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Designed for two to four players, this game involves taking turns to move along the six-foot gameboard through Busytown, helping Goldbug find hidden objects along the way. This game helps build observational skills and attention to detail, as well as encouraging teamwork and reinforcing object identification and matching skills. Players can play in teams to help each other find hidden objects, and gameplay only lasts about 20 minutes so kids don’t lose focus. This game is designed for players 36 months to 8 years old.
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This is a perfect beginner’s board game for young players. The Ladybug Game is designed for kids who are new to counting or reading as they travel along the brightly colored game board. Designed for two to four players aged 3 and up, this game involves taking turns to move along the board and following the instructions on the action spaces. Every time you play the game will be different, ensuring endless fun. This game does a good job of introducing board games to young children in a way that is engaging and easy to follow.
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Classic Monopoly is fun and addictive, but can be a bit too complex for youngsters. However, with the Monopoly Junior board game, kids can reap all the benefits of the original in a version suitable for little ones! This version of the game is simpler and faster to play. It also comes with cute versions of the classic Monopoly tokens that kids are sure to love. The location names are swapped with locations relevant to kids, such as a zoo and a video game arcade. Meanwhile, reading the chance cards and location names is a great way to bolster early learning in reading and spelling. Money in the game consists of easy-to-count one-dollar bills, which is also a great way to teach math basics. This game is ideal for any child ages 5 and up.
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The Game of Life Junior offers a fun and easy-to-play version of the game just for kids! One of the great features of this game is the level of engagement it offers. As players pick up cards, they have the opportunity to perform fun actions that engage the other players, such as playing charades. Completing these actions helps players earn stars, and the first to receive 10 stars wins the game. Reading the cards also benefits kids as they work on their reading comprehension skills. This version of The Game of Life is recommended for players ages 5 and up.
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What child doesn’t love mermaids? In Peaceable Kingdom Mermaid Island, kids get to work together to help mermaids swim to safety on Mermaid Island. Players spin to see how many spaces they can move the mermaids on the board as they make their way to the island in hopes of getting there before the sea witch. One of the great things about this game is that rather than working against each other, kids work together in cooperative play. This is especially great for helping to build social skills among younger children. Peaceable Kingdom Mermaid Island is recommended for kids ages 5 and older.
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The original version of Clue, in addition to being a little more complex, can be a little scary for younger children. In this version, rather than solving a murder, kids put their critical thinking and deductive skills to the test as they try to find out which of the party guests stole the cake, when they took it and what they drank with it. The game features fun, colorful game pieces that represent the original Clue characters in a kid-friendly form. Reading the clues and writing them down on the provided notepad is also a great way to build reading, writing and spelling skills. This game is recommended for players ages 5 and up.
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Trouble may seem simple enough. The primary goal is to get all of your game pieces to the finish. Movement around the board is based on the number that comes up when the Pop-O-Matic bubble containing the dice is popped. However, one’s token can be bumped back to the start if another player lands on their spot! In addition to building critical thinking skills, this game can also help develop basic math skills, as kids will need to count the number of spaces required to overtake opponents and make it to the finish. Recommended for children ages 5 and older.
Expert Commentary
“I love this age of children — it’s often when they enter kindergarten and are really starting to show their smarts. This is the perfect time to introduce them to simple yet provoking board games that teach concentration and thinking, while associating these learnings with extreme fun. Board games are also a great way to divert kids away from smart devices and screens.”