I may not be a mama with a great capacity for imaginative play, but when it comes to board games, I’m all in!
Sometimes, though, it can be challenging to find board games suitable for younger kids. Their attention spans are short. Their hand-eye-coordination is still developing. And they can’t always follow along with complex rules. So to make the shopping a little easier, here are some of my favourite board games for kids under five.
**There are no affiliate products in this post — just fun games we love to play!**
1. Outfoxed!
If I had to pick my favourite board game for younger children, this would be it. Outfoxed! is a detective-style game in which players work together to try and determine which fox stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie. Rolling dice to uncover clues, the outcome changes with each game, making it exciting for preschoolers and entertaining for parents as well.
This is a fairly easy game for littles to play with their parents. While the box says 5+, we started playing this with my son shortly after his fourth birthday and he picked it up quick. It is a go-to favourite for our family!
2. Pizza Party
This dice game is fun and simple, perfect for kids 3 and up. (If they’re old enough to avoid putting the dice in their mouth, they’re old enough for this game.) Match the pizza toppings to your pizza in a competitive face-off or take it easy for a more relaxed approach.
3. Too Many Monkeys
We’ve played this game with kids ages 3 – 5 and they all were quick to learn the rules. While the box says for ages 6+, it’s definitely suited for younger ones.
4. Guess Who
I was honestly surprised by how quickly my son learned to play this one. Gifted this game as a present for his fourth birthday, we’ve spent many hours on the couch, happily “guessing who.” (Or in the spin-off version we have, “Who’s there.”) While this game is probably the most challenging one on this list (and a bit too advanced for kids under 4) it’s a great game to play together as a family in “teams.”
5. Matching Card Games — Good Night, Good Night Construction Site
Matching card games are always a classic for preschoolers — and this Good Night, Good Night Construction Site set is no exception. Players flip cards to reveal matching pairs, making for a quick and fun game.
6. Pop-Up Pirate in a Barrel
While I’m not entirely sure what’s happening in this game (are we poking at his bum?) this is a fun and surprising game for littles. Easy to play and perfect for working on hand-eye-co-ordination, this simple game is sure to be a hit!
7. Let’s Go Fishin’
Anyone remember this game from their childhood? My son started playing “Let’s Go Fishin'” at 2 1/2 and loves it. This fishing activity is great for working on your little’s hand-eye coordination. I also love that you can make this game competitive (who can get the most fish?) or play more relaxed versions for fun. While this is an easy multi-player game, I love that this game also crosses as a fun single-player toy.
8. Duck Duck 1-2-3
My husband’s colleague gave us their old version of this game and it’s been a HUGE hit with our son. For kids 3 and up, this game is great for working on counting skills and is a very basic, introductory board game. The only downside is, this game seems to be discontinued and is quite tricky to find. So if you do come across one at a thrift store or garage sale, be sure to snap it up!
9. Rory’s Story Cubes
Story Cubes is a fun dice game, perfect for family storytime. While it’s suggested for kids 8+, younger kids can still have a blast putting together their own mini-stories. This game is great for fostering imagination as well as helping preschoolers work on their vocabulary. My son has been playing with these since he was 3 and is always enthralled by the hilarious (and often nonsensical) stories we come up with.
Now, let me hear from you!
What are some of your favourite games to play with kids under five?
**There are no affiliate products in this post — just fun games we love to play!**