taco vs. Burrito

My kids love this game – and it was created by a 7 year old, It’s quirky, fun, and really does only take about 15 minutes so it’s an easy after dinner, before bedtime game.

The Fuzzies

Think Jenga but with pom pom balls and cards to draw with challenges. Sometimes, you have to use tweezers to pull out the pom pom ball. Sometimes, you have to pick a specific color. It’s a really great twist on an old favorite.

Monza

We love Monza! This game has a beginning and advanced board (double sided). As kids and adults get better at this race car dice game, you get more skilled in strategy. This is a cool game.

Exploding Kittens

Another game that took my family by storm in 2023. Players draw cards until one “explodes” (very Russian roulette) and the anticipation builds…then strategy comes into play. My kids introduced Exploding Kittens to their aunt and she immediately bought it for her adult friends. It’s that good.

No Stress Chess

Do you have a child interested in Chess? This is a great way to start them off. Players flip cards over that tell them what to do each turn. While it does take the logic out of Chess, it teaches children the moves of the game and lays a great foundation.

Sloth in a Hurry

This game is adorable and so much fun. It’s an improv game for kids – charades with a twist. Instead of just acting out a dinosaur… this game adds the who, what, and how. Can you act out a dinosaur making a sandwich on the moon? It’s a sweet family game.

Get Wild

Another “all play” game (no taking turns). It’s fast-paced and wild. Work to restore the habitat of your National Park… it’s easier than it sounds. A great learning opportunity and a truly fun game for adults, kids, or a mix.

Parcheesi

A true classic – there’s something so adorable about kids playing such an old fashioned game. My 3 kids (6, 7, 9) absolutely love this one and have for many years.

Blokus

We love this. By we, I mean, my kids AND my husband and me. In fact, my husband and I regularly play this without the kids. It’s like a game of Tetris but actively hindering the person next to you. So much strategy and critical thinking.

Buildzi

Think head to head logic puzzle/building game. You race to see who can make the vertical puzzle fastest (or play solo).

800 Pound Gorilla

Omg, I love this game. This came out in June 2024 from the makers of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. In this game, you guess the size of gorillas, move fast, and try to steal coconuts and bananas. I have had so much fun playing this with my kids and the neighbor kids. Instant classic.

Deduckto

This was another stand-out new games (to me) in 2024. I think this game is a riot and a great take on “Clue” style play – my kids agree. Everyone has a character they are trying to suspect they are trying to deduce the name of (along with their location and disguise). Simple, but a mental workout.

Moose Match Mayhem

From the creators of Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – I think I like this one even more. It’s a loud game matching cards, watching out for yetis, and making set. It’s high energy, doesn’t require reading skills, but definitely is best for 7+ (lots of motor coordination needed).

One Two Many Rabbits

Think Shut the Box meets a deck of cards. This is a FANTASTIC game of number sense and addition for kids and adults. There’s so much strategy and so much math in this game – plus it’s got a lot of extra twists and is just plain fun.

Cover Your Assets

A very fun card game that my family can’t get enough of. There’s a lot of stealing involved in this game which makes it very competitive, but in a good way.

One Night Ultimate Werewolf

THE GAME OF OUR YEAR. My kids and their friends can’t get enough of this game. If you ever played Mafia as a kid, this is very similar EXCEPT there is a narrator on a downloadable app to run the game for you. Each round, each player is assigned a role then has to suss out who is the werewolf. It’s a lot of deception and misdirection, all in the name of fun and saving other villagers.

Genius Square

My personal favorite game! Play solo or head to head: this game has 60,000 different puzzle combinations so it has a bit of longevity. It’s like competitive Tetris. I’m obsessed.

Mastermind

This is an old school game that many people used to own. I’m determined to bring it back. Mastermind is a logic puzzle, guess and check game for 2 players. One sets a 4-color pattern and the other has 10 turns to guess the combination in the correct order. I promise, it’s fantastic – but it’s not easy…

Throw Throw Burrito

This was the stand-out new game for my family in 2022. It’s an all play game (you don’t take turns) and each round ends with people in your family throwing foam burritos at each other. There just isn’t much more we can ask for from a game. It’s perfect. Ages 5-7 will want to play this game – they’ll do great but will need an adult partner.

Happy Mochi

This is a brand new game, just released in Fall 2025. It’s a fast paced game of discarding, matching pairs, but you can’t rearrange your cards which adds a fun twist. The theming with mochi is also just adorable and my kids loved it.

Unstable Unicorns

“Build a unicorn army. Betray your friends.” This is an epic card game that my family can’t get enough of. My daughter isn’t the biggest game player…. unless this is the game we pick then she’s all in. She holds our family record for largest unicorn army and that tracks.

Trio

When I asked the game designer to explain Trio to me, he said “What if Go Fish could be fun again?” He nailed it. This is a variation of Go Fish but for big kids and adults. You can only ask to see someone’s highest or lowest card, which means you need to keep mental track of cards. It was a huge hit for my crew.

Kingdomino

Super cool game (and game series) with multiplication elements so be ready for that. Players are connecting kingdoms like dominoes in this fantasy-based tabletop game.

Six Second Scribble

Obsessed with this alternative to Pictionary – and frankly, way more fun. You pick a card and have 60-seconds to draw as many items from the card as possible. You then pass your sheet to the next player who has to guess everything you drew. You each get points for correct guesses. This is a needed twist on a classic.

What’s the Point?

This is a sweet card game and I’m such a fan of it, but it’s new and from a newer game maker. My big plug for this game: if you have a mix of siblings and are looking for a fun game to introduce card play that everyone will have fun playing, this would be my pick. While it’s simple to learn, it’s really fun to play. This is a hidden gem.

Dragonwood

Set in a mythical forest, Dragonwood is rich with strategy opportunities and game play critical thinking. A great first step before some of the more complex tabletop fantasy games.

Play Nine

I absolutely love this game – and I’m not a golf fan. This is a brilliant game of card trading, luck, strategy, and math. Lowest score wins, it’s themed for golf-lovers, but perfect for all.

Skull King

If you are someone who loves Hearts, Skull King is the game for your family. This is a trick-taking game (the same family of game play as Hearts, Spades, and Pinochle), but it introducing this game play style in a really awesome, engaging way for kids.

Pickup

A cross over for any kids who love sports (especially basketball) and card games. This is essentially a fantasy basketball game played with cards and it is so clever, so well done, and such a needed theme for a card game. I’m really jazzed about this new game!

Poetry for Neanderthals

Think Taboo, but with a vocabulary twist and an inflatable bat. If you speak in anything other than single syllable words, someone hits you (gently) with the blow up bat. It’s hysterical.

Harmonies

My 10 year olds pick for Best Board Game of 2025 (and she typically hates board games). This is a great introduction to strategy games (like Catan), but simplified to 30 minutes of play as you try to create a harmonious world of landscapes and animals. This is an award winning new game for a reason.

Monkey Palace

A 2024 board game release that merges games and LEGO bricks. What a combination and it WORKS. My 11 year old neighbor was gifted this and it’s been a heavy favorite with him, my 9-year-old, 12-year-old, and 43-year-old husband. Everyone loves Monkey Palace. A solid choice for big kids who have a LEGO love.

Sixem Dice Game

A new game from a new company – we love to see it. This dice game looks very simple and it’s really easy to learn… but it’s full of strategy and sabotage which are my favorite things to do during a game. This game is awesome.

That Escalated Quickly

My kids gave this to their Dad for Christmas 2024 – huge hit!!! The game is quirky. One person is “it,” reads a card, and the other players each give one clue to build an intensity scale. The player who is “it” tries to guess where on the intensity scale 1-10 the other players fall. “I’m preforming in a talent show. What’s my act? 1 = least likely I’ll get expelled. 10 = most likely I’ll get expelled.” It makes us laugh and laugh and laugh.

Combo

We really like this game. It’s another new game that’s amazing for the 10+ to adult crowd. It’s a take on rummy and poker, and it’s definitely challenging. It’s kind of cooperative play and kind of competitive, which gives it a really unique flavor.

Forbidden Island

A cooperative play game for big kids and adults – this game is hard! Work together as a group to escape from a forbidden island. This is NOT like the cooperative games you may have played with the kids in preschool. This is a challenge… and one my family loses more than wins.

Azul

A strategy board game using mosaic tiles, my 10-year-old and husband love this game. It’s competitive, strategic, and take under 45 minutes to complete.