Are you looking for board games for preschool kids? You are in the right spot! This post is full of board games the whole family will love!
Board games have long been a beloved pastime for people of all ages, and preschoolers are no exception. In fact, board games can be an excellent way to engage and educate young children while practicing essential skills such as counting, color recognition, social interaction, and critical thinking.
What are the best board games for preschool kids?
Board games are great because they require no preparation for parents or teachers. Most of them are ready to play and play with all of the needed materials included! Here are a few of the best preschool board games:
Frida’s Fruit Fiesta Game
To play, spin the spinners and collect the matching letters with your Frida Squeezer. The first player to collect four letters in a row wins! But be on the lookout for monkeys – they’ll feast on your fruits!
This game is also part of the Educational Insights Preschool Squeezer Game Collection, so it includes a themed squeezer to promote hand-eye coordination and the development of fine motor skills. Each game in this collection focuses on a specific learning skill as well. This game is focused on learning the letters of the alphabet.
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game
This is one of my favorite board games to play with my own children! It’s a game the whole family will enjoy and also promotes fine motor skills! Just spin the spinner and pick up the matching acorn with the squirrel squeezer. The first player to collect 5 acorns wins! This game does include some small game pieces, so please just be aware of that when playing with younger kids.
This game is also part of the Educational Insights Preschool Squeezer Game Collection, so it includes a themed squeezer to promote hand-eye coordination and the development of fine motor skills. Each game in this collection focuses on a specific learning skill as well. This game is focused on color recognition and is probably the best one to start with!
Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco
This is another award-winning game from Education Insights! Help children with early math skills by identifying geometric shapes, plus develop fine motor skills with the squeezer! Players will spin the spinner and use the Frankie Squeezer to pick up the food item that matches the shape. Get lucky by spinning a “chef’s surprise” or beware of pesky flies and greedy guests—they’ll slow you down. Collect the pieces of your 5-course meal first, and you win!
This game is also part of the Educational Insights Preschool Squeezer Game Collection, so it includes a themed squeezer to promote hand-eye coordination and the development of fine motor skills. Each game in this collection focuses on a specific learning skill as well. This game is focused on shapes.
Sophie’s Seashell Scramble
Help Sophie the Otter find yummy shells to eat in this fun pattern-matching spin and swim game! This is another game that includes a squeezer that promotes fine motor development!
This game is also part of the Educational Insights Preschool Squeezer Game Collection, so it includes a themed squeezer to promote hand-eye coordination and the development of fine motor skills. Each game in this collection focuses on a specific learning skill as well. This game is focused on patterns.
Shelby’s Snack Shack
This is the perfect game for counting and number practice.
This game is also part of the Educational Insights Preschool Squeezer Game Collection, so it includes a themed squeezer to promote hand-eye coordination and the development of fine motor skills. Each game in this collection focuses on a specific learning skill as well. This game is focused on counting and number practice.
Perfection
Perfection can feel frustrating for some young children, but others will love the challenge of trying to complete the puzzle before all of the pieces pop out. This version of the game only has 9 shape pieces so it is manageable for little hands. This game can also be played by a single player.
Memory Games
Memory is such a simple classic game and a great way to develop memory skills. It can be played an endless amount of times too. There are so many different themed memory games that it will be easy to find one that your preschooler will love! You can also play this game with different levels of play by using fewer or more cards.
Count Your Chickens
The baby chicks have flown the coop and Mama Hen needs help to bring them back. Spin and count numbers to travel and collect chicks while working together in this cooperative game. This is a great way to practice counting skills and introduce younger players to board games.
Snug as a Bug in a Rug
In this game. players will spin the spinner and find the matching bug and put it under the rug! The goal is to get all of the bugs under the rug before 3 stink bugs stink up the place! This is another cooperative game from the Peaceable Kingdom where all of the players work together and win!
Chutes and Ladders
This classic board game is always fun for young kids! I remember loving it as a kid, well except landing on a chute! It’s another great game for younger kids because there is no reading required.
Hoot Owl Hoot
This cooperative board game is perfect for young children learning color recognition and matching. Everyone works together and wins in this game!
Pancake Pile Up
This is one of my favorite new games that involves physical activity!
Players will flip an order card and race to the first pancake shown, use the spatula to place it on their plate, race back, and hand the plate and spatula to the next player, relay-race style. The team that correctly completes the stack shown on the card – with a pat of butter on top – wins the round! The game Includes 10 pancakes in 5 flavors, 2 pats of butter, 2 plates, 2 spatulas, 10 order cards, and a griddle game board box bottom. The game pieces are also great for imaginative play.
If you are looking for other games that involve physical activity, check out this post: Gross Motor Games and Activities for Preschool
Bingo
A classic bingo game is always a fun way to spend quality time as a family! Bingo games can be enjoyed by family members in a large age range and come in many different varieties. Bingo games are available to practice number recognition, letters of the alphabet and so much more!
You can also make your own printable bingo cards too! This could be a great way to include older siblings as well.
Zingo
Zingo is a lively and engaging game that combines elements of bingo and matching. This award-winning game designed for young children aims to develop essential skills such as word recognition, matching, and quick thinking.
The game fosters language development and pattern recognition while providing an exciting experience for the whole family. With its easy-to-understand rules and fast-paced gameplay, “Zingo” offers hours of educational fun for kids, making it a popular choice for families, classrooms, and playdates.
Other boost packs are also available including one that focuses on sight words!
Candy Land
Candy Land is a simple game with a colorful game board that young kids will love.
Players navigate along a colorful pathway, guided by a deck of cards that dictate their moves. With each turn, players draw a card and advance their gingerbread character to the corresponding color on the path. The game is filled with sweet and visually appealing illustrations of candies, gumdrops, and lollipop characters. It introduces young children to basic counting, color recognition, and turn-taking skills.
Shopping List
This fun game is perfect for little kids who have experience shopping at the grocery store! Each player will turn over tiles and fill their game board shopping bag with the items on their shopping list.
Card Games for Preschool
Card games are similar to board games. but don’t have a game board and can be played anywhere because they only require cards. Here are a few favorite card games for preschool-age children:
Spot It Jr.
Spot It! Junior is designed for 2 to 5 players and is the perfect game for kids ages 4 and up. The average playtime is approximately 10 minutes, so it’s a quick game!
Fun symbols and pictures cover every card in the deck. Each card has exactly one matching symbol or picture in common with the other cards in the deck. Spot it what picture they have in common first and you win!
Go Fish
“Go Fish” is a classic and engaging card game that is popular among players of all ages. The game is typically played with a standard deck of playing cards, but this version was created just for young children. The objective of the game is to collect sets of four cards.
To begin, each player is dealt a hand of cards. The remaining cards are placed facedown in a draw pile. The game starts with one player asking another if they have a specific type of card (e.g., “Do you have any nines?”). If the player asked has any cards of that rank, they must give them all to the asking player. If not, they say, “Go Fish!” and the asking player must draw a card from the draw pile.
Dice Games for Preschool
In addition to board games for preschool, simple dice games can also be fun and educational. Check out a few favorites in this post, Math Games with Dice.
FAQ About Board Games for Preschool
Why are board games important for preschoolers?
First, let’s talk about why games are so important for preschoolers! Part of social-emotional development is learning how to interact with others. Playing a cooperative game gives children ways to practice social skills and experience different social situations including:
- Sharing
- Taking turns
- Following an agreed-on set of rules
- How it feels to win
- How it feels to lose
- Promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Games also usually incorporate academic skills like counting and opportunities for language. So games are a great way to learn with your little one!
Can preschoolers play board games independently?
While some board games for preschoolers can be played independently, many games require adult supervision and assistance, especially with reading instructions, understanding rules, and managing the game components. Parental involvement enhances the learning experience and ensures smoother game play for everyone!
Are there cooperative board games for preschoolers?
Yes, there are cooperative board games designed specifically for preschoolers. In cooperative board games, players work together and there is no winner. These games encourage teamwork and collaboration, where players work together towards a common goal, fostering social skills and empathy.
How can I choose the right board game for my preschooler?
When selecting a board game for a preschooler, consider their interests, attention span, and developmental level. Look for games with simple rules, colorful and engaging components, and themes that appeal to them, such as animals, colors, or familiar characters. Preschool children also have a shorter attention span than older kids so look for board games that can be played in a short amount of time. This list was put together with preschool children in mind, so choose one of her fun board games from the list!
Are there educational board games for preschoolers?
Many board games for preschoolers are designed with educational elements in mind. They can teach basic math concepts, literacy skills, problem-solving, and critical thinking. You can look for games that explicitly mention educational benefits or focus on specific learning objectives like color recognition, letters, numbers and shapes.
In conclusion, board games for preschoolers offer many different benefits that go beyond just entertainment. These games serve as powerful tools for early childhood development, fostering important skills such as counting, color recognition, memory, social interaction, and problem-solving. They provide a fun and interactive way for children to learn and grow while spending quality time with friends, siblings, and family members.