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Jan 5, 2024 · We found all the best board games for kids, including Ticket to Ride, Sushi Go!, Takenoko, Mouse Trap Board Game, Just One, Dixit, ThinkFun Zingo!, Outfoxed!, Operation, Melissa & Doug...
- Dominique Pariso
- Writer, The Strategist
May 10, 2024 · The Best Video Games for Kids. Gaming is fun for the whole family, especially with our recommended picks for kids of all ages. By Jordan Minor.
- Jordan Minor
- Senior Analyst, Software
Jan 2, 2024 · We had real parents and children test the most popular board games for kids — these ones are the best, so get ready for family game night!
- Marisa Lascala
- Senior Parenting & Relationships Editor
- marisa.lascala@hearst.com
- Overview
- How we picked the best board games for kids
- The best board games for kids in 2024
- Meet our experts
- Why trust NBC Select?
A good board game can be a fun way to get the family together and encourage kids to take a break from phone, television and video game screens. A great board game inspires by encouraging strategy, teamwork and interactivity.
In recent years, several standout tabletop games launched for kids between ages 3 and 12 (see our list of the best board games for adults here). While classics like Candy Land and Chutes and Ladders are top contenders for beginners and early gamers, there are plenty of kids board games to explore outside of the typical ones you’ll find crammed on the family room’s shelf.
To save you time browsing through the endless sea of board games online, we’ve compiled a few of the best, based on expert recommendations, high ratings and our past coverage.
SKIP AHEAD The best board games for kids
•Best award-winning game
Cascadia
We consulted experts from the board game review site BoardGameGeek for their recommendations. When shopping for a kids board game, they recommend keeping in mind the following factors:
•Age: Most game manufacturers will list the recommended age for each board game on the packaging. This might go without saying, but look for a game that’s appropriate for your child’s age group — it’ll likely make the game more fun since they’ll be able to grasp the rules and strategies quicker, according to our experts.
•Playtime: There’s no set playtime for specific age groups. However, consider that a child’s attention span is relatively short, so you’re better off looking for a game with a quick turnaround of 30 minutes or less.
•Awards: Our experts recommend looking at key certifications, like American Tabletop Awards or Spiel des Jahres winners (the gaming world’s top awards).
Spot It!
Spot It! $3.99 $9.99 $3.99 $7.99 Spot It! is an absolute hit among the children Select photo editor Vivian Le babysits. The card game has players use their observational skills and quick wits to see which card has a symbol that matches another on the table. The first one to spot it, wins. “I also introduced this to my parents and boyfriend’s parents and everyone is hooked,” says Le. “It’s an all ages game.” Ages: 6 and up | Players: 2-8 | Playtime: 15 minutes
A Game of Cat & Mouth
A Game of Cat & Mouth $15.99 $19.99 $19.82 $23.24 This game is like playing Ping-Pong, but on a regular table, according to W. Eric Martin, news editor of BoardGameGeek. Players must use a magnetic “cat’s paw” to flick a yellow ball through the cat’s mouth to the opponent’s side of the board. Players win the round when they get rid of all the balls on the board. “Each round lasts less than a minute, but your excitement level goes through the roof as you try to get rid of those last few balls,” Martin says. Ages: 7 and up | Players: 2 | Playtime: 10 minutes
Sushi Go!
Sushi Go! $11.99 $13.67 Martin also recommends this fast-moving card game, where players get a hand of cards and keep one and pass another to their neighbor in an attempt to collect the right combination of sushi dishes to score points. “You can take a card that will be worth a lot of points for another player — but be prepared for them to do the same thing to you,” says Martin. Ages: 8 and up | Players: 2-5 | Playtime: 15 minutes
At Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
•Eric Yurko is an American Table Top Awards committee member.
•W. Eric Martin, news editor of BoardGameGeek
•Lincoln Damerst, the director of media at BoardGameGeek.
•Michael Barnes is a senior board game reviews editor at There Will Be Games.
•Brian Mayer is a school library administrator and game designer.
Mili Godio is an editor at Select who has covered a variety of children’s wellness topics, including sunscreen, bikes and rolling backpacks. For this piece, Godio interviewed five board game experts to get their recommendations for the best games for kids, as well as Select staff favorites.
Catch up on Select’s in-depth coverage of personal finance, tech and tools, wellness and more, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok to stay up to date.
- Super Mario Maker 2. ESRB Rating: E for Everyone. A great choice for kids who love platforming games and those with more creative ambition, Super Mario Maker 2 is an improved version of the original Wii U game, complete with more building components, a full campaign mode, and online multiplayer options.
- New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe. ESRB Rating: E for Everyone. U Deluxe uses the classic sidescrolling orientation for its Mario platforming.
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. ESRB Rating: E for Everyone. As far as racing games go, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is both one of the easiest to play and the most fun. Featuring colorful, vibrant visuals, a simple control scheme, and all the Nintendo characters you could want in a game, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is one of the best multiplayer games on Switch.
- LEGO games. ESRB Rating: E for Everyone, E10+ for Everyone 10 and older. Since 2005, officially licensed LEGO games have given kids and parents awesome ways to experience hugely popular intellectual properties such as Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, and a slew of superhero franchises.
Jun 28, 2024 · To find our favorite board games for kids and families, we researched more than 50 games, talked with experts (including a gaming specialist and a jury member for the Kinderspiel des Jahres...
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May 1, 2024 · Check out our list of the best videogames for kids on PC to introduce your child to a range of appropriate titles that span several genres.
