Board games and card games can provide hours of entertainment for kids, and are an excellent way to encourage creativity, critical thinking, and social skills. With so many options available, it can be tough to choose the right one for your 5-year-old. Here are some great games that are perfect for kids in this age group.
My First Carcassonne – A kid-friendly version of the classic strategy game, Carcassonne. Players take turns placing tiles and meeples to create a medieval landscape.
Animal Upon Animal – A stacking game where kids balance animals on top of each other. Players take turns placing animals on the stack and try not to knock them down.
Snug as a Bug in a Rug – A cooperative game where kids work together to find bugs and put them to bed. Kids work together to find all the bugs and put them in their rugs before bedtime.
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game – A game where kids collect acorns and avoid the sneaky snake. Kids take turns collecting acorns and avoiding the sneaky snake who wants to steal their nuts.
What’s Up? – A card game where kids match pictures to words and improve vocabulary. Players take turns picking cards and trying to match them to the correct words.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Game – A game based on the classic children’s book where players help the caterpillar eat. Players help the caterpillar eat his way through the different foods on his plate.
Sleeping Queens – A game where kids use strategy to wake up queens and collect cards. Players use strategy to wake up queens and collect as many cards as they can.
Let’s Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar – A cooperative game where kids work together to feed the caterpillar. Kids work together to feed the caterpillar as many different foods as they can.
Rhino Hero – A stacking game where kids build a tall tower while trying not to knock it down. Players take turns adding floors to the tower and trying not to knock it down.
Count Your Chickens – A game where kids use counting and strategy to get their chickens back to the coop. Players use counting and strategy to get all their chickens back to the coop before bedtime.
Uno – Players take turns matching the top card of the draw pile with the same color or number. The game ends when one player has played all of their cards.
Candy Land – Players draw cards to determine their moves, with special cards allowing players to move to shortcuts or lose a turn. The first player to reach the end of the path wins.
Chutes and Ladders – Players roll a dice to move their game piece along the board. When they land on a ladder, they climb up and advance further, but landing on a chute takes them down and sets them back.
Connect 4 – Players take turns dropping their colored pieces into the grid, trying to form a line of four in any direction. The first player to connect four pieces in a row wins.
Hi Ho! Cherry-O – Players take turns spinning the spinner and either picking cherries from their tree or putting cherries back. The first player to fill their basket wins.
Memory Match – Players flip over cards to reveal pictures and try to find pairs. The player with the most matches at the end wins.
Sorry – Players move their pawns around the board by drawing cards and following their instructions. Players can also bump their opponents’ pawns back to start, making it a game of both strategy and luck.
Spot It! – Players race to be the first to spot the matching symbol between two cards. With multiple symbols on each card, the game is fast-paced and requires quick observation skills.
Jenga – Players take turns removing blocks from the tower and placing them on top, trying to keep the tower from falling. The player who makes the tower fall loses.
Zingo – Players take turns flipping over tiles to reveal numbers and matching them to the numbers on their board. The first player to fill their board wins.
Pictionary – Players take turns drawing pictures to represent words, with their teammates trying to guess what they’re drawing. The team with the most correct guesses wins.
Dominoes – Players take turns placing dominoes on the table, matching the numbers on the end to create a continuous line. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins.
Blokus – Players take turns placing their pieces on the board, trying to place as many of their pieces as possible while blocking their opponents. The player with the fewest pieces left at the end wins.
Mouse Trap – Players move their pawns around the board, trying to set traps for their opponents’ mice. The first player to trap all of their opponents’ mice wins.
Mastermind – One player chooses a secret combination of colors and the other player tries to guess the combination. The guessing player gets feedback on their guess, allowing them to improve their strategy.
Mancala – Players take turns collecting stones and dropping them into cups, trying to collect the most stones in their cup. The game requires counting and strategic thinking skills.
Othello – Players take turns placing pieces on the board, trying to outflank their opponent and capture their pieces. The player with the most pieces at the end of the game wins.
Scrabble Junior – Players take turns placing letter tiles on the board to create words, trying to score the most points. The game is a simplified version of the classic word game, making it perfect for younger kids.
Quirkle – A strategy game where players try to match colors and shapes to score points.
