The Best Board Games for Kids by Age
This collection of the best board games for kids of every age is the culmination of many years of work and play. Our continuing series of the best board games by age has long been my favorite thing to work on. It’s a bit of a time capsule for us, looking back on some of our fondest memories with our kids over the years.
Every single one of our top 10 lists is full of board games that are easily in the conversation for our all-time favorites. Having to narrow down our picks to only 10 for each age meant that these games are special to us and responsible for many memorable family game nights.
We’ve been compiling these lists for years, roughly as our two children grow up and pass through the very ages we’re talking about. So we truly have a good deal of sentimental attachment to many of the games you’ll find inside, and you can rest assured that the recommendations are personal and thoughtful.
Not only do we consider the quality of the games - the theme, the art, the mechanics, the originality, the engagement for kids - but we try very hard to pinpoint the ideal age for kids, based on our personal experience. Most of the games are so wonderful they work for a wide range of ages, and you’ll be able to play them for a long time, but if you’re shopping for a birthday or Christmas present the ages will give you a great place to start.
And the works not over for us yet. Because of the nature of the board game industry, unfortunately some of our favorites occasional go out of print and are nearly impossible to find. And for cases like that, we try to update the lists with our next favorite options as quickly as possible. So consider all of the lists living lists - always ready to help you build your family’s collection.
I sincerely hope you enjoy perusing all of our lists of the top 10 board games for kids of every age. Let us know how it goes if you try any of them, and let us know if we missed any of your favorites as well. Hopefully this little time capsule of our family’s most treasured games and experiences will help write some memories for another family out there.
Disclosure: Some of the links in the following articles are affiliate links. Clicking on those links will lead you to view the games’ listings on Amazon.com.
The Best Board Games for 2-Year-Olds
Don’t be surprised to find a lot of HABA games on this list. The expert crafters of wooden toys still seem to have the market for high-quality toddler games almost cornered. And I’m quite certain our kids will always remember those yellow boxes.
The Best Board Games for 3-Year-Olds
Oh what a wonderful age for playing games. Age 3 features several all-time favorites and I’ll never forget the excited look in our kids’ faces. This is perhaps the age most likely to say “again!”, so better be sure the game is fun for you too!
The Best Board Games for 4-Year-Olds
Around age 4 or 5, you start to really see the presence of another favorite board game publisher for kids - Peaceable Kingdom. We love games built on cooperation, and that’ll be obvious, but you’ll see a few competitive games too at this age.
The Best Board Games for 5-Year-Olds
Age 5 has tons of very high-quality games. I get the feeling lots of designers and publishers target this age specifically when they think of kids games. And, best of all, older brother still adores all of these games when his younger sister is 5.
The Best Board Games for 6-Year-Olds
This list happens to feature several “junior” board games - meaning they are simplified versions of very popular adult games. Without a doubt, kids are being shepherded towards slightly more complicated mechanics and strategy, and it’s a joy to watch.
The Best Board Games for 7-Year-Olds
I waited a long time to share many of the games on this list. Our son started some of them early, sometimes as early as 4 or 5, simply because they’re the cream of the crop and I couldn’t wait. But undoubtedly this is the ideal age range for them. Lots more strategy, and incredibly engaging art and presentation all around. This is a special list!
The Best Board Games for 8-Year-Olds
Our little guy is a full-fledged independent member of family game night now. Gone are the days of teaming up with an adult to simplify things. The games on this list have without a doubt provided some of the most memorable memories we’ve ever made and will ever make around the table.
Note from the author: This article is still a work in progress, as we plan on adding The Best Games for 9-Year-Olds, as well as The Best Games for 10-Year-Olds. However, by the time we’ve reach the list for 7-year-olds and 8-year-olds, we’ve already reached games we’ll happily play together as a family for a very long time.
How old are the players in your family or classroom? Did you find any of your favorites on our top 10 lists? Did you discover any new favorites? Let us know in the comments!
