educational card games for 5 year olds

25 of the Best Card Games For Kids and Families

Best Card Games For Kids and Families

• 1. Uno Card Game

2. Codenames

• 3. Sushi Go!
• 4. Sleeping Queens Card Game
• 5. Zeus on the Loose
• 6. Rat-A-Tat-Cat
• 7. Too Many Monkeys
• 8. Smack it!
• 9. Face Off!
• 10. Hoagie
• 11. Trash War
• 12. Family Feud Strikeout Card Game
• 13. ION Card Game
• 14. COLOROW
• 15. Phase 10 Card Game
• 16. Five Crowns
• 17. TABLETOPICS Family
• 18. RoosterFin Rooster Race
• 19. Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat Card Game

20. Would You Rather/You Gotta Be Kidding Card Game

• 21. ThinkFun 4 Children’s Card Games
• 22. Sneaky Cards Card Game
• 23. Spot it! Splash Card Game
• 24. Loaded Questions Junior
• 25. Quiddler

Not only are they fun and engaging entertainment, but card games for kids also encourage the development of skills like strategy, communication, mathematics, and much more. While many of us remember playing a variety of card games using a simple deck of cards, those basic concepts have been expanded in clever ways to produce exciting card games that can be enjoyed by both children and adults.

I believe well-designed card games for kids foster healthy competition and social interaction and are equally enjoyable for every member of the family. Here are a few of the best!

1. Uno Card Game

The classic Uno Card Game has been a favorite for generations because of exciting gameplay that is fun and easy to learn for both children and adults. The gameplay involves matching colors and numbers with the card shown on the top of the deck. ‘Game-changing’ cards like Skips, Reverses, Draw Twos, Wild, and Draw Four Wild are used to change the outcome of the game.

Promotes: Strategy, Numbers, Colors

Ages:  7+

The popular party game  Codenames  is a great choice for older children and teens. Gameplay is fairly brief, only about 15 minutes, and teams must try to use their skills of deduction and wordplay to identify the ‘spy’ word. Like many card games for kids, the gameplay is actually relatively simple. But, Codenames requires plenty of thought and concentration in order to win. It’s a great game for a party or family game night.

Promotes:  Vocabulary, Cooperation

Ages:  14+

3. Sushi Go!

A Kickstarter card game that has achieved a high level of popularity,  Sushi Go! – The Pick and Pass Card Game  is a fast-paced strategy card game. Players must score the most points by choosing cards that represent the best combination of sushi dishes. Because game play is simple and easy to understand, it’s an excellent game for children. Adults and older kids will enjoy the more involved strategy aspects, and the entire family can enjoy playing together.

Promotes: Strategy, Probability, Visual Recognition

Ages:  8+

4. Sleeping Queens Card Game

The idea for the Sleeping Queens Card Game was actually developed by a six-year-old girl who couldn’t fall asleep. With the help of her parents and older sister, the Sleeping Queens Card game was fully realized. Players use strategy and a little luck to wake the sleeping queens, hopefully not encountering potions and dragons that can get in the way. The player that wakes the most sleeping queens wins the game. The cards are colorful and durable, and gameplay is simple enough for children yet will entertain adults as well.

Promotes:  Memory, Strategy, Arithmetic

5. Zeus on the Loose

Zeus on the Loose is a fun, strategic card game featuring the Gods of Greek mythology, like Zeus, Hera, and Apollo. Players combine numbered cards using basic arithmetic skills, with the ultimate goal of climbing Mount Olympus and catching Zeus. A fantastic game for teaching math skills in the classroom and at home; consider having an adult help to keep the math on track.

Promotes:  Strategy, Addition, Subtraction

6. Rat-A-Tat-Cat

Winner of the Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award and Mensa Best New Mind Game Award,  Rat-A-Tat-Cat  is one of the most popular educational card games for kids, both at home and in the classroom. Players must employ strategy, memory, and even their ‘poker face’ as they choose and swap cards with the ultimate goal of holding the lowest-scoring hand. Everyone loves the fun, bad guys vs. good guys cat illustrations on the cards.

Promotes:  Strategy, Memory, Addition

Ages:  6+

7. Too Many Monkeys

Too Many Monkeys  is a great game for younger children learning to count. A single game only takes 15 minutes to play, so little ones can finish an entire game without becoming bored. It’s a simple game and requires no reading and only counting. Players must flip and swap cards in numerical order to get Primo the Monkey back into bed. Monkeys, elephants, and even giraffes join in on the fun. Too Many Monkeys is a quick game that is fun for bedtime or anytime.

Promotes:  Strategy, Counting

8. Smack it!

Smack it!  is an updated twist on popular card games for kids, like Slapjack and War. In this fast-paced, exciting, and rowdy game, players flip cards into a central pile and ultimately must battle to win the entire pile. With easy-to-learn gameplay and simple concepts, different ages can play together – a great game for family game night.

Promotes:  Counting, Reaction Time, Focus

9. Face Off!

Face Off! Card Game for Hilarious Family Game Night Fun  is exactly what it claims to be – a hilarious card game for the entire family. It features super fast-paced gameplay in real-time. There are no taking turns, so this game can definitely get a little rowdy. In order to win, players must communicate using signals to ‘talk’ to other players. The variety of signals like noisy farmyard animals, sticking out your tongue, bulging open your eyes, looking like you’ve just sucked on a sour lemon and much more add to the fun and variety of the exciting but simple gameplay.

Promotes:  Creativity, Communication

‘Fight the Oogies and build the perfect sandwich’ in  Hoagie – A Goofy Kitchen Adventure . Developed by Quirky Engine specifically to be fun for adults and children to play together, Hoagie is fun and engaging for everyone from pre-schoolers to grandparents. The game features simple, easy-to-understand instructions and whimsical, character-driven gameplay. Reverses and more can thwart other players’ progress while each player combines their cards for the best hoagie. May the best sandwich win!

Promotes:  Strategy, Taking Turns

Ages:  5+

11. Trash War

‘One of the best fast-action card games for two to five people’,  Trash War  features a fantasy land of Junkyard Dogs of War and Medieval knights. Sure, there’s no real history, but the character-driven gameplay and creatively illustrated cards are fun for all ages. With uncomplicated rules, the game is simple to learn and play right out of the box.

Promotes:  Strategy, Creativity

Ages:  10+

12. Family Feud Strikeout Card Game

Based on the popular television game show, in the  Family Feud Strikeout Card Game , players must match the answers to the survey questions. After too many failed attempts, it’s the other team’s chance to score. One of the more compact card games for kids, it’s easy to pack up for travel. Take it on your next family vacation and enjoy the fun.

Promotes:  Communication, Vocabulary, Teamwork

13. ION Card Game

Great for a large range of ages, the  ION Card Game  uses symbols rather than words, so even children that are not readers yet can join in on the fun. There are two types of gameplay, fast game or tournament mode. Enjoy a quick five-minute game or sit down for an hour-long tournament. Gameplay is similar to UNO, and a player must use action cards that affect the other players and hopefully get them one step closer to the win.

Promotes:  Strategy, Visual Recognition, Counting

14. COLOROW

In  COLOROW , players use strategy to match colors and create combinations that allow them to lay down all of their own cards while attempting to prevent the other players from accomplishing just that. Gameplay is relatively simple and easy to learn, yet there are plenty of opportunities for creative methods of gameplay. Colorow can be played with two to four players, and while some card games for kids can be somewhat boring when played by only two people, this one offers plenty of fun.

Promotes:  Strategy, Color Recognition

15. Phase 10 Card Game

From the makers of Uno, the  Phase 10 Card Game  is similar to rummy and uses these colorful cards. But, it’s the addition of the action cards that really ramps up the excitement. Players must create phase sequences like runs, cards of all one color, or combinations of these. Each phase must be completed in order, and the first player to achieve ten phases wins the game.

Promotes:  Strategy, Numbers

16. Five Crowns

Incredibly popular among players and reviewers,  Five Crowns  is also similar to rummy, but a rotating wild card keeps players guessing and the outcome uncertain. Instead of just four suits like a traditional card deck, this game features six suits, adding a lot more options for sequences and sets. It takes about 45 minutes to complete a single game, and Five Crowns can even be played as a solitaire game.

Promotes:  Strategy, Visual Recognition

17. TABLETOPICS Family

TABLETOPS Family  is the perfect game for family game night or as a vehicle to engage the entire family, even the little ones, in meaningful dinnertime, bedtime, or car ride conversations. A four-inch cube holds 135 questions that are appropriate for a wide range of ages. Some questions are silly, and others are thought-provoking, but each one is carefully designed to engage the entire family in conversation.

Promotes:  Communication, Conversational Skills, Critical Thinking

18. RoosterFin Rooster Race

Everyone from kindergartners to grandparents will enjoy playing  RoosterFin Rooster Race . In the fast-paced and simple gameplay, players must make an educated guess as to whether the top card in their own stack is lower or higher than the last card played by another player. There’s an element of luck, and a wide range of ages can play together with equal opportunities for winning the game – little ones won’t feel left out, and adults won’t be bored.

Promotes:  Memorization, Numbers, Probability

19. Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat Card Game

Developed through research and numerous play tests, the  Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat Card Game  challenges children to create challenges by flipping over three cards. The combination dictates hilarious activities like run, slide, hide, seek, sort, explore, and dance. The simple gameplay provides hours of fun using 45 cards, a rules cards, and a Suess inspired foam fish bowl.

Promotes:  Confidence, Early Reading Skills, Creativity, Social Skills

Ages:  36 months +

Enjoy two different card games for kids with the  Would You Rather/You Gotta Be Kidding Card Game  game pack. The ultimate card ride games for kids and adults, these two games pose hilarious questions that prompt endless answers and can provide hours of fun. Rather than watching movies or staring at tablets, engage your kids in conversation. Perfect for family game night and as funny dinner time conversation starters.

Promotes:  Vocabulary, Creativity, Communication Skills

21. ThinkFun 4 Children’s Card Games

ThinkFun 4 Children’s Card Games  is a set of four of the most popular card games for kids. The set includes the classics: Crazy Eights, Hearts, Old Maid, and Rummy. Children will love learning to master these games for the first time, and adults will enjoy playing the familiar card games from childhood.

Promotes:  Memorization, Matching, Communication Skills

Ages:  4+

22. Sneaky Cards Card Game

A fun and uniquely designed card game, the  Sneaky Cards Card Game  engages players in a scavenger hunt to complete various tasks, challenging them the become ‘a secret agent of joy’. Once a player completes an objective, they pass it on to another person, bringing them in to the game. It’s an open-ended and endless game of positive fun.

Promotes:  Creativity, Social Interaction

23. Spot it! Splash Card Game

Card games for kids are most often played indoors, but this version of the popular Spot it! game is made for outdoor summer fun. Spot it! Splash Card Game has waterproof cards that can be used at the beach or by the pool without any fear of the cards being ruined by the water. Store the cards in the mesh drawstring bag. Spot it! has five fun gameplay variations for practically endless fun.

Promotes:  Symbol Recognition

Ages:  7 -15

24. Loaded Questions Junior

A version of the immensely popular Loaded Questions card game, now developed for kids, Loaded Questions Junior Card Game  requires players to answer a variety of questions that are also great conversation starters. Keep score and win the game, or just use the question cards to prompt social interaction one on one or in a group.

Promotes:  Communication Skills, Critical Thinking

25. Quiddler

Fun for new readers and experienced adults alike, Quiddler is the winner of multiple ‘Best Game’ awards. Players use their cards to spell words and win bonuses for the longest word and the most words. Quiddler can be played with multiple players or as a solitaire game, and gameplay lasts around 35 minutes. Gameplay is simple but versatile – it’s never the same thing twice.

Promotes:  Spelling, Vocabulary, Critical Thinking

Tell us about your favorite card games for kids in the comments below!

Gillian is a blogger and freelance writer. She rules her tiny corner of the internet from a farm in rural Virginia that she shares with horses, dogs, cats, chickens, an outdoorsman, and a perfect step-daughter. She is passionate about all things tech yet prefers to never wear shoes.

My kids like Exploding Kittens

I hope you mean the card game Dad512 :) Yes, Matthew Inman has a wonderful style and humor. Thanks for the tip and sharing another great game! http://amzn.to/28SJNuD

Ha – yes, the card game. It’s a seemingly simple game that does have some interesting strategy.

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The 21 Best Easy Card Games For Kids

Why spend money on fancy cards when you can play these fun easy card games for kids using a traditional deck?

Maybe it’s snowing outside or maybe it’s just too dang cold to go to the park or maybe you’re caught in a torrential downpour. Either way, you’re stuck inside and you’re looking for some easy, games for the family. Card games, dad, are your best bet. They take no time to set up, can go anywhere, and there’s no little pieces to lose under the couch or step on in the middle of the night.

So where to start? From War to Peanut Butter & Jelly, these are the 21 best, easy card games for kids that can be ranged from toddlers to teens, and can be two-player or more, that are fun, simple, and sure to get everyone laughing and happily competitive.

Players: 2 to 6

How to Play: One of the oldest and best-known card games in the world — it’s called “Vieux Garçon” or “Old Boy” in France — the history of Old Maid dates back to the 1600s. And while they’ve sold any number of fancy decks in stores since the 19th century, it’s just as easy to play with a traditional deck of cards. The objective is to get rid of all the cards in your hand without getting stuck with the one unmatched Queen, or Old Maid. It’s a fun game partly because there are multiple winners, but only one loser.

First remove one of the Queens from the deck before dealing all the cards face-down, one at a time to each player in a clockwise rotation. Players then look at their cards and remove any pairs, laying them face down on the table. The first player to go (usually the one to the left of the dealer) then holds their entire fan of cards face down and allows the player to their left to choose one. If they make a pair, it’s placed face up, and play continues in a similar fashion around the table. Eventually, all the pairs are made and one player, the “Old Maid” is stuck holding the lone Queen.

How to Play: Simply deal the entire deck face down between the two players so that each has a stack of 26 cards. Without looking at the cards, players simultaneously turn one over on the table ⏤ the higher number wins both cards. If both cards are the same, it’s a ‘war.’ Players then deal three cards face down followed by one card face up. Now, the higher numbers takes all 10 cards. Play continues until one player is out of cards and either angry or crying.

Players: 2 to 5

How to Play: If there are two to three players, deal each player seven cards face down, one at a time, in a clockwise rotation. If there are more players, everybody gets five cards. The rest are the ‘pond’ and are scattered face down in the middle of the table. After organizing the cards in their hand by number or royals (Jacks, Queens, etc.), the player to the left of the dealer begins by asking anyone in the group if they have any of a specific number, one they already have in hand.

For example, Matt might ask: “Julie, do you have any Aces.” If Julie does, she turns them all over to Matt and he can ask if she has any of a different number. If she doesn’t, she says “Go Fish!” and Matt selects a card from the pond. If Matt collects enough Aces through his inquiries to form a book, he must lay them face up on the table. After collecting a card from the pond, however, his turn ends. Play continues clockwise until all the books have been collected. The player with the most sets wins.

Memory/Concentration

Players: 1+

How to Play: Another easy card game for kids that’s sold ready-to-go in a boxed version, Memory is just as well played with an ordinary deck of cards laid out face down in a grid (or shattered all over the table/floor if you want to make it more challenging). The goal is simple, match all the cards in sets of two. Play starts with one child turning over two cards in hopes of finding a match. If a match is made, they keep both cards. If not, they note the exposed card’s number and position before turning them back over. The person to the left then takes a turn and play continues in a clockwise rotation until all the cards have been matched. The player with the most cards/number of sets wins.

How to Play: A frenetic physical card game that involves quick reflexes, Slap Jack is for slightly older kids (at least those who can recognize the difference between a Jack, Queen, and King) and involves trying to win cards by being the first player to slap the stack. There’s not a lot in terms of strategy, and it’s a fun game to up the energy level of a room. Deal out the entire deck, face-down and one at a time, until each player had a stack of cards. The person sitting to the left of the dealer then turns over one card and places it face-up in the middle of the table. Moving to the left, each player follows suit and does the same. When a Jack is played, however, players race to be the first person to physically slap the pile of cards in the middle of the table. The first to do so wins the pot and adds them to the bottom of their card stack. When a player runs out of cards, they have one more chance to slap a Jack to get back in the game, but if they fail to do so, they’re out. Play continues until one person collects all the cards.

Crazy Eights

Players: 2+

How to Play: Each eight is 50 points, each K, Q, J, or 10 is 10 points, each ace is one point, and each other card is the ‘pip’ value, which is the number of symbols on the cards.

Deal five cards, face down to each player. Leave the rest of the cards face down at the center of the table. This is the ‘stock.’ The dealer turns the top card up from the stack and places it in a separate pile. If an eight is turned, it’s buried in the middle of the pack.

Starting to the left of the dealer, each player must place one card face-up on the stock pile that matches the suit or number of the card showing on the starter pile. So if a King of Hearts is played, the next card either has to be a King or a Heart. If no one can play, the dealer draws from the stock and puts a new card face-up on the pile until a play is possible. If unable to play until the stock is exhausted, the player has to pass. All eights are considered wild cards and can be used at any time in a turn and can represent any denomination or symbol.

The player who is the first to have no cards left wins the game, and the winning player collects from each other player the value of the cards remaining in that player’s hand. (For playing with kids, use M&M’s or jelly beans instead of money.)

Peanut Butter & Jelly

Players: 4, 6, or 8

How to Play: Peanut Butter & Jelly is a team-based card game. A dealer deals four cards to each player, and the teams split up to determine what their ‘sign’ will be (tugging an ear, winking, coughing — you get the idea) if someone gets a hand of cards that contains all four of the same suit or face value.

The dealer picks up a card and can either pass it or put it in their deck in order to build four of a kind. When a player gets their four-of-a-kind, they signal their partner with their signal. If their partner sees it, they yell “Peanut Butter.” That team wins. But, if a player on the other team thinks that they see the other team signaling one another, they yell “Jelly,” and that team wins even if they haven’t put together four-of-a-kind.

Players: 4+

How to Play: Spoons is a lot like PB&J but without teams and with a set of spoons in the middle of the table, one fewer spoon than player. It’s much more of an ‘every player for themselves sort of game. Players sit in a circle with the same setup and objective to get four cards of the same suit or kind. The first player to reach the goal grabs a spoon. If someone grabs a spoon, everyone else can, and the only person without a spoon can’t play in the next round. The game goes on until there’s only one winner.

How to Play: Each player is dealt five cards to form a hand, and then 15 more cards face down to form a draw pile. Take jokers from the deck. Then, two single cards are placed in between the players, face down, and a pile of five cards on each side of those two single cards are also placed face down. Each player flips the single card at the same time and discards their cards one by one, using only one hand, by either moving up one or down one in numerical card order. Players refill their hand constantly to have five cards in their hands at all times. When there are no more moves on the two cards, players each flip a card from the deck of 5 and continue until they run out of cards. Whoever runs out of cards first yells “Speed!” and wins the game. The game is usually a two out of three game, determining the winner in a sort of Rock, Paper, Scissors type manner. This is a great game to play in a tournament-style if you have more than one deck of cards, where winners of games play against one another, etc.

52-Card Pickup

How to Play: This game is definitely for toddlers, but it’s fun and simple. The dealer throws 52 cards on the ground. Someone else (usually a very young kid) picks them up. Kind of a last-ditch-effort-how-to-entertain-my-kid type of game, but that’s fine.

I Doubt It! (AKA ‘Bullshit’)

Players: 3-6

How to Play: Sit in a circle and divide the entire deck (minus the Joker, of course) among all the players. Whoever has the Ace of Spades starts the game by placing that card in the center of the circle. Then, the game moves clockwise — the next player places all of their 2’s in the center, face down in the center of the deck. If the player doesn’t have any 2’s, they place down any cards they have to keep the game-play going and the next round. The next player puts down all their 3’s, 4’s, and more. If another player thinks someone is bluffing when they put down their cards, they can say “I Doubt It!.” If they are right, the player picks up the stack of cards in the middle. If they are wrong, the accuser has to pick up the cards in the middle. The first player to get rid of all of their cards wins. It’s a fun game that can test your kid’s lying skills.

President (otherwise known as Asshole, Scum, or Capitalism, but let’s keep it kid-friendly)

How to Play: It’s like spades or bridge , but with hierarchical gameplay and dealing pattern. It might take a few rounds for the gameplay to make sense — it’s more confusing than Speed or 52-card pick-up — but once it’s picked up it’s an easy game. There’s also a value order to the cards and kids have to learn what ‘trick’ games are, so this is more of a project than a simple game.

My Ship Sails

Players: 4-7

How to Play: The game is like Spoons or PB&J but there is only one winner and three losers. Grab a regular deck. Each player is dealt 7 cards and the rest are set aside. Players pick up their hand and discard one card to the table on their right. Then, everyone picks up the discard card on their right, which becomes a part of their hand. The first player to get 7 cards of the same suit says “my ship sails” and lays their hand down, face-up, on the table. If two players get a suit at the same time, the winner is the player with the highest-ranking card.

How to Play: Menagerie is a really high-energy, funny game that will have you bursting into stitches. To play Menagerie, each player chooses an animal name that is long and hard to say. (Not cow, Bos taurus, not Horse but Equus caballus, etc. You get the idea.) Each player writes up the names of the animals on slips of paper, which are folded up and shaken in a box like a game of charades. Each player takes a slip of paper out of the box and whatever they grab is their animal for the rest of the game. Then, each player learns all the names of the animals. Cards are then dealt clockwise and kept face down.

The player to the left of the dealer turns the card on top of his deck over to start a pile that’s face-up, and every other player does the same. When a player notices that another player’s face-up card is of the same rank (i.e. number or King, Queen, etc) he has to shout the name of the other player’s animal three times. The first player to shout the name three times without messing up wins the other player’s face-up pile, which he adds to the bottom of his face-down pile. The game is over when one person collects all the cards. They’re the winner.

Snip, Snap, Snorem

Players: 3+

How to Play: Snip Snap Snorem is like “I Don’t Buy It” without all the lying. It requires a standard playing card deck. The dealer passes out all the cards, face down, to each player. The player to the left of the dealer places any card in the middle of the game area, and to complete the set, each player going clockwise tries to complete a set of cards. So, if someone puts down a King of Hearts, the next player would try to put down a King in a different suit. If a player can’t build on the set, their turn is passed. The player who lays down the fourth card plays the next set. The trick of the game is that players must say either Snip, Snap, or Snorem while building on a set — Snip being the second card, Snap being the third, and Snorem being the fourth. The first player to get rid of all their cards wins the game.

Egyptian Ratscrew

How to Play: The dealer deals cards face down to each player until all the cards have been dealt. Starting to the left of the dealer, players pull the top card of their pile and place it face-up on the table in the middle of the table. If the card is a number card, the next player puts down a card. This continues until someone puts down a face card (J, Q, K, or an A.) When a face or Ace is played, the next person has to also play a Face or an ace. If the next player can’t play a face or ace card, the person who played the last face card wins the round and gets the whole pile, then starts the next round of play.

If you want to make the game a bit more competitive, you can add the ‘slap rule.’ The first player to slap the pile of cards is the winner of that round when the slap rules are put into effect. If you slap the pile when the slap rules don’t apply (which are numerous) then you have to add two cards to the bottom of the pile. The person who ends the game with all the cards wins.

Players: 3+, but best with more than 5 and less than 8

How to Play: Mao is one of the more fun and frustrating games ever created, — partly because when you play, you can never explain the rules to new players. In fact, new players are often told “the only rule you may be told is this one.” Each player is dealt an initial hand of the same number of cards — which is usually three cards but can sometimes be 7. You can combine decks if you’re playing with more than three people. The dealer has to say “the game of Mao has officially begun.” The player to the left of the dealer begins and the game proceeds clockwise.

While the rules aren’t explained to new players, there are common rules that are often used to play the game. Some, for example, include that aces cause the next player to skip their turn, spade cards must be named out loud when played, if someone puts down a seven, they have to draw a penalty card and they have to announce “have a nice day.” The next person then has to say “have a very nice day” and the player after that draws two penalty cards. The “verys” increase as long as sevens can be played. So, look around, establish some rules, and become the keeper of the rules for your family. It will be a hilarious game.

Like “I Don’t Buy It” or “Speed,” the object of the game is to get rid of all of the cards in your hand, and when players break the rules (which are discovered only through observing the gameplay) they have to take a card from the deck. Have fun!

Play or Pay

How to Play: In Play or Pay, the cards rank with the Kings being the highest value and the Ace being the lowest. Deal cards, one at a time, clockwise, until all the cards in the deck are dealt. The goal of the game is, of course, to be the first player to get rid of all of the cards. All cards that are played remain face-up on the table in four rows of four suits. To play, the player to the left of the dealer begins, and can play any card. From that point, whatever suit the player puts down has to be built up until all thirteen cards are played and the sequence has to work in a continuous pattern (if you start with a 10, you have to go to J, Q, K, etc., you can’t play all around the deck. If you hit a King, you can play an Ace and move back up the deck.) If a player is unable to play a turn, they put one chip (use candy!) in the pot in the middle of the table. Whoever plays the thirteenth card of any suit can choose any card from their hand to begin the next series. The first player to get rid of all their cards? Wins all the candy.

How to Play: Using a standard 52-card deck, the object of the game is to obtain a hand that totals 31 in cards of one suit, or have a hand at the showdown whose count in one suit is the highest of any other player. Aces are high and two’s are low. An ace is worth 11 points, face cards 10, and all others are their face value.

The dealer deals to the left. Three cards are dealt, face down, to each player, then three are dealt face up to be the ‘widow.’ To begin, players put an equal number of chips into a pot (see: candy!) The player to the dealer’s left gets to play first. On each turn, a player can take one card from the widow pile and replace it with one card from their hand. They want to try to find cards that will help them meet their objective — to either have a count that totals 31 of one suit or obtain a hand at the showdown which is the highest of any other player.

Players take turns clockwise until one player believes that what they hold will beat the other players. A player says they’re ready by knocking on the table, and all other players can get one more turn to exchange cards. Then, the showdown happens — the players reveal their hands and compare values. The player with the highest value total of cards, within the same suit, wins the pot (see: candy!)

If two players tie for the highest score, the player with the highest-ranking card wins. And any time a player holds exactly 31 points, they can knock immediately and win the pot. If a player knocks before the first round of exchanges has begun, the showdown occurs immediately and players can’t exchange cards to try to win.

House of Cards

Players: Any

How to Play: Build a house of cards. Spend hours doing it. Try not to cry when it falls apart. Cry. Cry a lot.

How to Play: Hearts is a trick-taking card game with anywhere from three to six players. They’re like Bridge, Spades, and President, which are also trick-taking games. The rules are a little bit complicated, but like Bridge and Spades, are easy to get a handle on after you play a round.

Three Thirteen

How to Play: Three Thirteen is a variation of Rummy, but requires two decks of cards. The dealer deals three cards to each player, and the dealer passes to the left in every round. In the second round, the dealer deals four cards to each player; five in the next; and thirteen in the final round. When it’s a player’s turn, he draws one of two cards. He can draw the top card from the discard pile or the top of the deck. Then he discards one card from his hand and places that card on the discard pile to conclude his turn.

The object of Three Thirteen is to get all the cards in your hand to two sets. A set is defined by two parameters: three or more cards of the same rank, such as 6-6-6-, or a sequence of three or more cards of the same suit, such as a J-Q-K of Diamonds. Sets can contain more than three cards, but the same card can’t be in multiple sets, so if you have a Queen in one set you can’t have a Queen in another. But what you want is the fewest number of points — you’ll need to check out how to calculate points — because the player who has the fewest points and two sets at the end of the final round wins. It’s a little more involved than other games, so play a few rounds to get the rules down.

With so many easy card games for kids, it might be worth keeping a spare box in the glove compartment. Not only do they provide screen-free entertainment options, but the opportunities for interaction and tradition building are great upsides that even the best entertainment apps have difficulty matching. And you may even find the inspiration to create a new card game that’s perfect for your family.

This article was originally published on Feb. 16, 2018

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20 Favorite Card Games for Kids

This post may contain affiliate links.

Want new card games for kids that they’ll LOVE? Even better, card games that your entire family will love…and that may even teach concepts and skills?

Since my family loves family game night (pretty much every night for us), we buy and test games regularly. I want to share our family’s favorite card games for kids so you can find the best card games for your family, too. (Specifically, games for many ages of children to play together!)

Here’s a helpful tip for small hands. To hold the cards, let your young kids use a chip clip, a Little Hands Card Holder , or let younger players place their playing cards on the table — even though they will be visible to others.

Stick a card game or two in your bag and have them with you at restaurants. I used to take my kids out for card game dates at a bagel store. We have many happy memories of playing Go Fish while eating bagels.

Also, keep in mind that the recommended age ranges of the card games aren’t set in stone. You know your kids best and can decide if they can play games higher or lower than the recommended age levels.

Finally, don’t forget that you can play many games with a regular deck of cards and a good book of game ideas .

Favorite Card Games for Kids

Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza ages 8 – adult (my teenagers love this game, too!) 3-8 players Get ready for an easy-to-learn, hilarious game! Race against other players to slap a match between a card and the spoken word. Players must say the words (taco, cat, goat, cheese, pizza) and place down a card– whatever card is in their hand. IF the card matches the word they say, then you smash down your hand. The player who gets rid of all their cards first WINS!

Shifting Stones Gamewright ages 8+, 1 – 5 players Gamewright’s Shifting Stones  game for kids won the official Mensa Select seal in 2022! Besides being an  engaging strategy game,  you’ll  develop your visual/spatial skills and long-term planning and it takes less than five minutes to learn! The goal of Shifting Stones is to win cards and points by moving the 9 titles to match a card in your hand. You can flip over or switch the tile stones during your moves as long as you discard a card. Full review here.

More Card Games for Kids

Happy Salmon Exploding Kittens ages 6+, 3-8 players In this favorite of all the card games for kids, players grab a colored stack of cards with four actions:  Pound It!, Switcheroo, High 5,  and  Happy Salmon . When the game starts, everyone starts YELLING (or saying) what is on their first card. When they hear someone else has the same card, they do the action on the card, then discard the card in the middle of the group of players. Get ready to laugh  a lot  when you play this game. It’s action-packed and a great option for spending family time together.

Avocado Smash!  Ridleys ages 6+ We love this fun avocado twist on the game of Snap! It’s simple to learn and quick to play. Players place cards down and when they get a number match or a smash card, they must smash their hands down quickly. The last person to smash, gets the pile of cards. The first person with no cards wins. Even my teenager loves this fun game!

Dutch Blitz ages 8+, 2 – 4 players Be the fastest to place your cards in sequence and the same respective colors on the center Dutch piles while using as many cards from your Blitz Pile as possible. When your Blitz Pile has been exhausted, you’ve won. This is one of those classic card games for kids that continues to be popular.

What do you think the best card games for kids are? Which are your favorites from my list?

What is the No. 1 card game?

The top card games are UNO, Spades, and Magic the Gathering.

What is the most popular type of card game?

Using a regular deck, the most popular card games you can play are spades, poker, war, rummy, cribbage, and hearts.

What is the biggest card game right now?

Magic the Gathering remains the biggest trading and collectable card game with avid fans and followers.

See also: The Best Educational Games for Preschoolers  and The Best Logic and Strategy Games for Kids

You Might Also Like:

Logic and Strategy Games for Kids

Best Memory Games for Kids

Tenzi: The Ultimate Family Game Night Game

Best Arts & Craft Kits for Kids

Blurt Word Game

Melissa Taylor, MA, is the creator of Imagination Soup. She's a mother, former teacher & literacy trainer, and freelance education writer. She writes Imagination Soup and freelances for publications online and in print, including Penguin Random House's Brightly website, USA Today Health, Adobe Education, Colorado Parent, and Parenting. She is passionate about matching kids with books that they'll love.

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UNO is the one I know and love (and haven’t played in YEARS!), but these other ones look good, too 🙂 I think “Game Night” is a great thing to do. Something I was never successful at making happen when my son was young : /

thanks, Donna — all we can do is take one day at a time and do our best. 🙂

Resources for parents to get through the challenges.

12 Fun Card Games for Kids to Build Math, Memory, and Social Skills

If you’re a parent that doesn’t want their child stuck in front of a flickering screen when the weather is bad – don’t worry we’ve got you covered. Not only can you get them away from technology, but these  card games for kids let them practice some math skills without even realizing it.

Playing card games together with friends and family is a fond memory shared by many, so why not introduce your kids to the wide range of entertainment they can have from a standard deck of cards.

Whether you’re looking to entertain your kids on a rainy day or just introduce them to some classic card games, they construct a great opportunity to spend quality time together whilst also providing an educational experience for all age ranges.

We have gathered some of the best age-appropriate, educational, and fun card games for kids to provide endless enjoyment no matter how many players and ages are involved.

From memory games to card constructions, the game play from these basic games for kids will become a family favorite in no time!

In this article

1) Ace Wars

2) high or low, 1) snip snap snorem, 2) beggar my neighbor, 3) old maid, 2) crazy eights, 5) basic blackjack, use fewer cards, simplify decks/use thematic decks, avoid arguments, repeat rules, what card games can a five-year-old play, how do you make card games appealing to kids, how do you win a game of old maid, what happens when you run out of cards in old maid, what is an easy game to play with cards, card games for kids: summary, 2 card memory games.

Memory card games for kids are highly adaptable and implementing the use of playing cards can provide a fantastic learning opportunity for all ages. Memory games create an opportunity for easy games and are often more suited to younger kids who may have a harder time grasping overly mathematical games that involve addition or subtraction.

You can create a variation in memory games by choosing to focus on the colors, pictures, or the suits on your playing cards.

• Up to Eight Players

Snap can be played with any traditional playing cards or a themed set designed to create easy card games for younger children.

You can introduce the concept of numbers, colors, and suits to your child all depending on their individual capabilities in this easy card game. Themed cards that are tailored to their interests can make Snap even more fun.

This educational method is a great basic game to introduce all the information that a card game requires.

It is important you establish an appointed referee to help make the decisions if any disagreements should arise during the game.

How to Play Snap:

• Deal out the cards and make sure every player card’s face down.
• The first player can now turn over their top card and create a starter pile at the center of the table.
• The next player can now turn over their card and add it to the draw pile.
• Play continues clockwise to each player until two cards match from the draw pile and the first player to shout “Snap” wins the cards from the middle.
• If a player runs out of cards, they then lose the game.
• Kids of All Ages
• Up to Six Players

This game comes under several names such as Concentration, Matching Pairs or Match Up, but all of them have the same gameplay.

This fun card game for kids is highly adaptable, making it suitable for a large age range. Playing Pairs can help to work on children’s memory, patience and provide an educational experience with the whole family.

You can use any deck of cards, and with a standard deck of 52 cards you can lay them down into 4 rows of 13 cards each, or you can include the two jokers for six rows of nine cards.

You can alter the rules of what qualifies as a match to suit the age and abilities of your child from rank, color, suit, and numbers. The game can also be made into physical activity by laying one card out across a room to encourage movement and fun in this card game.

The great part of this game is as each player takes their turn, you get to see the cards face up and have to remember the locations in order to make a match on your next round.

How to Play Pairs

• One person can be responsible for laying out all the cards and making sure that no two same cards are in close proximity.
• In turn, each player can choose two cards to turn face up and see if they match in whichever way you choose (color, suit, number, etc).
• If they are the same rank this player collects the winning pair and plays again. If they are not the same rank the player can place these cards face down again. The turn then passes to the player on the left of the dealer.
• The game continues until the last pair has been matched and the player with the most cards wins.

2 Math Card Games

Math is often an unloved topic in kids’ education, but people of all ages love to play games so why not introduce some beneficial learning activities through card games for kids?

Engaging your child in mathematical play can encourage them to explore number combinations, patterns, mathematical concepts and can help provide further understanding and reasoning through play.

When a game is played repeatedly, it can help to strengthen strategic thinking in your child’s brain and create the potential to unlock better numeracy skills. Here are some of our favorite math educational card games for kids for you to try at home!

• Two to Eight Players

We recommend this game for children aged 7 and above, but you could adapt the game for younger children by slightly altering the rules to make the game easier. Ace Wars is a great way to encourage competitive children to sharpen their quick addition skills.

The common rule for this game is that all face cards are worth the same value of 10 points, and the ace is worth 11. All other cards are worth face value.

If you feel it would work best you can always change these values to work best for you.

How to play Ace Wars

• Deal four cards to each player.
• Each player has to add the values of their cards up with face cards and the ace having different values.
• Whichever player has the higher number wins the hand!
• Play continues for five rounds.
• Two Players

As the name suggests, high or low is an easy game that involves two players and a row of seven cards lying face down,

Both players are unaware of the values of the cards until they are turned face up and have to guess if each subsequent card will be higher or lower in value.

Each player gets a new hand of seven cards with each turn and play continues until either player gets their answer wrong.

High or low incorporates the use of quick math skills alongside some friendly competition and helps to connect visual and mental mathematic skills with concentration being placed on the previous cards as well as the card face up.

How to play High or Low

• Place seven cards face down across a surface between your two players.
• Your first player can turn the card from the front of the row face up and says whether they think the value of the next card will be higher or lower.
• If player one is correct, they keep going. If they are wrong then player two takes over and declares whether they think the card’s value will be higher, or lower.
• Every player gets a turn until they guess wrongly, and the first person to correctly guess the row of seven cards wins.

3 Quick-Thinking Card Games

Another benefit to card games for kids is the flexibility in ways to play and improve different aspects of their education.

Often teachers use repetition to practice numbers, addition, subtraction, and multiplication. Practicing with quick on-the-spot mathematics can be a great way to strengthen your child’s learning and improve their skills.

Although not all mathematics requires speedy recall, you can use some of these card games for kids to improve their skills whilst playing a hilarious game! Let’s take a closer look at some of our favorite fast-paced classic card games.

• Three or More Players

This classic card game is highly popular with kids and has several variants across the world known as Jig, Niggy-Noddy, and Schnipp-Schnapp-Schnurr-Burr-Basilorum in Germany!

You need a minimum of three players to enjoy this game and the aim is to have no remaining cards from your entire deck by the end of the game.

Your kids will love shouting pass, snip, snap and snorem as this fun, fast-paced card game continues!

How to Play Snip Snap Snorem

• Deal out all the cards, the first player is to the left of the dealer.
• The first person plays a card face up, then all other players have to match the rank in suits.
• If any other players don’t have a card to contribute they say “pass”.
• The person who plays the fourth card gets to choose any card from their hand for the next round.
• The appeal of this game for children is that they get to shout snip for the second card, snap for the third, and snorem for the last card!
• A player wins by making sure they have no cards left in their hand.

This game is similar to Slapjack and doesn’t require any decisions to be made by the players. Whichever player has all of the cards wins and it’s important that cards are kept face down.

How to Play Beggar My Neighbor

• Deal out all the cards face down evenly in front of each player
• Player one turns over their top card if it is a number their turn ends but if it’s a face or ace then the player pays and “honors” by turning over cards based on the “Court Card” rules below.
• If all the honored cards are numbered, player one keeps the bunch. If a face card is turned over whilst paying the honor, the next player pays a fresh honor to player two.
• Keep playing until one person has all the cards and wins!

“Court Card” rules are as follows:

• If an Ace is played then the next player must turn over four cards face up, one at a time.
• If a King is played, then the next player must turn over three cards one at a time.
• If a Queen is played then the next player must turn over two cards.
• If a Jack is played the next player must turn over one card.
• If the card played has a rank of 2-10 then play passes to the left and the next player must do the same.
• Two to Twelve Players

Old Maid has been a popular game for kids since the 1880s and can still provide great entertainment on long journeys and at home for your whole family!

It focuses on children’s pairing and recognition skills and can be played with any standard deck or even a specifically designed old maid deck.

It can help your children learn quantity recognition, matching and sorting mathematical abilities as well as social skills! Children who play Old Maid can learn from a young age the importance of good sportsmanship and how to to take turns to get the best fun from your laying experience.

It is easy to play and the perfect game to play when you’re not sure how to entertain the whole family. You remove one of the four queens, leaving a total of 51 remaining cards, and the goal is to form and discard pairs of cards and not to be left with the odd card (queen) at the end of the game.

Any player can shuffle the pack and deal them around until all the cards have been handed out. Players don’t need to have an equal number of cards.

If any old maid players are found to have discarded two cards that are not a pair of the same number or similar, then they automatically lose making them the Old Maid!’

How to Play Old Maid

• Once all cards have been handed out, each player removes all the pairs from their hand and puts them face down. If any player has three-of-a-kind they only remove two of the three cards.
• The dealer offers their hand, face down to the dealer’s left who is allowed to draw one card. This player discards any pairs that may have formed from this pick.
• This player now offers their hand face down to the player on their left. Play continues until all the cards have been paired except for the odd queen who cannot be paired.
• The player with the odd card at the end is the Old Maid!

5 Classic Kid-Friendly Card Games

There are a wealth of card games that are suitable for children and many have been around for decades. Here are some of our favorite classic card games that will make family time away from a flickering screen lots more appealing and fun to your kids.

• Two plus players

Go Fish is a card game that has been around for decades and yet is still a popular option when it comes to introducing card games to children. It helps children to learn thinking skills as well as recognize numbers as well as social skills.

How to Play Go Fish

Firstly you need to pick one player to be the dealer and they hand out the cards. Depending on how many players there are, each player gets dealt seven cards. If there are more than 2/3 players then each player only gets five cards each. The remaining cards in the pack are placed face down in a pile in the center – this is the fish pond.

Now each player needs to sort their cards into groups. This can be the same suit or number – a group of kings or groups of fours. Make sure that you do not show any other players your cards. You are now ready to begin playing. 

The player to the left of the dealer starts by asking another player for a suit or number cards that will match any that they have. For example, they could ask for kings if they have two kings. If the other player has kings they then have to give these to the player that asked. But if they do not have any of the cards requested then, they then say ‘go fish’ to the other player and they then have to pick up one card from the fish pond (cards in the center).  The player who was asked then becomes the next player to request a card from another player.

Once a player collects all four cards in a set – four queens or four nines, they put them face down in front of them. The winner is the first player to have no single cards left only complete sets.

• 2 to 4 players

A great game for younger players that will help with thinking skills, number recognition, and shapes in regard to the suits of the cards – heart, diamond, etc.

How to Play Crazy Eights

If you are playing with two players each person gets dealt seven cards. If you have four players each player gets five cards dealt to them. The remainder of the pack is placed face down in the center with the top card turned over next to it – this is called the discard pile.

To start to play the player to the left of the dealer places a card from their hand that matches the number or the suit of the card in the discard pile that is face up. An example of this is if the card is a ten of spades then they could play any spade or any ten. If they do not have a matching card, they continue to pick up cards from the deck until they have one that is playable. Eights are wild cards and can be played with any suit. The tricky part is for the next player after an eight is played as they must match the number or suit that the eight card was meant to cover.

The winner is the first player to get rid of all their cards. If the deck runs out before there is a winner, the discard pile can be reused to continue the game until there is a winner.

• Two players

How to Play War

Deal the full deck between the two players ensuring that the cards remain face down. Without looking at the cards players turn over one card at the same time and place it on the table – the player with the higher number wins both cards. 

If both cards are the same then it is ‘war’. This is when players deal three cards face down plus one card face up. Now the player with the highest number takes all ten cards. This continues until one player is out of cards – the winner is the player with the cards left.

• 2 to 10 players

How to Play Uno

For this game, you will need Uno cards which are not a standard card pack. Begin by shuffling all cards, then deal each player seven cards -these need to be kept face down. Put the remaining cards in the center of the table. This pile will make the draw pile where players will take from during the game. Turn the top card of the draw pile over to start the game.

The player to the left of the dealer needs to play a card that matches the color, number, word, or symbol on the card that faces up in the center. Then the next player takes their turn. If at any time a player can not match a card then they have to take another card from the draw pile. 

In addition to the basic Uno cards, there are also wild cards and three action cards in a pack. If you play a wild card then you get to choose the color of the card for the next player. Here are the rules for the action cards:

• A reverse card has 2 arrows going in opposite directions and this means that the play changes direction and the person who went before you has to take another turn.
• A skip card is a card that has a circle with a slash through it and means the player next to you must skip their turn.
• A draw 2 card means that the player next to you must pick up two cards and skip their turn.

You keep playing until 1 player has just 1 card left. This is where that player must say UNO – if they do not say it they will be penalized if another player calls them out. The penalty is that they have to take 2 cards. 

Once you are down to one card and you’ve called UNO all you need to do to win is play that final card.

There are a wealth of variations of this game but for children, you want to stick to a simple version. It is a great way for children to learn quick addition and subtraction.

How to Play Basic Blackjack

The aim of this game is to get cards that add up to 21. Here is how cards are valued:

• Aces are worth 1 or 11 points.
• Jacks, Queens, and Kings are worth 10 points.
• Other cards are worth the number stated on the card.

First of all, you need to shuffle the cards well and then deal 2 cards to each player. Each player then needs to look at their hand and decide if they want to stick (which means they don’t want any more cards) or they can decide that they want another card. Players can keep asking for another card for as long as they wish. But if at any time the value of their cards goes over 21 they immediately lose.

At the end, after all the players have decided to stick, they much each show their hand. The winner is the player whose cards add up to the closest to 21.

Tips for Playing Card Games with Children

From the age of just three, you can include your children in card games in order to introduce logical and strategical thinking and pass hours of time without the use of a screen!

When first introducing card games to your children you may find it’s easier to use fewer cards to keep it simple until the rules are better understood. Once you feel like your children have a better understanding of how the game works, then you can introduce longer playing times and a full deck of cards.

Create a highly appealing draw pile or satisfying same suit layouts with a visually appealing deck! There is a large variety available and can be themed to anything your child is interested in.

There may be one card your child struggles to learn, they may have difficulty passing cards when asked or picking up detailed instruction. So simplifying decks can be a great step towards helping them learn the difference in the same rank or just creating an easier play.

A key to enabling simple games is to keep things black and white so all other games can run smoothly. Deciding who goes first and if players race to win, or can take their time helps your children understand the concepts of each play and know what to expect in play. This is key to avoiding arguments and keeping everything fair.

Making sure the rules of the game are understood and running practice rounds is a good way to help your kids stockpile everything they need to know when playing. Before each game starts, talking over the rules can help to familiarise your kids with what to expect.

Kids Card Games: Frequently Asked Questions

If you’re looking for quick answers to any questions related to your children’s card play then we have the answers!

We’ve included some great games in this article that your five-year-old can join in too! Some popular choices are games such as snap and pairs wins as they are highly adaptable and you can tailor them to your children’s interests and taste.

Another great tip to encourage your children to get more involved with cards is to get them to help you make your own set! They can help you decorate and cut out colorful cards and make your own set that will look gorgeous whether it’s in a face-down pile or face-up!

Another great way is to introduce all the commonly used terms when playing with cards to avoid confusion making them feel unattracted to the idea of play.

Make sure you always have one player who is old enough to understand the gameplay and this player draws to help make sure every player is following the rules.

You can win a game of old maid by having the most same suit pairs at the end of the game, or a player loses by being left with the old maid as the top card in their hand!

When all players have run out of cards, the person holding the odd card of whichever suit you chose is the winning player. Make sure you deal out all the cards face down at the start of play.

Games that are highly versatile and easy to play such as ones involving memory matching and mathematics are easy to play and can involve as many players as you want.

You can also use as little as three cards right up to all the cards to further increase or decrease the difficulty.

Whether you’re the first person to introduce card games for kids into your family or have a long history of proud player wins, you can guarantee that there is a play option in this article that will be fun for the whole family and can even provide an educational experience.

Easy card games don’t need to be boring and some of the top card games are the basic ones with your own special twist! Making these memories together will create a lifelong love for card play.

We hope this article has given you some great ideas on how to involve the whole family in card games from the oldest to the youngest. Let us know in the comments if you have any tried and tested suggestions we may have missed out on, and tell us why you love them!

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11 Great Games to Educate and Entertain Your Kids at Home

If you're stuck inside and your kids are climbing the walls, but you aren't yet ready to let them watch Netflix from dawn to dusk, well, I don't blame you. Here are some games that are sometimes called "edutaining." Think of them as fun games that also teach something, but in a way your kids probably won't notice.

I do suggest setting some screen time limits before handing your children a device, but with these options you can at least rest assured that your kids are learning something.

If you buy something using the links in our stories, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Here’s how this works . You can also support our reporting and reviewing by purchasing a 1-year print + digital WIRED subscription for $5 (Discounted) .

Ages 6-12 ( Computer , iOS , Android )

Animal Jam is an online virtual world originally created in collaboration with the National Geographic Society. It teaches kids about zoology and ecology with games, adventures, and parties and online social elements. With 160 million registered users, this is one of the largest virtual worlds for kids. If the online play gives you pause, know that the parental controls are pretty good, allowing you to lock down the game if you desire.

Ages 5 and up on Nintendo Switch ( GameStop , Amazon )

This is a great game that encourages spacial thinking and unique puzzle solving. Kids can pilot Toad through courses based on the Super Mario Odyssey game while hunting down treasures and solving puzzles.

This math-based role-playing game is free to play. Kids proceed through the game by answering skill-building math questions to earn rewards. There's an interactive element, too; they can go on quests with friends. The difficulty levels increase as your kids make progress in the game.

Ages 3-8 ( iOS , Android )

This physics puzzle game features rolling aliens that teach your kids about acceleration, buoyancy, gravity, and more. Like games of yesteryear, there are no ads, no in-app purchases, and it doesn't need an internet connection.

Ages 4 and Up ( Computer , iOS , Android )

Tinybop has dozens of learning-oriented apps and we've been fans for years . You can purchase them in bundles for iPhone or iPad (Android users there is one Tinybop bundle in the Play Store which has six games.) My kids love the Curiosity Kit ($16) , which includes apps about the human body, animal anatomy, and space. Tinybop is currently offering its Tinybop Schools subscription , which features ten science apps and classroom support, for free through the summer to help out parents and kids while schools are closed (no credit card required).

Ages 4 and Up ( iOS , Android )

Dragonbox games are primarily math-related, though they also partnered with chess champ Magnus Carlsen to create Magnus' Kingdom , a chess-learning game that's been very popular in my house. It uses an adventure-style approach to teach kids about different chess pieces and how to play. I strongly suggest picking up a real-world chess board (I like this no-stress chess board for beginners $18 ) as well. Your kids will ask for it. Trust me.

Ages 3 and Up ( Computer , iOS , Android )

It's time you let delightful animated monsters teach your kids everything from basic ABCs to complex sentences. It has puzzle games with talking letters and well-illustrated definitions to help your child learn to read. Originator, the publisher of Endless Alphabet , has many other games as well , including Endless Reader , which helps kids learn sight words, and Endless Spanish which helped my kids significantly improve their Spanish vocabulary.

Ages 4-6 ( Computer )

This language, arts, and music learning site has dozens of games and activities to help your kids learn to read, add, subtract, and identify shapes.

Ages 4-8 ( iOS , Android )

PBS Kids has dozens of apps, many of them related to the shows on PBS Kids. If your kids like a particular show, they'll probably really engage with its related game, as well.

Ages 4 and Up ( iOS )

Stop-motion animation is a fun form of art that teaches patience. This animation app will help your kids start creating their own little animated masterpieces. The interface is reasonably simple, but it might require the help of an adult the first time through.

All ages ( Apple Podcasts for iOS , Google Podcasts for Android )

Check out our guide to kids' podcasts for some ideas on great podcasts that will keep your kids entertained. If you're a podcast fan yourself, you should try using Pocket Casts (great app). I suggest getting a separate podcast app for your kids, so there's no way they'll accidentally end up listening to any adult content you don't want them to hear.

March 25, 9 am: This story was updated to add links to the Tinybop Android app bundle.

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25 Best Educational Games for 5 Year Olds That are SO FUN!

1. SplashLearn’s Online Educational Games for 5 Year Olds 

2. the rubik’s cube , 3. sequence cards, 4. tic-tac-toe , 5. knock the can, 6. alphabet bingo , engaging and easy board games, 7. chutes and ladders , 8. candy land, 9. scrabble jr. , 10. feed the woozle .

Parents of 5 year olds know that this age is a critical time in their child’s development, and finding the right way to help them learn can be challenging. Fortunately, there are plenty of fun learning games for 5 year olds that can make the process enjoyable for both parents and children.

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Whether you’re looking for ways to teach your child the alphabet or basic math concepts, there are plenty of options. So, let’s get the ball rolling with our list of the best games for 5 year olds!

Looking for more online Math games and ELA games to educate and engage your kids? Here are more games to check out!

List of the Best Educational Games for 5 Year Olds!

With so many different games on the market, we’ve divided our list into categories to make it easier for you to find the perfect game for your child.

Learning Games That Kids Will Definitely Enjoy!

First on our list are classic learning games for 5 year olds that have been around for years. These time-tested games are perfect for helping your child learn the basics, including the alphabet, numbers, shapes, and colors.

Skill Development: Math and reading

Price: Free for teachers and a 7-day free trial for parents. Subscription starts at $4.99 per month

You can find various learning games for 5 year olds online. SplashLearn is a website that offers over 4,000 educational games for kids in grades prekindergarten to grade 5. The games teach children essential math, reading, and spelling concepts. And best of all, they’re fun and engaging.

One of the great things about SplashLearn is that the learning program creates a daily personalized learning plan for your child. This plan will ensure that your child is always working on the concepts they need to learn and they’re able to do so independently.

Skill Development: Helps with cognitive development, motor skills and problem solving

What you need: Rubik’s cube

Not only is the Rubik’s Cube a classic game that’s perfect for helping your child learn about colors and patterns, but it’s also a great way to develop their problem-solving skills. You can help your child get started by teaching them how to solve the first layer of the cube. Once they’ve mastered that, they can move on to solving the entire cube.

Tip: Many online tutorials and how-to videos are available to help your child learn how to solve the Rubik’s Cube.

Skill Development: This game helps with critical thinking and problem-solving skills. It’s also a great way to teach your child how to count. 

What you need: A deck of cards

Sequence cards is a classic card game that is perfect for helping your child learn about numbers and patterns. The game aims to lay down cards in numerical order, from 1–10. Not only will they be having fun, but they’ll be learning essential math skills too!

Tip: Make sure to start with an easy level before moving on to the more difficult ones.

Skill Development: This game is a lot of fun and also a great way to teach your child about numbers and strategic thinking.

What you need: A piece of paper and a pencil.

This game is a classic for a reason—it’s easy to learn, and it’s a lot of fun! Draw a grid with nine squares, and label each square with a number from one to nine. Players take turns drawing Xs and Os in the squares, trying to get three in a row. The first player to do so wins the game!

Skill Development: It is a great way to teach your child about aiming and hand-eye coordination. It’s also a lot of fun! 

What you need: An empty can and a softball.

This is a classic outdoor game for active kids. Players take turns throwing the ball at the can, trying to knock it over. The first player to do so wins the game! Your child will love spending time outdoors while playing this game.

Tip: Set up the can at different distances to make the game more challenging.

Skill Development: This game helps with letter recognition and letter sounds.  

One of the most basic games you can play with your child is Alphabet Bingo. Write out the alphabet on each piece of paper, leaving a few spaces blank. The player then draws a letter from a bag or hat and fills the blank space. The first player to fill in all of their spaces wins the game!

What you need: A piece of paper for each player and a pen or pencil.

Tip: You can make the game more challenging by having the player fill in the spaces with words that start with the drawn letter.

Board games for children are a great way to teach them about different concepts. They’re also a lot of fun! Here are a few of our favorites:

The game’s objective is to be the first player to finish by climbing up ladders and avoiding slides (chutes). This is a perfect math game for younger kids, as it doesn’t require any reading. It’s a great way to spend some quality time with your child while they learn important skills.

Skill Development: This classic game is a great way to teach your child about numbers and counting. 

What you need: Chutes and Ladders board, dice, and different colored counters

Tip: Use dice with pictures instead of numbers to make the game more accessible for younger kids.

Candy Land is a classic board game for children. The game is simple—players move their pieces around the board according to the colors of candies they draw from a deck of cards. It is a fun, easy game that young children will enjoy.

Skill Development: It is perfect for 5 year olds, as it helps to develop counting and color recognition skills.

What you need: Candy Land board game

Scrabble Jr. is a great way to introduce your child to spelling and vocabulary. The game is played with two to four players. Players take turns making words with the letter tiles they have been dealt. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins! You can even help them by teaching them the definitions of words they don’t know.

Skill Development: This game is perfect for helping your child expand their vocabulary and learn new words. 

What you need: Scrabble Jr. board game

Tip: Use smaller words and simpler rules when playing with younger children.

This game is about matching shapes and colors. The aim is to get the Woozle fed by matching the right colored food to his mouth. This is an extremely fun game for 5 year olds as it is both fun and educational. Your child will love playing this game, and you’ll love watching them learn!

Skill Development: It’s a great way to help your child learn about shapes and colors and develop their fine motor skills.

11. Guess Who?

Guess Who? is a classic board game that has been around for years. The game’s objective is to be the first player to guess which character their opponent has selected.

To play, each player chooses a card with a character on it. They then take turns asking yes or no questions about the other player’s character, such as “Do they have blue eyes?” The first player to guess correctly wins the game!

What you need: All you need is the game board pack of Guess Who?

Skill Development: It’s a great way to help your child learn about facial features and matching.  

12. Katamino 

A puzzle game that helps kids with spatial awareness. With eighty different challenges to solve, it’s a great way to keep little ones engaged and learning.

You can also play the game with multiple players, making it a great option to spend more quality time with your child.

Skill Development: Katamino is perfect for kids starting to get a handle on shapes and geometry

What you need: Katamino puzzle set

Exhausting Physical Games for Kids

Along with the indoor games, there are a lot of outdoor games for children they can play to have some physical activity in their daily routine. Here are some popular and fun games for 5 year olds.

13. Hula Hoop 

Hula hooping is not only a great workout but also a lot of fun! It’s the perfect game for 5 year olds to play to use up some of their boundless energy. Your kid can practice hula hooping in the backyard, at the park, or even indoors if you have enough space. With some practice, your kid will be a pro in no time!

Skill Development: This physical activity can also help improve coordination.

What you need: One or more Hula Hoops, and you’re good to go!

14. Scavenger Hunt 

A scavenger hunt is a great way to get kids moving and exploring. To play, hide different items around your backyard or house. Then, give your child a list of items they need to find. Once they find all the items on the list, they win the game! Depending on your child’s age and ability, you can make the game as easy or as difficult as you like.

Skill Development: It’s also a perfect opportunity to teach them about nature and the world around them.

What you need: Some items that can be hidden as treasures and some sheets do draw maps or write clues for the hunters.

15. Don’t Let the Balloon Touch the Ground 

All you need is a balloon and an outdoor space. The game’s objective is to keep the balloon from touching the ground. Players can use their hands, feet, or other body parts to keep the balloon aloft. If the balloon touches the ground, the player who last touched it is out! The last player standing wins the game.

Skill Development: This game is great for coordination and gross motor skills.

What you need: A balloon, that’s it!

16. Hide and Seek

Hide and seek is a classic game that children can play anywhere. It’s a great way to get kids moving and exploring their environment. 

Your child can play hide and seek with you, another adult, or even older kids. If you’re playing with younger children, be sure to provide them with some good hiding spots!

Skill Development: It’s the perfect opportunity to teach them about blending with environments and how to use their senses.

What you need: An enclosed area indoors or outdoors, like a small field or in a hall where players can hide

17. Bean Bag Toss 

A bean bag toss is a great game to engage children in physical activity. To play, have your child stand a few feet away from the target and try to toss the bean bag inside. If they succeed, move the target further away. 

If they miss, move the target closer. You can also make the game more challenging by having them toss the bean bag with their eyes closed or from a sitting position.

Skill Development: It is a great way to get kids moving and improve their coordination.

What you need: A bean bag and a target. You can make your target by drawing a circle on a piece of cardboard or using a hula hoop.

18. Ring Toss

Ring toss is a classic carnival game that children can play at home with a few simple supplies. Set up the target can in the middle of the room, and let your child take turns tossing the rings from a few feet away. 

As they get better at releasing the rings, move the target further away. Your 5 year old will love the challenge of getting all the rings on the target.

Skill Development: This game will help improve hand-eye coordination.

What you need: You only need a few small objects for rings and something to use as a “target”—like an empty soda can. 

19. Freeze Dance! 

Turn up the music and get moving! This is a great game to get kids up and active. When the music stops, everyone has to freeze in place. The last person to freeze is out of the game. To make it more challenging, ask kids to make different moves when the music is playing—like hopping on one foot or touching toes.

It would be best if you also tried different genres of music to keep the game interesting. Your child will love busting a move to their favorite songs!

Skill Development: This will enhance their improve their attention to detail as well as their body movement skills.

What you need: Speakers and some free space for the kids to dance.

Indoor Games For Kids to Stimulate Their Brain

Not everyone has access to an outdoor space, but that doesn’t mean your child can’t be active. There are plenty of games for 5 year olds that can be played indoors!

20. Tangram 

Tangram is a Chinese puzzle game that people of all ages can play. The game’s objective is to create different shapes using all seven pieces. 

You can help your child get started by showing them how to make basic shapes, like a square or triangle. They can try to make more complex shapes as they get better at the game.

Skill Development: This game is great for problem-solving and spatial awareness.

What you need: The Tangram puzzle set

21. Balloon Volleyball 

Set up a net in your living room or basement and play a game of indoor volleyball! To keep the game fair, you can have one person on each team hit the balloon three times before it goes over the net. The first team to reach 21 points wins the game!

Skill Development: This is a great way to get kids moving and improve their hand-eye coordination.

What you need: A balloon instead of a volleyball and if you don’t have a net you can use a rope or a laundry basket.

22. Cup Stacking

Cup stacking is an easy game and all you need is a set of plastic cups and some patience!

To play, have your child stack the cups into towers of different heights. As they get better at the game, they can try to stack the cups faster or in more complex patterns. 

Skill Development: Cup Stacking is a great way to improve your child’s hand-eye coordination and improve motor skills.

Tip: You can also turn cup stacking into a race by timing how fast your child can stack and unstack the cups.

What you need: Just a bunch of cups!

23. Dots and Boxes 

Dots and Boxes is a simple game that kids can play with a pencil and paper. The goal of the game is to create as many squares as possible by connecting the dots. 

However, one player can only make one line per move. To make the game more challenging, you can increase the grid size or have your child play with more than one person.

Skill Development: This game is great for honing problem-solving and planning skills.

What you need: A pencil or pen and a sheet of paper.

24. Frozen Words

Simply write down a bunch of words on slips of paper, and put them in a container. Then have your child draw a slip of paper out of the container and try to guess the word from the definition you give. If they guess correctly, they get to keep the word. The person with the most words at the end of the game wins!

Skill Development: This is an excellent game for teaching kids vocabulary. 

What you need: Some small chits of paper to write the words and a big sheet of paper or board for the kids to draw on.

25. Who’s the Baby? 

This game is a great way to introduce fundamental concepts like family and relationships. Players take turns asking questions about the baby in the picture, and the player who correctly guesses the baby’s identity wins the game.

Objectives:

• To learn about family and relationships
• To practice identifying people in pictures

Skill Development: This game will help your child practice their memory and observation skills.

What you need: Lots of photos of family and friends.

Let’s Make Learning Fun!

Learning should be enjoyable for both you and your child. By incorporating games into your child’s learning, you can help them retain information while having fun! Try out some of these games the next time you’re looking for a learning activity. Your child is sure to love them! So get out there and make learning fun for your kids!

What are some benefits of playing games for 5 year olds?

Playing games has many benefits, including improved problem-solving skills, hand-eye coordination, and concentration. Games can also help to introduce new concepts and vocabulary words. Educational games for 5 year olds can also prepare them for the skills they’ll learn in school.

What should I do if my child isn’t interested in educational games?

Don’t worry! Not every child is interested in games, and that’s okay. There are plenty of other ways to help your child learn. Try reading books together, doing puzzles, or even just talking about the things that interest them. As long as you’re spending time together and engaging with your child, they’ll be learning!

How can I tell if my child is ready for some of these games?

The best way to know if your child is ready for a particular game is to try it out and see how they do. If they seem to be struggling, that’s okay! Just try an easier game or one that’s more tailored to their interests. With time and practice, they’ll be playing more complex games in no time!

Do I need to buy anything special to play these games?

No, you don’t need to buy anything special. There are various free games for 5 year olds to enhance their learning. Many of the games on this list can be played with items that you already have around the house!

Are there any games for kids that can be played quickly?

There is no need to worry if you don’t have much time to spend on these games. Just a few minutes here and there can make a big difference. If you’re short on time, try incorporating learning into everyday activities like cooking or cleaning. Add games to your weekly or monthly schedule since every little bit helps!

10 Best Educational Classroom Games for Kids in 2024

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Games for 5-Year-Olds

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Discover a World of Fun: Games for 5-Year-Olds!

Dive into our delightful collection of games designed especially for 5-Year-Olds, where interactive adventures and colorful journeys await! Our carefully curated selection ensures age-appropriate fun that stimulates creativity, enhances problem-solving skills, and nurtures a love for learning. From puzzles that challenge young minds to vibrant story-based games that spark imagination, there is something for every little explorer. Both online and soon-to-be-released web versions offer endless opportunities for fun, making it easy for kids to play and learn anytime, anywhere. Join us in a world where play and educational growth go hand in hand!

In an era where digital interaction is ubiquitous, discerning the right kind of screen time for children, especially for 5-year-olds, has become paramount for parents and educators alike. Amidst a sea of digital content, our games emerge as a beacon of developmental aid, learning, and fun for young learners. Designed specifically with the cognitive and emotional growth of 5-year-olds in mind, these games blend entertainment with educational value, making them a unique asset in a child's developmental journey.

The interactive nature of our games serves as the cornerstone of their effectiveness. For 5-year-olds, the world is a sprawling canvas of questions and curiosities. Our interactive games are crafted to tap into this innate curiosity, transforming every click, swipe, or command into a learning opportunity. This interactivity is not merely about receiving immediate responses from the game but is deeply integrated with educational objectives that cater to developing critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and basic literacy and numeracy.

Moreover, the adaptability of these games to individual learning paces is a game-changer. Each child is unique, with their strengths, weaknesses, and speed of learning. Our games for 5-year-olds are designed to recognize and adapt to this variability, offering a personalized learning experience. This ensures that every child feels both challenged and supported, promoting a healthy learning curve without the pressure of competition.

Social-emotional development is another critical area our games address. Through storylines that involve cooperation, empathy, and understanding diverse perspectives, children learn invaluable life skills. These interactive stories and scenarios encourage children to think about how their actions affect others, fostering empathy and emotional intelligence from a young age.

The imminent launch of our games on the web broadens their accessibility, ensuring that the developmental benefits they offer are not limited by device availability. This move towards web-based gaming is especially significant in today’s world, where equitable access to educational resources is a pressing need. By making these games available online, we are taking a step towards democratizing educational resources, making them accessible to a wider audience of 5-year-olds across different backgrounds.

Furthermore, the safety of digital spaces is a top priority. Our web-based games for 5-year-olds are designed with stringent safety measures to ensure a secure online environment. Parents and educators can have peace of mind knowing that children are not only learning in a fun and interactive way but are also protected from the potential pitfalls of the internet.

In conclusion, our games stand out as a valuable tool in the developmental arsenal for 5-year-olds. By seamlessly integrating education with entertainment, they offer a balanced approach to screen time, promoting cognitive development, emotional growth, and social skills. With the expansion into web-based gaming, we are excited to reach more young learners, providing them with a foundation of skills and knowledge through the medium they love most – games.

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50 of the Best Board Games for Preschoolers

The best ways to make learning fun.

Whether they incorporate cards, dice, boards, spinners—or even an adorable cardboard monster and an oversized spoon—games have a host of benefits for young children. Games help children develop academic, spatial, and critical-thinking skills. Some of the best board games for preschoolers even provide kids with an opportunity for that oh-so important movement break.

When kids play with their classmates, they practice social-emotional skills like cooperating, taking turns, and being a good sport. Not to mention the good old-fashioned fun in playing games and the nostalgia that teachers will feel, as many of these games were plucked right out of the 1980s and 1990s! Many mainstream games are perfect for the preschool classroom. Check out our list of the best board and card games for preschoolers.

FEATURED PICK

1. Bunny Brunch

Build patterning skills with this fun cooperative game. Twelve hungry bunnies are ready to feast on carrots, blueberries, and more at the Bunny Brunch. But watch out! One mischievous mouse plans to crash the party.

Parent review: “This is a very cute board game! The instructions explain the game well, and it’s easy enough for smaller children to play. The dice being a popper was a ‘game changer’ (see what I did there) for us, because my little ones love losing small items like that.”

2. Color Go Fish!

This classic game is a childhood staple, and these cards are easy on little hands and eyes. This has been considered one of the best board games for preschoolers for generations!

Parent review: “My kids love this Go Fish set. The cards are easy to hold and the colors are vibrant and beautiful. Definitely a must-have!”

Buy it: Color Go Fish

3. Taro Gomi’s Funny Fish Go Fish Card Game

Once your students understand the premise of “Go Fish,” treat them to this adorably imaginative version from a favorite illustrator. They’ll love making pairs of “Strawberry Fish,” “Scribble Octopus,” “Lobsterbots,” and more.

Parent review: “My 3-year-old absolutely loves this game. The illustrations are really fun, and they are easy to describe. The cards seem pretty durable and the case is nice. Would recommend.”

Buy it: Taro Gomi’s Funny Fish

4. I Spy: Dig In

This game works on fine motor skills while also encouraging vocabulary recognition. Kids will love the frantic searching required to match all the objects on their cards.

Teacher review: “I use this with my students at school to build fine motor skills, working memory, visual discrimination, and focus. Fantastic game!”

Buy it: Briarpatch I Spy Game

5. Tiny Polka Dot Math Games

Here’s a year’s worth of math-center activities for you in one cute and tiny box. Sturdy and visually pleasing cards offer tons of possibilities for building number sense. Students can use them to count, match amounts, compare, subitize, and more.

Teacher review: “Love this resource as I home-school my young children. I’m a former math teacher and the logic behind the creation of each card is fully endorsable!”

Buy it: Tiny Polka Dot

6. Operation

This is the perfect game for older preschoolers since they will need to have good hand-eye coordination to retrieve the pieces.

Grandparent review: “I bought this for my 5-year-old grandson. He is very interested in the skeletal structure of the human body. He absolutely loves this game. He plays with this game for hours. I would definitely buy again.”

Buy it: Operation

7. Shopping List Memory Game

Children race to be the first to fill their shopping baskets with the items on their lists. The board is simple and uncluttered, and the picture-and-word shopping lists encourage the development of concepts about print.

Teacher review: “Bought this for a few of my students that I assigned goals for following a visual grocery list. Works great! I have bought a few of these games.”

Buy it: Orchard Toys Shopping List Memory Game

8. Memory Match Game

Preschoolers will feel empowered once they catch on to the principles of this basic memory game. The enticing Popsicle-shaped cards will get them talking about attributes while they play.

Teacher review: “These were used during our preschool camping unit. My students liked the colorful pictures and they are sturdy and can be used again.”

Buy it: Memory Game: Summer Camp Edition

9. KerPlunk

Pull out a stick, but whatever you do, don’t let the marbles fall! You may want to buy an extra set of this game since it’s sure to be a favorite.

Teacher review: “I actually got this for classroom management, and my kids love it!”

Buy it: KerPlunk

10. Monkey Around

This is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s easily adaptable to large-group play. Movement cards ask kids to practice gross motor skills while playing with a fun beanbag banana.

Teacher review: “I teach 3-to-5-year-olds with developmental delays. This game is quick, which is wonderful for short attention spans. It’s fun and functional. The kids who may not understand the verbal instructions can imitate the others. Nonverbal kids can easily play together with verbal kids. … It’s silly, simple fun. It’s noncompetitive. It’s meant for young kids learning to take turns and share. It’s not supposed to be stressful. It’s also easily adaptable. You can make it longer than 5 turns, can make all the tasks done together instead of some solo. It’s been a wonderful game in my classroom. Kids request it and come to the table as soon as they see it out.”

Buy it: Monkey Around: The Wiggle & Giggle Game

11. Bunny Bedtime Make-a-Choice Game

Help kids learn basic game-playing skills like rolling a die and moving along a path in a familiar context: bedtime! Kids love helping make decisions about how Bunny’s bedtime routine will go.

Grandparent review: “Love this game! So cute and perfect for a young child’s first board game. They make little choices along the way, making getting ready for bed fun! My granddaughter loved playing every night before bed.”

Buy it: Bunny Bedtime: The Make-a-Choice Game

12. Scavenger Hunt Cards

This is the perfect game for the whole class to play at once since there are enough sturdy scavenger hunt cards to go around. The cards encourage literacy development since they have both pictures and words on each card.

Teacher review: “My kinder class LOVED doing this scavenger hunt in our classroom! The cards are brightly printed on thick card stock and put together on a sturdy ring. The challenges are cute and fun. They’re very quick and easy and it’s a great way to kill a few minutes at home or at any group gathering of little kids.”

Buy it: MollyBee Kids Toddler Scavenger Hunt Cards

13. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game

Anything with Pete the Cat is an automatic preschool win. To get Pete’s cupcakes back from Grouchy Toad, kids must name objects, sing songs, and act out charades.

Teacher review: “As a teacher, I love that it is a cooperative game instead of just everyone out to win for themselves. I love that the activities you ‘have to do’ to earn the cupcakes are simple and age appropriate, but can be adjusted to the development level of the child.”

Buy it: Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game

14. Guess Who?

The suggested age range is 6 and up, but we feel confident that with a little coaching, older preschoolers will fall in love with this old-school game. It will encourage use of descriptive vocabulary too.

Teacher review: “Purchased this for my students. They’re all 6 and 7 years old. They absolutely love this game. Easy to put together. Easy for them to play. It also helps with processing skills.”

Buy it: Guess Who?

Sliding the card dispenser has a similar appeal to spinning a bingo cage. This is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it supports vocabulary development and print awareness as well as focus—you have to be watching to call out and snag your picture first! Spanish, sight word, number, and word-building versions are also available.

Teacher review: “My 2- and 3-year-old can play this easily with me. As a former preschool teacher, I have had a hard time finding quality games, but this is a good one! And the best part … NO BATTERIES REQUIRED!”

Buy it: Zingo! Bingo With a Zing

16. Perfection

This game challenges kids to match shapes correctly while also challenging them to race against the clock. Kids will get a kick out of the pieces popping up when time runs out.

Teacher review: “Got this for our classroom of preschoolers 4 to 5 years old. We love it!”

Buy it: Perfection

17. Pancake Pile-Up!

This game works on both patterning and sequencing while also working on balance and coordination. Bonus: You can even use the game pieces for imaginative play in a toy kitchen.

Teacher review: “I’m a mom to a 4-year-old and a preschool teacher and I’ve recommended this game to every parent of young ones! This game is great quality, fun, and teaches so many concepts. Highly recommend.”

Buy it: Pancake Pile-Up!

18. Candy Land

This classic game might make adults groan, but we still consider it one of the best board games for preschoolers. Why? Kids can take it out, set it up, and play it by themselves. Cooperation and independence for the win! (Pro tip: Provide a playing card tray for easy management of the draw pile and discards.)

Teacher review: “I bought 2 Candy Land games for my first grade classroom. I have replaced the color cards with sight word cards or math problem cards. My students love playing Candy Land.”

Buy it: Candy Land

19. Dominoes

Dominoes is a versatile and timeless game for all ages. This set from Melissa & Doug is super-sturdy and gets kids recognizing standard dot formations of numbers 1 through 6.

Positive review: “We were looking for a game that our 4-yr-old and 7-yr-old could play together with limited frustration. The 7-yr-old plays by numbers and the 4-yr-old plays by color and is getting the hang of quickly counting the numbers. Makes for a fun family game with limited frustration and accommodates short attention spans.”

Buy it: Dominoes

20. Hungry Hungry Hippos: Dino Edition

No list of best board games for preschoolers would be complete without some version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. We love this particular one since dinosaurs tend to be a favorite for many preschoolers.

Parent review: “My 3-year-old loves dinosaurs and I loved Hungry Hippos as a kid. This game is great and just like the classic! Very durable, we have been smashing the dino’s paddles for quite a few nights now with no breaks. Would recommend this game.”

Buy it: Hungry Hungry Hippos: Dino Edition

21. Rat-a-Tat Cat

The goal of the game is to have the lowest score when someone calls “Rat-a-tat cat!” This game builds number sense and teaches the concept of zero. If you’d like to encourage conversations about numbers, opt to have students play with their cards turned up and visible.

Teacher review: “Best game ever! I used it with my students who have working memory deficits to practice working memory. I also played it for years with my typically developing learners, and they love it, and me too, as it has some strategy to it and does not become overly boring like Candy Land, which bored me to tears.”

Buy it: Rat-a-Tat Cat

22. Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game

Another memory game but this one is just too cute not to include. And kids have to use their motor skills to fit the lady bugs into the holes.

Teacher review: “Awesome game. So cute, versatile and well made. Using this in a school setting as a fun way to practice drawing pictures; simple shapes; and writing numbers, beginning sounds and simple words. When the student gets a match, they do whatever task fits what you’re working on. When working on specific letter formations, just cover the pictures with sticky notes to make pairs of letters. They love it and so do I!”

Buy it: Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game

23. Heads Talk, Tails Walk

In this matching game with a twist, the fun comes when you turn over cards that don’t match! When this happens, players must move like the animal body card and make the sound of the animal head card. Stomping like an elephant while clucking like a chicken is hilarious when you’re a preschooler—or a preschool teacher!

Teacher review: “Extremely silly and fun game. Played with a kindergarten class. Never seen so much goofy-ness. Kids really love mixing up the faces and bodies. Making sounds and acting out in character. Lots of fun.”

Buy it: Heads Talk, Tails Walk

24. Connect 4

This is another perfect game for the older preschoolers in your class. Your students will have to use their critical-thinking skills in order to outsmart their opponent and get four in a row.

Teacher review: “This is your classic version of connect 4. I am a teacher and my students still love playing this just as much as I did as a kid. Sets up and cleans up in seconds. Highly recommended!”

Buy it: Connect 4

25. Banana Blast

Cue the squeals of laughter—kids love the suspense of this game! Remove the bananas one by one to see which one makes the monkey jump. The included puzzle is a nice bonus for friends to make together.

Teacher review: “My class loves to use this in our lessons when a student answers a question correctly and then gets to pull a banana!”

Buy it: Banana Blast

26. Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco

Practice matching basic shapes while helping Frankie the Cat create his food truck meals. The real appeal (and sneaky fine motor strength-building) comes from the Frankie-shaped “squeezer” players use to move the game pieces around.

Teacher review: “Simple, great game. Game helps with matching and learning shapes. Game play is simple enough for preschoolers to understand but fun enough for younger elementary students.”

Buy it: Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco Game

27. Colorama

Players roll two dice to get a color and a shape and must locate a matching spot on the board. There are multiple levels of play for different groups.

Teacher review: “This was a game I used for years in my 4/5’s classroom. The children have the choice of what to choose that matches the dice. Good for discrimination and learning.”

Buy it: Colorama

28. Richard Scarry’s Busytown: Eye Found It!

It just makes sense that Richard Scarry would be included on a list of the best board games for preschoolers. This oversized game board gives plenty of room for a group of kids to spy items in the pictures and move ahead on the board. The goal is to get to the picnic before the pigs eat all the food, and everyone has to help!

Teacher review: “This game is fantastic! I would recommend it to anyone with young children. I love that children learn how to play a game cooperatively rather than competitively. My son got this game last Christmas and still asks to play it all the time! As a teacher and mom, I highly recommend this game!”

Buy it: Richard Scarry’s Busytown: Eye Found It!

29. Charades for Kids

This version of charades is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s designed for little kids. Preschoolers need opportunities for movement, and this game provides just that as they have to act out a variety of scenarios. The game also encourages vocabulary development as the cards have both pictures and words.

Teacher review: “I loved these. I’m a kindergarten teacher and let’s just say how fun these were!”

Buy it: Charades for Kids

Every kid should learn to play Uno. It’s marketed for ages 7 and up, but the rules are easily adaptable for younger children. With enough practice, they’ll be unleashing the Draw Four cards like pros.

Teacher review: “Bought this for my students to do at the end of a session (speech and language therapist). They love, I love, it’s a win-win.”

Buy it: Uno

31. Hoot Owl Hoot!

Players must work together to get the owls back to the nest before sunrise. Color cards, similar to Candy Land, move the owls closer to the goal, but there are a few added twists to make it more interesting.

Teacher review: “I’m a preschool teacher and I just bought this game for my niece for her birthday. I’ve used it at work many times. Great for preschool age!”

Buy it: Hoot Owl Hoot!

32. Snail’s Pace Race

It’s often the simplest games that are best. Players take turns rolling color dice to see which snails to move in this cooperative game. Which snail will win? Oh, the suspense! Swap out one die with a regular die if you want to speed up the game and encourage number recognition.

Teacher review: “I have used this game in two different pre-K classes. It is simple and fun. It teaches colors, taking turns, being patient, being a good sport. It is great for 2-6 players. I use it with one die only, but can go to two dice when the children are ready for a more complicated version. The only complaint I have is that the box could be sturdier.”

Buy it: Snail’s Pace Race

33. Feed the Woozle

There are multiple ways to play this silly game. In the simplest version, players roll a die to determine how many pieces of food to “feed” the Woozle. But wait: Walking across the room balancing the food on the spoon adds an extra challenge. Players cooperate so they can satiate the goofy creature’s appetite.

Teacher review: “My preschool students love this game! It encourages my students to work together to feed the Woozle. It has three kid-friendly levels so all of the children can play. They love spinning the wheel and doing the silly movements to get the food in the Woozle’s mouth. I highly recommend Feed the Woozle.”

Buy it: Feed the Woozle

34. Where’s Bear?

Players hide a wooden bear under one of six sturdy nesting blocks decorated as rooms in a house and then try to find him. This game capitalizes on toddlers’ love of hiding things and offers a lot of language-building opportunities. This is perfect for a class of 2-year-olds or a multi-age group in which older students can play the adult role.

Teacher review: “My students had so much fun playing this game. I used this as part of our bear unit. My students enjoyed playing hide-n-seek with bear. Lots of opportunities to expand their language with the different vocabulary items in each room. So fun!”

Buy it: Where’s Bear?

35. Race to the Treasure!

This game is our go-to for older preschoolers ready for a bit of strategic play. Players cooperate to create a path to reach the treasure before the ogre does.

Teacher review: “As a kindergarten teacher and parent, I highly recommend this game. Cooperative goal (everyone wins together or loses together) and great strategy, problem-solving and math skill building ~ this one even works on graphing (columns/rows). Awesome!”

Buy it: Race to the Treasure!

36. Hi Ho! Cherry-O

Kids will have a blast picking pretend fruit from the trees on the preschool game board while they’re practicing math skills such as counting, addition, and subtraction.

Teacher review: “I’m a preschool teacher although I bought this game for my niece. I love Hi Ho Cherry-o because my preschoolers love it. It’s simple and fun and teaches counting skills and game-playing skills too!”

Buy it: Hi Ho! Cherry-O

37. Don’t Spill the Beans

This game requires no reading, so it’s great for young kids. It’s also perfect for improving fine motor skills as kids try to place beans in the jar without tipping it over.

Teacher review: “As an elementary teacher, I like to find games that do not have difficult instructions but also teach social skills such as taking turns. This game was affordable and perfect for two young children to play.”

Buy it: Don’t Spill the Beans

38. Alphabet Bingo

Is there a more classic game than bingo? It definitely deserves a spot on any list of the best board games for preschoolers. This updated version can help kids improve letter recognition, letter and object association, and concentration skills. It’s also a great opportunity for social-skills development and cooperative play.

Teacher review: “This is a simple, easy game that kids 4-7 absolutely love! I have used it to play with my own children and in class as a first grade teacher. It’s great letter practice and review. You can even change it to alphabet sounds as kiddos are getting ready to read.”

Buy it: Alphabet Bingo

39. Don’t Break the Ice

The object of this old favorite is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice, but as the game goes on, the ice blocks start falling. Kids can work on fine motor skills, problem-solving, and learning to take turns while they have fun.

Teacher review: “My students absolutely love this game. It helps to make indoor recess a blast.”

Buy it: Don’t Break the Ice

40. Peppa Pig Chutes and Ladders

A forever favorite, Chutes and Ladders is an excellent choice for kids who haven’t yet learned how to read. They’ll have the best time playing this Peppa Pig–themed game while simultaneously improving number recognition.

Teacher review: “I bought this when I realized my first grade students have poor board game skills. A classic game, and my students related to the characters, but the board was very busy and some had a little difficulty with the tracking.”

Buy it: Peppa Pig Chutes and Ladders

41. My Feelings

Social-emotional learning is particularly important following the pandemic world we have lived through. We love the regulation strategies that make this one of the best board games for preschoolers who are learning how to manage their overwhelming feelings.

Teacher review: “Great game for special needs students to talk about & identify their feelings.”

Buy it: My Feelings Game

42. Count Your Chickens!

This game is perfect for the preschool-age crowd since it is fast-paced and stresses cooperation over competition. Children as young as 2 can learn skills like turn taking and counting while having fun at the same time.

Teacher review: “I am a special education teacher and I saw this game being used over summer school for team-building skills. I decided to get the game for my classroom. The students will learn about cooperative learning and instead of trying to win the game for themselves, they will learn to win the game as a team.”

Buy it: Count Your Chickens!

43. Grocery Go Karts

In this action-packed board game, players stack their groceries on their carts as they race to the checkout line. Preschoolers will work on their fine motor skills since they will be connecting and stacking the various grocery pieces. They will especially love the end when they get to launch their groceries from their carts!

Teacher review: “I bought this game as a recommendation from another speech pathologist and I love it! My students think the grocery carts are fun to use. The directions are very clear and easy to understand.”

Buy it: Grocery Go Karts

44. Pizza, Pizza!

This is the perfect game for 3-to-7-year-olds to learn their shapes and colors while having fun creating yummy (and yucky) pizzas. It will also teach them valuable skills like taking turns and making choices.

Teacher review: “Great for preschool or special ed classrooms. Easy to learn and navigate. Great fun for kiddos.”

Buy it: Pizza, Pizza!

45. Sight Word Swat!

Sight word recognition is so important for preschoolers. This game features 400 commonly found words on different-colored flies that correspond with different ability levels, so you can cater to different literacy levels. And little ones will enjoy swatting the flies!

Teacher review: “This game is perfect for any teacher or even for at-home use. It starts with pre-primer words and goes up through third grade. Very, very, very important for students learn these sight words as well as having fun while doing it. The fly swatters are very sturdy as well!”

Buy it: Sight Word Swat!

46. Season Wise

This game teaches valuable skills like categorizing and sorting while also teaching about the four seasons. We love that it could even spark some debate since some of the cards could apply to more than one season.

Teacher review: “I used this game in my classroom. You can incorporate in your morning meeting or use it during your science lessons when you teach about the seasons to early learners. This is a great game for a classroom teacher.”

Buy it: Season Wise

47. Bluey Keepy Uppy Game

The preschool-age crowd loves the show Bluey and the oh-so adorable characters featured in it. This cute board game is based on a popular game from the episode “Keepy Uppy.” The best board games for preschoolers are fast-paced and fun, and this one certainly fits the bill!

Teacher review: “Bought this for my students and they love it! Pretty simple to assemble and easy for younger children to learn and use. Great for hand-eye coordination!”

Buy it: Bluey Keepy Uppy Game

48. Boggle Jr.

This is one of the best board games for preschoolers to introduce them to the alphabet. By matching colorful letter cubes to picture word cards, they’ll enhance their spelling and memory skills.

Teacher review: “As a retired teacher who used to play this game to teach my own sons the fun of how language works, I’d recommend Boggle Jr. Kids don’t realize how much learning they are doing. We take out this classic game for short 10-20 minutes of play and it’s amazing how even just that helps them become enthusiastic about word building.”

Buy it: Boggle Jr.

49. Outfoxed!

This cooperative whodunit game introduces preschoolers to the thrill of deduction. Players use a fun evidence scanner to gather clues and identify which adorable fox stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie.

Teacher review: “I love this game. I’ve been teaching first grade for 25 years and I think this is one of my favorite games for my students (and I have HUNDREDS). The kids catch on quickly and absolutely LOVE this game. It’s one of their favorites!”

Buy it: Outfoxed!

50. Yeti in My Spaghetti

Dive into some noodly fun with this game where the suspense mounts as kids carefully remove noodle strands without letting the Yeti tumble into the bowl. Not only is it thrilling, but it also helps children develop important skills like understanding cause and effect, maintaining focus, and enhancing hand-eye coordination.

Teacher review: “This game is one of the highlights of indoor recess. I teach 3rd grade gifted and talented and there were squeals of laughter and excitement in the air. Half of my students begged for indoor recess the next day because they wanted to play the game again.”

Buy it: Yeti in My Spaghetti

What do you think are the best board games for preschoolers? Come and share in our We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Plus, check out our favorite ideas for sensory tables ..

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20 Board Games for 5-Year-Olds of 2024

Are you wondering if your 5-year-old is old enough to play board games and if so, what games are best? Are you curious about the benefits of board games?

You’ve come to the right place.

We asked 5-year-olds which board games they like to play and why they like to play them. Then we spoke with families about their board game experiences and picked the brains of child development experts and board games aficionados. Finally, we added a big helping of personal experience to create this list of the 20 best board games for 5-year-olds.

• Our Top Picks

• Short game time
• Easy to learn
• Strategy game

• Fun and interactive
• Develops patience & memory
• Award-winning

• Educational game
• Fun & entertaining
• Combines strategy & luck

• Beautifully design
• Combo of skill & luck
• Multiple play modes

• Encourages collaboration
• Develops reasoning skills
• Can be played solo

• Simple to learn
• Add extra bugs for more fun

• Can be played without adults
• Younger siblings can play
• Can be adapted for teams

• Strengthens memory
• Different experience every round
• No reading required

• Straightforward gameplay
• Highly engaging

• Physical & dynamic
• Good party game
• Can be played outdoors
• Product Reviews & Ratings

Product Comparison Chart

Can 5-year-olds play board games, benefits of board games for 5-year-olds, how to choose the best board games for 5-year-olds, take the bored out of board games, the best board games for 5-year-olds of 2024.

When curating this list of games, I’ve considered the advice above and thought about the board games my kids have loved and loathed. Plus, I picked the brain of my oldest daughter who, rather conveniently for me, runs a board game store and has lots of knowledge and experience.

Best Stacking Board Game for 5-Year-Olds

In Rhino Hero, players take turns to place walls and lay roof cards to build a collaborative tower. At specific, random points, you help the rhino climb the tower without demolishing it.

The winner is the first to use all of their cards, or if the tower tumbles, you all win. Or lose.

Some roof cards have additional symbols to indicate a change of play direction or that the next player skips a turn. This adds an element of strategy which keeps it interesting.

Also, for 5-year-olds, Rhino Hero Super Battle has more cards, additional animal heroes, and evil monkeys to contend with. This is an excellent choice for an upgrade if you enjoy the basic game.

• Short game time.
• Easy to learn.
• Affordable.
• Cards can become bent.

Product Specs

Our Ratings

User experience, gotrovo the family treasure hunt game, best treasure hunt board game for 5-year-olds.

You and your kids can never go wrong with this award-winning board game as it is interactive and encourages great scavenger hunt adventure.

Boredom has no space in your house as you can be sure that no two trails are ever the same.

Now you can be sure that they can still have fun without the use of gadgets which may strain their eye.

• Fun and interactive.
• Develops patience & memory.
• Award-winning.
• Some people complained that the map cannot be flattened but this is a minor issue and can be solved by using heavy books.

Personal Perspective

Ticket to ride first journey, best map-based board game for 5-year-olds.

This version of Ticket to Ride has a map that includes the U.S. and a sliver of Southern Canada.

Players have “tickets” for different cities and connect them on the map by placing their trains and claiming the routes.

Kids learn the basics of U.S. geography, which you can expand on outside the game. Meanwhile, the cartoon graphics and cute plastic trains are appealing to kids, but not so childlike that they’ll be off-putting for the target age-range.

There’s another children’s version with the same gameplay but a map of Europe and multiple adult versions to move to as your kids grow.

• Educational.
• Entertaining.
• Combines strategy and luck.
• Less entertaining for older family members.

Community Feedback

Dragon's breath, best dexterity board game for 5-year-olds.

To play Dragon’s Breath, players take turns to remove rings from the ice column, releasing gems. Gems that fall in certain areas are taken out of play, and the remaining gems are divided among players according to color. The player with the most gems after the last ring is removed wins.

This sounds overly simple, but there are enough variables to make it fun and exciting.

As a bonus, the game is played on a platform on the box, and gems go into the box as you play. That makes clean-up a cinch.

• Beautifully made.
• Combo of skill and luck.
• Multiple play modes.
• Small gems, which makes them easier to lose.

First-Hand Impression

Best cooperative board game for 5-year-olds.

Find out where Mr. Fox’s hiding! Players start by traveling the grid in any direction. Simultaneously, the fox begins at one end and moves along the path. A throw of the dice determines whether the player or the fox moves.

Land on a clue space and you can put a token into the “decoder” and reveal the clue. Clues are shared among all players, and you work together to solve the mystery before the fox makes it across the board.

• Encourages collaboration.
• Develops reasoning skills.
• Can be played solo.
• Off-putting instructions.

Bugs in the Kitchen

Best action board game for 5-year-olds.

Bugs in the Kitchen is played within the box. At each end, there are two “bug traps.” Barriers are set into the board, and these barriers, which are shaped like knives and forks, can be turned in different directions.

To begin, you release the robotic HexBug. The bug runs around the maze, and on your turn, you throw the dice to discover whether to turn a knife or fork. The aim of the game is to turn the utensils and guide the bug into one of the traps.

The owner of the trap receives a bug token, and the first to five bugs wins.

• Fast-paced.
• Simple to learn.
• Add extra bugs for more fun.
• Too intense for some younger kids.
• Can become frenetic.

Learning Resources Sum Swamp Game

Best multiplayer board game for 5-year-olds.

This board game is not only fun to play with but it’s educational.

Honing mathematical skills particularly basic addition and subtraction can be achieved at a younger age by playing this board game. I know moms can just hand a mobile phone or tablet to their toddlers and let them explore the world of numbers. But wouldn’t it be better for them to have a hands-on practical learning experience thru playing board games without straining their eye?

• Can be played without adults.
• Younger siblings can play.
• Can be adapted for teams.
• Limited to addition and subtraction.

Enchanted Forest

Best memory board game for 5-year-olds.

All players begin in the “village” area at one end of the board. Each of the 13 trees has a picture on the base and is placed next to the 13 blue squares. If you land on a blue square, peek under the tree next to it and remember which picture is where.

At the other end of the board is the king’s castle area, where the treasure cards sit. A card is turned over to reveal a treasure. If you can remember which tree you saw the treasure under, race to the castle and be the first to reveal its location.

• Strengthens memory.
• Different every time.
• No reading required.
• Longer playtime.

Best Strategy Board Game for 5-Year-Olds

Blokus is a square grid onto which shaped pieces are placed. Each player gets the same 21 pieces, all of which are between one and five squares in different configurations.

Players take turns to place one piece on the board at a time. You begin in your corner and work outwards. Pieces must touch another of the same color, but they can only touch at the corner.

The game ends when someone has laid all of their pieces or when no more pieces can be laid. The winner is the first to lay all their pieces or the one with the fewest squares left.

It sounds overly simple, but it keeps the adults in our house playing for hours.

• Straightforward gameplay.
• Highly engaging.
• Requires focus.
• Works best with four players

The Floor Is Lava

Best physical activity board game for 5-year-olds.

Stepping “stones” of different colors are scattered across the floor. One player spins the arrow to choose a color, and players must jump onto a tile of that color. The spinner determines who was last to land on a tile and removes the stepping stone from which they jumped.

If you can’t find a stone of the correct color to jump to, or if you touch the ground between the stones, you’re out. The last player in the game wins.

Some stepping stones have actions on them, such as “dance like a ballerina.” If you land on one of these tiles, you must perform the action, but this element can be left out if you prefer.

• Good party game .
• Can be played outside.
• Needs plenty of room.
• Eliminated kids get bored.

Best Nature-Based Board Game for 5-Year-Olds

Wildcraft is a collaborative game in which you climb a mountain by moving around the board. On the way, players must collect 26 edible and medicinal plant cards to cure 31 ailments. Then they must return to grandma’s house before nightfall.

To ensure everyone has an objective and feels included, each player also has to collect two huckleberries while at the top of the mountain.

There’s no need for prior knowledge, and everything you need to know is within the game. Kids can also take the cards out and about and use them to identify the plants they find.

• 100 percent recycled materials and vegetable inks.
• Printable downloads available.
• Learning resource.
• Not everyone’s ideal subject matter.
• Long play time.

Scrabble Junior

Best spelling board game for 5-year-olds.

The newest incarnation of Scrabble Junior is two word games in one.

On the “easy” side of the board, there’s a grid with pre-printed words and a numbered pathway around the outside. Players take letter tiles in the same way as traditional Scrabble. Instead of making words, they match their tiles to letters in a word on the board.

You earn points for different letters and completing a word. You move your figure around the outer pathway, and first to the finish wins.

On the reverse side, you play Scrabble in the traditional way, but without the premium squares such as double letter scores.

• No need to spell.
• Aids letter recognition.
• Two games in one.
• No tile stands.
• Cardboard letter tiles.

Brain Freeze

Best two-player board game for 5-year-olds.

Brain Freeze consists of two draw-on/wipe-off game boards. Each board has two pieces, which clip together easily to form an L-shape. The larger section has a 10×10 grid with a picture of a frozen treat printed in each square.

First, players choose a target square and mark the color, picture, and square location on their board’s vertical section. They then take turns to ask each other questions to work out the treat, the color, and the location the other player has chosen.

Think of it as a simple Guess Who meets Battleship, with ice-creams and lollipops.

• Lightweight and portable.
• No pieces to lose.
• Promotes logical thinking.
• Challenging for “younger 5-year-olds.”
• Takes time to learn logical thinking processes.

Gamewright Hisss

Best card-based board game for 5-year-olds.

The aim of the game is to create snakes that are as long as possible. Every snake must have a head, a tail, and at least one body section, and the longer you can make your snake, the better.

Players take a card, turn it over, and try to match it to a card already laid to lengthen or complete a snake. If you can’t match your card, it’s placed on the table, and another snake is started.

If you complete a snake, you take the cards. The player with the most cards at the end of the game wins.

• Quickly outgrown.

Clue Junior

Best deduction board game for 5-year-olds.

Two different Clue Junior sets are available — The Case of the Broken Toy and The Case of the Missing Cake . Rules and gameplay are the same for both — the only difference is the mystery you’re solving.

Players must discover the “who,” “what,” and “when” of the mystery by moving around the board to view picture clues. Clue cards are laid face-down on the board, and when you view a clue, you mark it off on your pre-printed detective pad.

When you have eliminated all but one possibility for who, what, and when you can solve the mystery. Players can move any character, making it easy to play with any number, but puzzle-solving is not collaborative.

• Teaches deductive reasoning.
• A non-violent mystery.
• It can be played with only two people or up to six.
• Instructions are unclear.
• Games can take a long time.

The Game of Life Junior

Best family board game for 5-year-olds.

The aim of the game is to move around the board, visiting locations such as the zoo or water park.

The in-board spinner tells you how many spaces to move. Land on an attraction and you pay an entry fee. Land on a yellow square and you take an action card and perform the action on the card, such as “act like a lion.”

If your child can’t read, you need at least three players for a game, or the charades part doesn’t work. You receive a star for each attraction you visit, and for every action, the other players correctly guess. The first player to ten stars wins.

• Good for active kids.
• Bearable for adults.
• Easy to learn how to play.
• Requires basic reading.

Sums In Space

Best counting board game for 5-year-olds.

In Sums In Space, players race around the board, move past the black hole, escape the planet, and get back home. They do this by solving single-digit addition and subtraction equations.

Players roll the three dice and get two numbers between 0 and 9 and either an addition or subtraction sign. They arrange the die to form an equation, solve the equation, and move the squares’ resulting number on the board. First, one to the end wins.

When a player rolls a zero in collaborative mode, the rocket is moved one square down the countdown ladder. If everyone gets to the end before the rocket reaches zero, everyone wins. If the rocket reaches zero, the game is over.

• Develops basic math.
• Collaborative or competitive.
• A good pick for kids who love space.
• Feels basic.

Monopoly Junior

Best budget board game for 5-year-olds.

Monopoly Junior is similar to the adult version but has 24 squares on the board instead of 40. Houses, hotels, Community Chest, utilities, railroads, and tax squares are all eliminated, and rather than specific places, the properties are things like the zoo and boardwalk.

Players move around the board buying properties, avoiding jail, and picking up Chance cards. If you land on a property owned by another player, you pay rent.

Players who cannot pay their bills are eliminated. The remaining players sell their properties back to the bank, count their money, and the player with the most cash wins.

• Excellent value.
• Teaches math skills.
• Fun for adults.
• The only money denomination is $1 bills, which limits the math lessons.

Best Electronic Board Game for 5-Year-Olds

The traditional Operation from your childhood is alive and well, slightly updated for kids of today.

Cavity Sam lays on his hospital bed, and budding doctors must use a steady hand to remove those pesky plastic pieces from his body. If the attached plastic-coated metal tweezers touch his body, then, bbbzzzzzzzz, your turn is over.

The only difference between the traditional version and this updated one is that the cards are of better quality and have modern graphics and colors.

Operation: Pet Scan mixes things up a little by having a maze to move the game pieces through, and special theme editions are also available, including Operation Star Wars The Mandalorian Edition , Operation Disney-Pixar Finding Dory , and Operation Star Wars Chewbacca Edition .

• Improves fine motor skills.
• It’s a fun game for kids.
• Unrealistic body parts.
• Small pieces.

Risk Junior

Best determined by chance board game for 5-year-olds.

In Risk Junior, players move their pirate ships around the map to find treasure and take control of the islands.

Unlike regular Risk, which island is attacked and who wins is determined by a roll of the dice. It’s entirely down to chance. While this takes the strategy element out of the game, it does prevent anyone from being ganged up on by other players.

The chance element means the game can be over in as little as ten minutes but can run to well past an hour, which becomes grueling and rather dull.

• Fun pirate theme.
• Quirky counters.
• It can be played with only two players.
• Inconsistent game length.
• Incorrect compass on the board.
• Can become tedious.

Yes, 5-year-olds can play age-appropriate board games. Games geared toward this age group usually have fewer rules, are less complicated, and have a shorter playtime than games for older children and adults.

Play board games with a 5-year-old, and you’ll be:

• Boosting communication skills: You and your child will discuss the rules and gameplay, and speak with each other during and after the games. They’ll also develop listening skills and vocabulary (1) .
• Enhancing social skills: Playing board games teaches a child to take turns, wait patiently, lose gracefully, and have empathy for the feelings of others.
• Developing focus: Playing board games helps your child sit still, focus, and pay attention to what is happening — an essential skill for school.
• Strengthening relationships: Playing board games not only provides an activity you can share right now but also builds memories you can share in the future.

With so many options, how do you choose an appropriate board game for a 5-year-old?

Child’s Preferences

Think about the things your child enjoys and find a board game that aligns with those interests. You can do this by choosing a game related to their interests, such as animals or fairy tales.

Also, consider how your child likes to play. Are they extremely active? If so, a game with a physical element and/or a short playtime might be best.

Alternatively, if you have a quiet child, something more subdued will be more appropriate.

Number of Players

The recommended number of players is an element often overlooked when choosing a board game for 5-year-olds.

If the number of players you have will vary, look for games that can be played with a flexible number of players and avoid those that only work with three, four, or any other number of specific participants.

Educational Benefits

While not every game has to be an academic learning experience, an educational element can be a big benefit of playtime . This is especially true if you have a child who avoids anything that looks like learning.

If you’re not sure how your child will respond to board games, choose sets at the lower end of the price range. That way, if board games aren’t their “thing,” you won’t be wasting money.

If it turns out they do enjoy board games, then it is worth investing a bit more for a high-quality game that will grow with your child.

Games may have flat boards or be 3D games with multi-layers or building elements. Some don’t have a traditional board but have cards instead — an excellent option for travel or when space is at a premium.

You can also find board games with virtual versions or that have smart or online elements to enhance gameplay. If you’re trying to limit your child’s screen time , then skip the electronic version in favor of an old-fashioned board game.

Some people have fond memories of playing board games, while others only remember being bored or put off by overly competitive adults. This is a shame because board games are a fabulous way to spend time with each other, learn a thing or two, and have fun.

To create this list of the best board games for 5-year-olds, we tried to find games to suit a range of interests, game styles, and family dynamics. Hopefully, there’s something on the list to suit your 5-year-old and those who play board games with them.

About the Author

Patricia Barnes

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40 Amusing Games For Your Five-Year-Olds

October 19, 2023 //  by  Seda Unlucay

By age five, your kids are probably forming complex sentences, reading independently, and engaging in group activities. We’ve compiled a list of fun-filled games and activities that are guaranteed to get your learners developing these key attributes while having a ball of a time doing it. From messy and colorful crafts to amusing physical games – these activities are perfectly tailored to your growing five-year-olds.

Related Content:

• Games for Kids
• Games for 1-Year-Olds
• Games for 2-Year-Olds
• Games for 3-Year-Olds
• Games for 4-Year-Olds
• Games for 6-Year-Olds
• Games for 7-Year-Olds
• Games for 8-Year-Olds
• Games for 9-Year-Olds
• Games for 10-Year-Olds

1. Get Creative with Googly Eyes

This inventive craft makes for hours of classroom fun! Task your kids with drawing unique animals or creatures and once they’ve completed their drawings, prompt them to adorn their quirky doodles with googly eyes. 

Learn More: Mess for Less

2. Try a STEM Challenge

Engage your little learners in various STEM activities designed to challenge them in different spheres. Have them explore how magnets work with different objects or treat them to a colorful experience as you have them craft color-changing flowers.

Learn More: Taming Little Monsters

3. Make Your Own Kinetic Sand

Indulge your kiddos’ senses as you have them forge this sensory-rich craft. Invite them to mix corn flour, sand, and water together to create their very own kinetic sand. Then, prompt them to get their hands dirty as they shape and mold their sand into beautiful 3D art.

Learn More: Crafty Morning

4. Play a Game of Brain Freeze

Here’s a cooperative board game that will encourage your learners to develop their social skills . Start by having them partner up and sit opposite one another before prompting them to select a picture on their board. Proceed by encouraging them to ask their partner questions about their object to help them guess what picture they’ve selected.

Learn More: Amazon

5. Bubble Wrap Hopscotch

This fun-filled game makes the perfect activity for rainy days spent in the classroom. Set up a game of hopscotch for your students by cutting out squares of bubble wrap and labeling each square with a number. You’ll then prompt them to skip and jump their way across the bubble wrap for a kinesthetic day of number learning.

Learn More: Craftaphile

6. Egg Decorating Craft

Get your little hands decorating in this creative craft! Invite them to gather up a variety of small items such as gems, straws, colorful buttons, and wooden shapes before encouraging them to use their supplies to decorate an egg pattern mat. 

Learn More: Picklebums

7. Scrabble Junior

Help your class build familiarity with the alphabet with a game of Junior Scrabble! It’s just like regular Scrabble, except in this version you’ll challenge them to match tiles to letters that have already been printed on the board. It’s a game that’s sure to capture their attention while allowing for plenty of practice in forming bonds with letters. 

Learn More: The Spruce Crafts

8. Cookie Matching Game

What better way to develop basic math skills than with some cookie fun? Provide your kiddos with these adorable cookie shapes and then task them with matching each shape to its corresponding shadow displayed on a worksheet.

Learn More: Teaching Mama

9. Alphabet Phonics Hunt

Send your little ones on an exploratory phonics hunt! Simply place letters on objects around your classroom that begin with the corresponding letter sound. Then, prompt your kids to set off on a quest to find each hidden letter. 

Learn More: Meaningful Mama

10. Animal Charades

Let your kids’ imaginations run wild as they play this cheerful game of animal charades. Start by cutting and placing different animal cards into a basket. You’ll then prompt them to pick a card and act out the animal using sounds and movements, encouraging their classmates to guess the correct answer.

Learn More: Buggy and Buddy

11. Monopoly Junior

This iconic board game is sure to keep your class entertained for hours! Engage them in a game of Monopoly Junior, packed with kid-friendly places such as the Zoo and Ice Cream parlor. It’s a great way to teach them basic math skills like counting and organizing without them even realizing. 

Learn More: Hasbro Shop

12. Play a Balancing Game

Incorporate some creative movements into your little learners’ day with a balancing game! You’ll help them build motor coordination as you challenge them to walk on lines backward, with one foot in front of the other, or in a zig-zag pattern.

Learn More: Kinder Care

13. Classic Card Games

Engage your class in cooperative play with a classic game of Old Maid. Simply start by explaining the basic rules of this game before prompting them to partner up and challenge their peers to see who can get rid of their cards the fastest by making matches.

Learn More: Kidspot

14. Bubble Wrap Body Slam

Develop your kiddos’ love for colors with this ingenious activity! After wrapping them in bubble wrap, allow them to dip their bodies in paint and then apply the paint to a wall covered in canvas to create abstract art.

Learn More: The Chaos and the Clutter

15. Vocabulary Hunt

Add a literary twist to treasure hunts by having your learners seek out hidden words. You’ll provide them with a plastic bag filled with sight words that’ve been covered in rice. Then, prompt them to push around the rice to find the words hidden in their bag while encouraging them to repeat each word as they find it.

Learn More: Hands On As We Grow

16. Play an Educational Online Game

Engage your kids in a modern twist on learning as they play digital games! National Geographic has a whole host of educational online games to choose from. Try this leaf identification game where you’ll challenge your pupils to identify leaf types from real-life pictures, making for a creative resource that’s great for incorporating the natural world into lessons on science.

Learn More: National Geographic Kids

17. Sight Word Games

Indulge your little ones in sight words galore! Engage them in memorizing these words by having them paint, look for them in a book, or spell them out with Play-Doh. There’s no better way to help your tots develop the necessary skills they’ll need for Kindergarten!

Learn More: 26 Sight Word Games For Kids To Practice Reading Fluency

18. Number Bonds to 10 Egg Game

This egg-citing game makes a fantastic resource to practice your kiddos’ math skills without any pesky worksheets. Simply start by labeling plastic egg halves with various numbers before prompting them to match the halves to create the number 10. It’s a hands-on way to develop your learners’ understanding of number bonds to 10.

Learn More: The Imagination Tree

19. Cutting Practice With a Princess Doll

Hone your little ones’ fine motor skills with this cute craft. Invite them to cut a princess doll out of a template before allowing them to use markers or crayons to add some color to their doll. Then, have them use a punch to create holes that they’ll use to thread through yarn – giving their princess beautiful locks of hair.

Learn More: Lalymom

20. Craft a Waterproof Boot

Create an interactive science investigation right in your classroom! Challenge your class with waterproofing a paper boot by having them stick different materials such as foil and fabric over it. Then, test their creations by spraying each material with water to see whether their designs are a success.

Learn More: Science Sparks

21. Salt Dough Heart Craft

For a beautiful keepsake or gift, have your learners put together this creative craft! Engage them in mixing flour, salt, and water together to create salt dough. Then, allow them to mold their dough together before pressing down firmly with bubble wrap and using a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out their shape.

Learn More: Red Ted Art

22. Egg Carton Flower Math 

In this interactive game, your kiddos will solve addition problems using flowers. Start by crafting a paper garden, filled with addition problems and then provide them with colorful egg cartons that you’ve labeled with the answers. Challenge them to solve each sum and glue down the corresponding flower to bloom their math garden.

Learn More: Sparkling Buds

23. DIY Bucket Ball

Invite your eager learners outdoors for some fun in the sun. Start by setting up two pyramids using buckets filled with water. Kick off the festivities by having them throw balls into the buckets, removing each bucket when they successfully sink a ball. The first player to remove all their buckets wins!

Learn More: South Lumina Style

24. Learn About Color Mixing

Inspire those budding artists in your classroom with a color-mixing activity. Introduce them to color theory by having them mix different color paints together to create new and unique colors. Engage their creativity by then prompting them to label their abstract color mixtures as they see fit.

Learn More: No Time for Flashcards

25. Make a Printable Five Senses Book

Explore the 5 senses with your kiddos as they craft their very own Senses Book. Simply start by providing them with a template and then task them with filling in the prompts and decorating their book with colorful doodles. It’s a great way to get them motivated to read, write, and learn about the world through their senses.

Learn More: Still Playing School

26. Pirate Treasure Hunt

Invite your little ones on a swashbuckling adventure as you have them hunt for pirate booty! Equip them with maps containing clues that they’ll use to figure out the secret location of hidden treasures. They’ll sharpen their navigational skills, practice reading maps, and enjoy the thrill of this exciting hunt.

Learn More: Twinkl

27. Moon Rock Collecting

In this space-age activity, your class will become astronauts for the day as they hunt for moon rocks. Begin crafting these shiny rocks by wrapping plastic balls in aluminum foil. Then, hide them around your classroom or schoolyard before prompting your kiddos to search for these cosmic curiosities.

Learn More: Get Your Holiday On

28. Story Stones

Ignite your kids’ imagination by having them create vibrant story stones. Supply them with smooth rocks and then task them with painting or sticking characters onto their rocks. Their rocks can then be used during story time where you’ll prompt them to use them as aids to construct whimsical tales.

Learn More: Happy Hooligans

29. Musical Chairs: Animal Edition

Crank up the tunes for a jungle jam! In this twist on musical chairs, you’ll label chairs with animal pictures. When the music stops, encourage your little learners to find a chair and mimic the sound of the animal displayed before sitting down.

Learn More: YouTube

30. Paper Plate Ring Toss

Transform your classroom into a bustling carnival with this ring toss game! You’ll create rings from paper plates and use a paper towel roll as a target pole. Then, kick off the fun by engaging your kiddos in this captivating game by having them aim and toss the paper rings onto the target.

Learn More: Crayola

31. Nature Scavenger Hunt

Ignite your students’ curiosity by inviting them to explore Mother Nature. Simply provide them with a checklist filled with natural items that they can find outdoors. As they find each item, they’ll observe different types of leaves, flowers, and maybe a few wriggly critters.

Learn More: Happy Mom Hacks

32. Indoor Obstacle Course

Don’t let a rainy day spoil your classroom fun! Create an indoor obstacle course for your children by setting out pillows, chairs, and tables around your class. Then, allow them to test their agility in this energetic activity by having them crawl, jump, and zig-zag through the course.

33. Build a Snow Volcano

Take advantage of snowy days by engaging your young learners in a captivating chemical reaction. Task them with using snow to build volcanoes and then guide them in adding baking soda, food coloring, and vinegar to their structure to create an icy eruption.

Learn More: Raising Dragons

34. Grocery Store Dramatic Play

It’s time to get role-playing as your kiddos learn basic math. Simply set up a mini grocery store in your class using empty boxes and toy food items. Afterward, supply them with a grocery list and encourage them to shop around the store as they tick off the items they find.

Learn More: Pre-K Printable Fun

35. Popsicle Stick Puzzle

In this activity, you’ll challenge your littles to complete a crafty brainteaser! Engage them in drawing shapes on sets of popsicle sticks. Then, prompt them to shuffle them up and have them reassemble their crafty puzzle.

Learn More: Toddler at Play

36. Freeze Dance

Get your students grooving in this musical game. Begin by playing a melody for them before stopping the music and prompting them to freeze. They’ll have to pay close attention to the auditory clues because if they move when the music stops, they’re out for the next round.

37. Magnetic Fishing Game

This stunning game will make the most perfect addition to your children’s play corner. Invite them to pick up some magnetic sticks as you task them with catching as many ocean critters as they can. It’s a delightful way to teach them patience, concentration, and even a bit of physics!

Learn More: Jaques London

38. Rain Cloud Science

Add a touch of color to your science lessons by having your kids create a cloud in a jar! Guide them in filling a jar with water and topping it with shaving cream. Then, hand them plastic tubes that they’ll use to drop food coloring into the shaving cream. Encourage them to observe the process as they marvel at the “rain” falling through the water.

Learn More: Fun Learning for Kids

39. Handprint Sun Catchers

Give your young learners the gift of sunshine by creating dazzling suncatchers! Simply start by inviting them to press their hands into salt dough. Assist them in cutting out their hand shape and filling the space with pony beads. You’ll then place their design in an oven to melt the beads and allow it to cool before encouraging them to adorn your windows with their stunning artwork. 

Learn More: Homegrown Friends

40. Chalk Constellations

Explore the whimsy of astronomy without the need for a telescope! Set out a constellation map for your kiddos by scattering star stickers onto your pavement or mini chalkboards. Then, arm them with chalk and encourage them to draw lines between each star to create a web of starry constellations.

Learn More: Gift of Curiosity

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7 Educational Nintendo Switch Games That Kids Will Love

These video games encourage children to think critically, strategically, and creatively.

In This Article

• Our Top Picks

Parents / Alli Waataja

Gaming has become a huge part of 21st-century life. The world of esports is continuously growing, with many gamers proving successful in turning their long-time passion for virtual competition into flourishing careers and sources of income . Though it can be easy to chalk children's gaming up to something that's lighthearted and only for playtime, there are potential benefits to gaming , and almost any video game will force players to think strategically and activate their problem-solving skills. If you're looking for a Nintendo Switch game for your child that incorporates more traditionally educational components, we've rounded up some of the best options.

While there may be something new to learn from any video game, some admittedly have a more overt educational purpose than others. They can help players develop new skills, interests, and knowledge that can prove useful outside of gameplay.

There are Nintendo Switch games like Game Builder Garage designed to teach players about programming, and also multiplayer brain teaser games like Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain that allow players to competitively flex their logical thinking skills among friends and family. And don't underestimate the educational power of role-playing games (RPGs). There are plenty of RPGs for the Nintendo Switch that will teach players about lifestyles that are different from their own and provide facts about different environments throughout the game. Some RPGs may also require players to manage virtual, in-game money, as well as perform other tasks that rely on everyday math skills.

Nintendo Game Builder Garage

Playing video games is fun, but learning how to make video games is fun too. Game Builder Garage has two modes: Interactive Lessons and Free Programming. In the Interactive Lessons mode, your child will follow fun, interactive lessons and learn about game design from the perspective of Nintendo game-makers. The lessons will walk your child through building seven different games (via highly visual and easy-to-follow directions), allowing them to see what the gamer sees on screen and the programmer sees behind the scenes throughout each stage of the creation process. Free Programming mode allows them to apply their new knowledge from the lesson and create games of their own. ESBR Game Rating : Everyone.

Nintendo Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain

This is a brain teaser game that has a multiplayer and a single-player mode. The single-player mode allows your child to practice brain teasers by themselves, while the multiplayer mode challenges friends and family to see who can correctly solve the puzzle fastest. One of the best things about this game is that you can set individual difficulty levels for the players. You can set the game to an easier mode for a young child and a more difficult model for an adult. That means people of all ages can play together and the game will be fair, making it a great game for families to learn new things together. ESBR: Everyone.

Nintendo Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics

Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics allows you to play different board games, card games, and other traditional types of games virtually. As they master each game, your child will become well-versed in the strategies and principles behind them. The video game includes games popular to an array of different cultures and countries, making it a great way to combine cultural exploration, strategic thinking skills, and a fun gaming experience. Some of the games available to play are Chess, Shogi, Hanafuda, Chinese Checkers, and Hare and Hounds. ESBR: Everyone.

Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing: New Horizons is one of the most popular games for the Nintendo Switch. In the game, your child will create and design their own island. As they explore the island, they'll learn about different aspects of the world through the different challenges offered in the gameplay. For instance, your child can discover insects, fish, and fossils (all of which have a real-world basis), and bring them to the island's museum. When they donate the items, the owl in charge of the museum will teach them about what they brought. Your child will also have to work to distinguish between real and counterfeit pieces when curating the museum's art gallery, so there are opportunities to learn about works of art too. ESBR: Everyone.

Nintendo Labo Variety Kit

If you have a kiddo who is always creating and building something, or want to encourage them to do so, you'll want to consider Nintendo Labo Variety Kit . The kit includes five IRL, tangible cardboard toys that your child will need to construct: two remote-control cars, a fishing rod, a house, a motorbike, and a piano. Rather than following a set of paper instructions, the game will walk your child through the process of building a functional version of each toy. Once the building process is finished, real-life and virtual worlds collide as the cardboard creations are incorporated into gameplay , with each toy having its own place to hold the Nintendo Switch and its Joy-Cons. For instance, the Switch will sit above the keys on the piano, and when you press on the cardboard keys, the Switch will make music. Your child essentially helps design components for the game, making this kit great for tying STEM concepts and creative thinking into playtime. There's also a Nintendo Labo Vehicle Drive Kit , Robot Kit, and VR Kit . ESRB: Everyone 10+.

Super Mario Maker 2

Courtesy of Amazon

This is another game that allows your child to take on the role of game creator, though with a Super Mario-focus. Super Mario Maker 2 will have your kiddo creating side-scrolling platformers (in the traditional Super Mario style) featuring none other than Mario himself. With all the items available to use during the game-creation process, such as those classic coins, Super Leafs, and Fire Flowers, and all the different gaming concepts available for your child to tinker with, it's a great game for players to explore their own imagination. Your child can play the games they make, but they can also take on the challenge of the ready-to-play courses available in single-player Story Mode. ESBR: Everyone.

Nintendo Pikmin 3 Deluxe

Pikmin 3 Deluxe is a strategy and puzzle game with charming visuals. The game follows three explorers from a starving home planet who land on planet PNF-404 in hopes of finding food. In the game, your child will lead plant-like creatures called Pikmin, who will help the explorers combat enemies, explore the planet, and find food. Your child will have to work with their team of Pikmin and think creatively if they hope to overcome the obstacles they'll face on planet PNF-404. The game also offers a Story and Mission mode that allows your kiddo to play with friends, which further adds to the game's collaborative nature, teaching lessons in teamwork. ESRB: Everyone 10+.

Sarah Toscano is a writer and current Henry Luce Foundation fellow. When not writing or working on her fellowship, some of Toscano's hobbies include longboarding, watching anime, playing video games, and eating new desserts.

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15 BOARD GAMES FOR 5 YEAR OLDS (THAT EVEN YOU WILL ENJOY)

Are you looking for the best board games to play with your 5 year old? With so many digital distractions surrounding us, all you want to do is sit down at the table with your preschooler and play some fun board games that will keep your little one occupied! At this age, they might be aging out of the board games you bought for them when they were only toddlers, so what should you get?

In this article, we’ll go over the 15 best board games for 5 year olds – perfect for providing hours of fun but also fostering essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and social interaction!

We also have a post outlining the best card games to play with children .

This post contains partner links for various products.

1. KERPLUNK

• Ker Plunk! is a blast from the past with a cool look and attitude!
• Create a "lattice" of sticks midway through the translucent tube and place the...
• Players take turns removing sticks while trying to prevent the marbles from...

The best board game to develop fine motor skills in your 5 year old is Kerplunk. This classic board game is perfectly designed for preschoolers. And best of all? It’s super fun and simple! The objective of the game is simply to remove sticks from a tube filled with marbles while preventing them from falling. This not only provides a fun challenge but also helps kids improve their hand-eye coordination and concentration. To play, players take turns removing sticks and trying not to let the marbles fall. If they do fall, you’ll have to collect them! The player with the fewest marbles at the end of the game wins!

2. THE FLOOR IS LAVA

• ENDLESS GAMES PRESENTS: The Floor is Lava! is a family board game that promotes...
• ACTIVE FUN: Turn every floor into an exciting “lava jumping” adventure with...
• EVERYONE LEAP: Real entertainment and laugh out loud fun challenges the whole...

One of the best board games to get your 5 year old off the TV and iPad is The Floor Is Lava! A fun twist on your classic game played on furniture, this board game is an exciting and active game that is sure to get everyone’s hearts pumping while having fun. The objective is simple: players imagine that the floor has turned into lava, and they must navigate the room by stepping on colored “safety stones.” Simply, spin the spinner and quickly jump to the correctly colored stone to be safe! At each turn, a safety stone is removed from the game! The winner is the last player standing.

3. YETI IN MY SPAGHETTI

• BOARD GAMES FOR KIDS: The suspense builds as you remove noodle strands from the...
• KIDS GAMES 4-8: Yeti is the star of the show in this kids’ board game. Add it...
• AWARD-WINNING GAME: Yeti in My Spaghetti game for kids 4-6 is oodles of noodly...

A simple but super fun board game for 5 year olds is Yeti in My Spaghetti. This board game encourages critical thinking and fine motor skills development. To play, carefully remove pieces of plastic spaghetti from the bowl without letting the playful yeti character fall in! The player that removes a spaghetti and causes the yeti to topple into the bowl loses the game. This is a fantastic way to introduce your 5 year old to the concept of strategy, turn-taking, and cause-and-effect relationships – all while having plenty of fun.

4. ZINGO BINGO

• PRE-READING BOOSTER: Engage pre-readers with this fun, fast-paced game that...
• AWARD-WINNING GAME: Zingo has garnered multiple accolades, including an...
• AMAZON EXCLUSIVE: This exclusive version of the beloved Zingo game includes an...

Who doesn’t love a fun game of bingo? Zingo Bingo is the perfect game for 5 year olds that want to start learning some classic games – in an engaging and educational way. With the help of Zingo Bingo, children develop important skills like pattern recognition, memory, and vocabulary building while having a blast. To play, each player receives a Zingo card with images, and a dispenser filled with tiles is placed in the center. When the game begins, players pull tiles from the dispenser and try to match them with images on their cards. The first player to fill their Zingo card yells “Zingo!” and wins!

5. MONOPOLY JUNIOR: SUPER MARIO EDITION

• MONOPOLY JUNIOR GAME FOR KIDS: In this Monopoly Junior board game kids can...
• SUPER MARIO CHARACTERS: Players move around the gameboard as Mario, Peach,...
• GAMING SOUND EFFECTS: Players roll the power-up die to find out if they can...

Monopoly Junior Super Mario Edition is the board game for your Mario-obsessed 5 year old! This board game combines the classic Monopoly gameplay with the beloved Super Mario universe, making it both entertaining and educational. Of course, the game is designed with simplified rules and shorter playtimes, making it more suitable for young children. That means, no playing this version of Monopoly for hours on end! Phew! Monopoly Junior Super Mario Edition teaches kids about basic financial concepts, counting money, and strategic decision-making in a fun and engaging manner. The goal? Buy properties and collect coins!

6. RISK JUNIOR

• INTRO TO THE CLASSIC RISK GAME: The Risk Junior board game is a great way to...
• PIRATE THEME: The Risk Junior game's pirate theme has kids moving their pirate...
• LAUNCH THE DICE: Place, press, launch. To battle another player to claim an...

Do you want to introduce the classic game of Risk to your preschooler? Risk Junior is an excellent game for 5 year olds, as it introduces them to the world of strategy and decision-making in a simplified and kid-friendly manner. A pirate-themed game to keep your young ones entertained, Risk Junior nurtures early cognitive skills and social interaction. To play, children claim an island and its treasures and launch the dice from their pirate ship! As the pirates move onto the different islands, they defend their territory and protect their treasures. The player with the most treasure and islands wins the game!

7. GAME OF LIFE JUNIOR

• The game of life Junior is fun for kids
• Easy to set up and play
• Players perform fun, simple actions

Game of Life Junior is a fantastic game for 5 year olds, offering a simplified and age-appropriate version of the classic Game of Life. It’s a great introduction to basic decision-making and counting skills, all wrapped up in an entertaining and colorful package. Players embark on a journey through an amusement park, making choices about their path, collecting stars, and encountering fun surprises along the way. The game’s straightforward rules and vibrant design capture children’s attention while promoting essential skills like counting, decision-making, and turn-taking. With its engaging theme and accessible gameplay, Game of Life Junior provides a delightful and educational gaming experience for young players and their families.

8. DON’T ROCK THE BOAT

• PIRATE SHIP TOY: Do your kids love pirate toys, boat toys, and penguin toys?...
• BALANCE GAME: Take turns balancing the cute figures on the pirate ship…but...
• EDUCATIONAL GAMES: Add this pirate board game to your set of kindergarten games...

Another fun pirate-themed board game for 5 year olds, Don’t Rock the Boat is a simple but entertaining game to play, along with some awesome pirate pieces. Don’t Rock the Boat features a ship, 10 penguin pirates, an octopus, a crab, a cannon, a captain’s wheel, and even some treasure! This board game encourages fine motor skills and strategic thinking as players take turns placing penguins on a rocking ship without tipping it over. The goal? Keep it balanced! Just like Jenga, the first player to cause the ship to tip and one or more pieces to fall off loses the game.

9. OUTFOXED

• COOPERATIVE WHODUNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Introduce kids ages 4 and up to this...
• CRACK THE CASE: Can you help find out which Fox stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized...
• WHO, WHAT, WHERE: Clues help you determine what the guilty fox is wearing so you...

If you want to introduce a cooperative board game for your 5 year old, check out Outfoxed! The game’s charming theme involves players working together as detectives to solve the mystery of Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie. It’s an excellent introduction to teamwork and critical thinking. In this game, the players will work hard to gather clues and rule out suspects to find the guilty fox! And, no, unlike most board games, everyone will be working together to catch the culprit before it escapes! With its engaging storyline, adorable characters, and cooperative gameplay, Outfoxed not only entertains but also fosters communication and problem-solving skills in a super fun way!

10. FOUND IT!

• EXCITING SEARCH & FIND GAME: Get ready to play the smartest scavenger hunt no...
• FUN FAMILY GAME: Found it 5 in 1 Mega Pack is the best way to keep your kids...
• WHAT'S INSIDE: This set includes 140 game cards with bonus questions,...

Do you want to play a scavenger hunt? Found It! is the perfect game for 5 year olds who want to play an exciting search-and-find game. You can play Found It! anywhere – at the restaurant, at home, or even at the airport! As a plus, you’ll probably tire out your preschoolers as they run around searching for the objects. In this fun and active game, players explore the world around them as they look for items that match the cards. Examples of cards include “something you add to make your food tastier” and “something that you can write with.”

11. GROCERY GO KARTS

• BUILD & STACK GAME OF SUPERMARKET MAYHEM: Shoppers, start your engines In this...
• 32 CONNECTABLE, COLLECTIBLE GROCERIES: As shoppers zoom around the board, they...
• 4 WOBBLY KART MOVERS (AND LAUNCHERS): Feel a need for speed? Choose from 4...

Grocery Go Karts is one game that will surely get your heart racing and pumping! In this speed game, all players will act as shoppers who need to build and balance their way to the checkout counter! Shoppers zoom around the board with their wobbly grocery karts, collecting items to balance on their karts one by one. Did you make it to the end? Celebrate by pressing the lever and launching all your groceries! This super fun and easy game will be a blast to play with the family, perfect for preschoolers and kids.

12. MARVEL EYE FOUND IT!

• ENGAGING GAMEPLAY: Unleash your inner detective in this exciting board game...
• EASY SETUP AND PLAY: With straightforward instructions, this game is easy to...
• FEATURES FAVORITE MARVEL CHARACTERS: From heroes like Hulk, Iron Man, and...

If you’ve got a Marvel fan in your household, one of the best board games for 5 year olds is Marvel Eye Found It! Featuring some of your favorite characters, including The Hulk, Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, and Spiderman, this board game will have preschoolers embarking on an adventure. It’s an ideal blend of entertainment and skill-building, enhancing observation and concentration abilities. To play, players search for hidden heroes, villains, and more on the huge game board. Players must get to New York before Thanos finds all the infinity Stones!

13. GUESS WHO? DISNEY PRINCESS EDITION

• GUESS WHO. GAME WITH DISNEY PRINCESSES: With the Guess Who. Disney Princess...
• 2 SETS OF DISNEY CHARACTERS: Includes 2 double-sided character sheets for 2 sets...
• GUESS THE MYSTERY CHARACTER: Kids take turns asking "yes" or "no" questions to...

Who doesn’t love Guess Who? If your 5 year old is a huge princess fan, get them Guess Who? Disney Princess Edition, which merges the classic Guess Who concept with the enchanting world of Disney princesses. It’s the perfect introduction to deductive reasoning and critical thinking skills. The board game features an array of Disney cards with vibrant illustrations featuring princesses, villains, and even sidekicks. And playing is simple: players take turns asking yes-or-no questions to narrow down the possibilities and guess their opponent’s chosen princess. The first person to guess the opponent’s card wins!

14. CROCODILE DENTIST

• CROC CHOMPING FUN: Kids can have loads of fun playing this easy and simple...
• EASY TO SET UP AND PLAY: Looking for a fun and easy-to-play game for kids. The...
• CHECK THE CROCODILE'S TEETH: The Crocodile Dentist game challenges kids to watch...

Crocodile Dentist is a classic preschool board game for a reason. This fantastic game combines suspenseful fun with a simple idea. Players play dentist and take turns carefully pressing down on the crocodile’s teeth, hoping not to trigger the surprise snap of its jaws. The crocodile will chomp down if it’s too sore. And if you’re caught, you’re out of the game! This not only creates excitement but also helps develop fine motor skills and patience. The game’s primary focus on chance and anticipation makes it easy for young kids to grasp and enjoy.

15. HUNGRY HUNGRY HIPPOS DINO EDITION

• CHOMPING DINOS: It's a fun twist on Hungry Hungry Hippos, the classic marble...
• READY, SET, CHOMP: Kids can enjoy lots of laughs as they watch their dino chomp...
• PLAY A BONUS GAME: Try a game in which players still have their dino chomp on...

Hungry Hungry Hippos, but for dinosaur lovers? Hungry Hungry Hippos Dinos Edition is a fun prehistoric twist on a classic board game for 5 year olds. The game’s colorful dinosaur theme adds an exciting element to the fast-paced gameplay. This game will help develop hand-eye coordination as players race to gobble up as many plastic marbles as possible! To gobble them up, simply press down on the dino’s lever. Whoever gets the most marbles wins the game. If you want to put a fun twist on the game, be the first player to get the pink marble!

Looking for more games to play for your toddler and preschooler? Check out the best board games for 3 year olds and 4 year olds !

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Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz Joins Rickey Henderson in MLB History Books

Sam connon | jul 30, 2024.

• Cincinnati Reds

Elly De La Cruz, after appearing in 104 of the Cincinnati Reds' first 105 games this season, was given a well-earned day off on Monday.

After all, he has been blazing the basepaths at a level not seen in over three decades.

De La Cruz is batting .263 with 18 home runs, 45 RBI, 70 runs, an .842 OPS and a 3.6 WAR on the season. In Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays, the shortstop went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, bringing him up to 55 so far in 2024.

According to OptaSTATS , De La Cruz is just the fifth MLB player since 1901 to reach 70 runs and 55 stolen bases before the end of July. The last player to achieve the feat was Rickey Henderson in 1988.

Elly De La Cruz is the fifth MLB player in the modern era (since 1901) to have 70+ runs and 55+ stolen bases in a season before the end of July and the first since Rickey Henderson in 1988. pic.twitter.com/qrGxRJRqJk — OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) July 29, 2024

Being mentioned in the same breath as Henderson is always notable, especially when it comes to stealing bases. The Hall of Famer stole more bases than anyone in the history of major league baseball, on top of being an elite leadoff hitter.

De La Cruz has been setting records of his own ever since breaking into the big leagues in June 2023. Just last week, he became the first player ever to record 80 extra-base hits, 80 stolen bases and 80 walks through 200 career games.

The 22-year-old made his first All-Star appearance earlier this month, and there could be many more in his future if he keeps up this kind of production.

De La Cruz is on pace for 84 stolen bases this season, a height that hasn't been reached since Henderson's 1988 campaign. The 20-80 club currently has just two members – Henderson and Eric Davis – and De La Cruz could be joining them in short order.

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You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter  @SamConnon .

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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How old is Simone Biles? Age, more for USA Gymnastic's oldest athlete at 2024 Paris Olympics

Editor’s note: Follow  Olympic gymnastics live results, scores and highlights as Simone Biles and the U.S. women's team compete  in the team final.

For the last two decades, the United States has been at or near the mountain top of women's gymnastics at the Summer Olympics, as displayed by the team's gold medal finish in the team all-around event in two of the last three Olympics.

It's one of the several events at the Summer Games that draws quite a considerable and consistent amount of attention, Olympics after Olympics — especially among those who don't pay attention to the sport in non-Olympic years.

And in recent years, it has been Simone Biles who has been a leading reason for that excitement on the American side.

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS: Follow USA TODAY's complete coverage here

The most decorated gymnast of all time, Biles is appearing in her third career Olympic Games in Paris, and is doing so while already making some history — with more potentially to come.

Here's what you need to know about Biles, including her age, oldest American female gymnasts and more heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics:

Simone Biles age

Biles heads into the 2024 Paris Olympics at 27 years old, making her the oldest woman to compete for American gymnastics on that stage since the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. That year, the U.S. had four athletes over the age of 27, with Marie Margaret Hoesly being the oldest at 35 years old.

"I knew I wasn't done after the performances in Tokyo so just getting back in the gym, working hard and trusting the process with (coaches Cecile and Laurent Landi), I knew I'd be back," Biles told NBC after qualifying for Paris at the U.S. Olympic trials.

It is the third Olympic Games in which Biles will be competing, which adds her to an exclusive list of U.S. female gymnasts. As noted by NBCOlympics.com, Biles is just the fourth-ever American woman to make three Olympic gymnastics teams, joining Muriel Davis Grossfeld, Linda Metheny and Dominique Dawes.

It's an impressive feat for Biles, as gymnastics is a sport that typically sees younger athletes dominate. For example, the last three individual all-around gold medalists — Suni Lee in 2021, Biles in 2016 and Gabby Douglas in 2012 — were 18, 19 and 16 years old, respectively.

That isn't the only historical mark Biles can meet at the Paris Olympics. While she is the likely the favorite to win the women's individual all-around event heading into Paris, if Biles is able to come out with a gold medal in the event, she will become the oldest women's gymnast to win the event in 72 years.

With two gold medal finishes in Paris, Biles would also break Anton Heida's record for the most Olympic gold medals won by an American gymnast, men's or women's. Heida has five medals, all won in the 1904 St. Louis Olympics; Biles currently holds four gold medals, all coming at the 2016 Rio Games.

Click here to see the other marks that the 27-year-old Biles can meet with wins in Paris.

Oldest U.S. Olympians in women's gymnastics history

Biles is the oldest American gymnast to qualify for the Olympics since 1952, but is the fifth-oldest American gymnast to ever compete in the Olympics, behind Hoesly, Dorothy Dalton, Meta Elste-Neumann and Marian Barone.

Here's the full list of the oldest women gymnasts to compete in the Olympics for Team USA:

Age at the time of Olympics

• 1. Marie Margaret Hoesly (1952 Olympics): 35 years old
• 2. Dorothy Dalton (1952 Olympics): 30 years old
• T3. Meta Elste-Neumann (1952 Olympics): 28 years old
• T3. Marian Barone (1952 Olympics): 28 years old
• 5. Simone Biles (2024 Olympics): 27 years old

How old was Simone Biles at her first Olympics?

Biles was 19 years old when she went to the Olympics for the first time in 2016 as part of the "Final Five" team that included Raisman, Laurie Anderson, Douglas and Madison Kocian.

The Spring, Texas native took the 2016 Rio Olympics by storm, so to speak, as she left Brazil with four gold medals. It marked the first time since Lyudmila Tourischeva at the 1974 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships that a gymnast won four gold medals in a single international competition.

Here's a full breakout of how Biles finished in each of her events at the 2016 Rio Olympics:

• Team All-Around: Gold
• Individual All-Around: Gold
• Horse Vault: Gold
• Floor Exercise: Gold
• Balance Beam: Bronze
• Uneven Bars: No. 14

REQUIRED READING: Simone Biles earned this US Olympic gymnastics team spot, and she deserves this happiness

Simone Biles, USA Gymnastics Olympic schedule

Biles and Team USA will open up Olympic competition on Sunday, July 28 with the women's team all-around qualification. She will also be competing in the women's individual all-around event on Thursday, Aug. 1, where she is projected to win gold.

Sunday, July 28

• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 1 | 3:30 a.m. | Peacock
• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 2 | 5:40 a.m. | Peacock
• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 2 | 6 a.m. | NBC ( Fubo )
• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 3 | 8:50 a.m. | E! ( Fubo ) and Peacock
• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 4 | noon | E! ( Fubo )
• Women's Qualification — Subdivision 5 | 3:10 p.m. | Peacock
• Women's Qualifying — | 5 p.m. | NBC ( Fubo )

Tuesday, July 30

• Women's Team Final | 12:15 p.m. | NBC ( Fubo )

Thursday, Aug. 1

• Women's Individual All-Around Final | 12:15 p.m. | NBC ( Fubo )

Saturday, Aug. 3

• Women's Vault Final | 10:20 a.m. | NBC ( Fubo )

Sunday, Aug. 4

• Women's Uneven Bars Final | 9:40 a.m. | NBC ( Fubo )

Monday, Aug . 5

• Women's Balance Beam Final | 6:36 a.m. | Peacock
• Women's Floor Exercise Final | 8:20 a.m. | Peacock

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