40+ Board Games for 3 Year Olds: Learn, Play, and Have Family Fun!
Board games aren’t just play; they’re the building blocks of learning for your little ones!
Our guide to board games for 3-year-olds is packed with options that turn giggles into growth, strategy into skills, and family time into lifelong memories.
We’re here to help you sift through the top picks that promise to deliver fun and a feast of learning and development tailored to your toddler’s curious mind.
So, get ready to roll the dice on learning, laughter, and much love! 🎲👪
40+ Board Games for 3 Year Olds
1. Animal Upon Animal
- DEVELOPMENTAL STACKING GAME: These classic wooden kids games offer hours of fun as kids stack wooden animal pieces, enhancing hand-eye coordination. These games for kids ages 4-8 are ideal early development animal games & fine motor skills toys.
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN: Perfect family games for kids and adults, these juegos para niños are designed for 2-4 players. Be the first to place your wooden animals upon the animal pile. One of the best family games for all ages to enjoy together.
- HIGH-QUALITY MATERIALS: Crafted from durable, high-quality sustainably-sourced wood and non-toxic water-based stain, this beloved juego de mesa by HABA is a must-have among party games. Includes 29 wooden animals and a wooden die. Made in Germany.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Dexterity
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
Think of Jenga plus Safari animals. You and your child will take turns balancing different wooden animals on top of one another. The goal is to stack all animals from your provision and be the first one done. Honestly, I’m surprised there isn’t an adult version of this game.
2. Banana Blast
- This monkey is too greedy and wants all the bananas for himself
- Can you steal from him Roll the die to see how many bananas you can pick and try to collect as many as you can
- Be careful, one of the bananas will make Joe jump but it’s a different banana every time!
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Addition and subtraction
- Number of Players: 2-5 players
- Minimum Age: 4
With a roll of a die, kids pick one or two bananas from the banana tree. However, players have a chance to gift or take a banana from other players. The game has a fun little surprise where the money can jump out. Whoever catches the monkey can add two bananas from each player. The player with the most bananas is, well, bananas.
3. Wonder Forge Richard Scarry’s Busytown, Eye Found It
- What you get – The game includes 1 game board, 4 movers, 4 mover bases, 1 spinner, 1 ferry tile, 10 magnifying glass tokens, 6 food tiles, 30 goldbug cards, 1 sand timer, and instructions
- Fun play experience – Eye Found It is a ton of fun for 2-4 players and makes a great gift for kids and families. It’s a cooperative game for preschoolers where you race across Busytown along a game board that’s more than 6 feet long
- Clear instructions – The game is easy to learn with clear instructions, so you can start playing right away!
- Playtime: Varies
- Skills Learned: Matching, Observation, Teamwork
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
Kids move around a six feet long game board (yes, six feet long), taking turns looking for specific items on the board. After a minute of searching, everyone gets to forward the number of spaces equal to the number of items found. It’s a win-win situation!
4. Candyland
- CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing Candy Land when you were a kid. Introduce new generations to this sweet kids’ board game
- RACE TO THE CASTLE: Players encounter all kinds of “delicious” surprises as they move their cute gingerbread man pawn around the path in a race to the castle
- NO READING REQUIRED TO PLAY: For kids ages 3 and up, Candy Land can be a great game for kids who haven’t learned how to read yet
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Color recognition, Matching
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Hasbro has refreshed this classic sweet adventures board game has with new illustrations, but the gameplay hasn’t changed. Little ones take turns moving their gingerbread man around the board in a race to the candy land kingdom.
5. Chutes and Ladders
- CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing Chutes and Ladders when you were a kid. Introduce new generations to the classic gameplay of this kids’ board game for 2 to 4 players
- NO READING REQUIRED TO PLAY: For kids ages 3 and up, Chutes and Ladders can be a great game for kids who haven’t learned how to read yet
- CLASSIC UP AND DOWN GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Spin the spinner and move the pawn up the ladders and down the chutes. Chutes and Ladders is a classic game that children enjoy playing over and over
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Counting, Number recognition
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Chutes and Ladders is another classic board game for 3 years olds. The goal is to get to the top with the help of ladders. However, watch out for the chute! Players can slide back down if they land on a chute. No reading required; just go ‘ole fun.
6. Color Go Fish Card Game
- COLOR GO FISH A new take on an old game involves fish-shaped cards and color matching, with bold colors like hot pink and chartreuse. A great first card game that is easy to play. Illustrated by Julia Gorton.
- For ages 3 and up.
- Cards are 3.25 x 4.5 inches. Cards are durable and easy to use.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Color recognition
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
This game mixes the card game’s simple rules of “Go Fish!” and uses colors instead. Some parents have concerns that colors are not base colors, such as red, blue, green, etc. Rather, the colors in this game are buttercup, jade, and apricot.
7. Colorama
- ENGAGING LEARNING GAME: Colorama brings together fun and learning with its unique pattern and shape recognition gameplay, ideal for children aged 3 and up
- QUALITY COMPONENTS: This game includes 40 game pieces, 1 color die, 1 shape die, and comprehensive instructions for immediate play
- FAMILY-FRIENDLY FUN: Perfect for 2-4 players, it offers a fun play experience that lasts about 30 minutes – a great gift for families who treasure game nights
- Playtime: 20 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching, Shapes, Colors
- Number of Players: 1-6 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Kids roll a color and a shape die to determine which colored shape a player needs to place on the board. For instance, a kid rolls a red color and a circle shape. They need to match a red circle piece to its place on the board. There is no score, and it’s not a race. The goal is for everyone to match the pieces to the board.
8. Count Your Chickens
- FARM FUN: 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. Gather all the chicks and everyone wins!
- COOPERATIVE COUNTING: Remove competitive stress, empower young learners and teach kids that playing together can be fun! A counting game to help kids learn at a young age how easy it is to cooperate!
- EDUCATIONAL GAME: Cooperative games cultivate emotional development, shared decision making, positive self esteem, creative problem solving and develop a sense of community in a non-stressful play environment.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Counting
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
If you’re looking for a game where everyone works together and teaches, Count Your Chickens is a great pick. Players spin a spinner that indicates which square the mother hen moves to next. For each square they move, players collect the same amount into the chicken coop.
9. Create and Tell Me a Story Cards
- ANIMAL VILLAGE A Create a Story card set lets you join the animals in this village as they dance, sing, and play. Recurring characters, locations, and props encourage linking the cards in endless combinations for fresh, new stories every time it’s played. Use this beautifully illustrated visual card set by Stephanie Graegin to create your own stories! Can be played individually or in a group, make up your own way to play!
- PROVIDES GREAT INTERACTION, CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE PLAY! This playful collection involves recurring characters, locations, and props allowing the cards to be linked in endless combinations for fresh, new stories every time it is played.
- Cards are perfectly sized at 3.75 x 4.75 inches. 36 cards in the set. Instructions included.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Imagination, Storytelling
- Number of Players: 1+
- Minimum Age: 3
These story cards allow parents to create unique stories every time they play. Parents make up a new part of the story based on the card drawn, leading to endless stories. Over time, kids can start to tell their own stories when playing independently.
10. Wonder Forge Disney Classic Characters Matching Game
- FUN LEARNING TOOL: This Disney Classic Matching Game offers a fun and engaging way for kids, aged 3-5, to enhance their focus, memory, and matching skills
- EASY TO UNDERSTAND: Comes with a clear and concise instruction manual – have your little ones playing and enjoying the game within five minutes
- LOVED DISNEY CHARACTERS: The game features delightful illustrations of favorite Disney icons, including Mickey Mouse, Minnie, Dumbo, The Incredibles, Donald Duck and more
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching
- Number of Players: 1+
- Minimum Age: 3
Lay all the cards facedown and take turns finding the match. Adding familiar Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy adds excitement to the game. This card game works well for families and allows solo play.
11. Don’t Break the Ice
- FUN KIDS GAME: This Don’t Break the Ice game is an exciting preschool game that has players tapping out ice blocks one by one, as they imagine helping Phillip the Penguin make a new igloo
- INDOOR GAME FOR AGES 3+: The object of this game for kids is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice, but as the game goes on, the ice blocks start falling. One wrong block and he’ll go ker-plop.
- FAMILY GAMES FOR KIDS: Get everyone together for family game night with the Don’t Break the Ice game. Players will be on the edge of their seats just waiting for the moment that the penguin falls through
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
In this game, players attempt to tap out blocks of ice with a small mallet. The goal is not to let the penguin fall through. This tabletop game will make the kids scream in excitement each time they successfully remove a block of ice.
12. Dragon’s Breath
- AWARD-WINNING KIDS BOARD GAME: HABA’s Dragon’s Breath is a top-rated kids board game, making it one of the best family games for kids and adults that brings the magical world of dragons to life.
- PERFECT FAMILY GAMES FOR KIDS & ADULTS: Considered one of the best board games for kids, Dragon’s Breath offers hours of entertainment for the whole family, fostering teamwork & strategic thinking.
- DEVELOPS KEY SKILLS: Looking for fun kid games? Dragon’s Breath is not only fun but also educational, helping children enhance their counting, color recognition, and strategic planning skills.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Color matching
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 5
This inventive game allows children to pretend to be dragons. Players act to melt an ice column by taking turns to remove rings. Any freed crystals that fall within a dragon’s color are up for grabs.
13. Elenfun and Friends
- FUN MUSIC AND SOUNDS: The motorized Elefun elephant begins the game with a trumpet call. Then it plays music throughout the game while it blows butterflies out of its long trunk
- INCLUDES BUTTERFLY NETS: In this lively and active game, kids can chase the butterflies that come out of the elephant’s 3 foot trunk. The game includes 20 colorful butterflies and 3 butterfly nets
- GET UP AND GET SILLY: This game gets kids up and about, running around in all different directions as they try to catch the most butterflies to win
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Gross Motor skills
- Number of Players: 1-3 players
- Minimum Age: 3
This motorized elephant (batteries required) shoots butterflies in the air—the game tasks kids to catch the falling butterflies with their nets. Kids will have a blast playing. Parents will have to cherish the laughter while they pick up the mess.
14. Feed the Woozle
- SILLY SNACKS: The Woozle loves to eat hairy pickles and fuzzy donuts. Can you help feed him 12 crazy treats before all the snacks are gone? A monstrous game of mixed up fun!
- GROWS WITH YOUR CHILDREN: Comes with three levels so it grows with your child. Kids ages 3 and up work together to help feed the Woozle. No reading required, so even the smallest can participate!
- LEARNING AND GROWING: Kids learn dexterity, fine motor skills, body awareness, and counting all while having fun and cooperating. Kids learn about taking turns and develop valuable social skills.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Dexterity, Fine motor skills
- Number of Players: 2-5 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Kids take turns rolling a die to determine how many snacks to feed the Woozle. They’ll have fun trying to balance as many snacks on their spoon. I wish I can use the same strategy to make them finish their dinner.
15. First Orchard
- EXCITING PLAYTIME: These toddler board games for 2+ year olds have been enjoyed by families for over 30 years with over 3 million copies sold. The First Orchard toddler game is a perfect cooperative learning game for 1-4 players.
- DEVELOP SKILLS: Our First Orchard toddler games ages 2-4, help develop social skills such as taking turns and following directions. These excellent toddler board games also reinforce color recognition, counting, and fine motor skills.
- FAMILY TIME: Designed by educators, these board games for 3 year olds are ideal for family time. In these games for toddlers 2-4 years, kids can work together as a team to roll the dice and pick the matching fruit from the orchard before the raven!
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Color recognition, Counting
- Number of Players: 1-4 players
- Minimum Age: 2
Kids take turns harvesting specific fruits into their baskets. But, they better hurry! A raven slowly moves closer to their basket. Everyone wins when everyone gathers all the fruit.
16. Franke’s Food Truck Fiasco
- GAME AND BOOK COMBO: Bundle this award-winning board game with an adorable board book for hours of foodie fun and learning
- GAME INCLUDES: colorful game board, 1 Frankie squeezer, 20 food game pieces, 1 game spinner, 4 placemat player boards, and instruction guide
- HOW TO PLAY: Spin the spinner to place your order. Then use your Franke Squeezer to follow the directions on the space. The first player to deliver a five-course meal is the winner. NO READING REQUIRED
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Practical shapes
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
Are you looking for the next Master Chef Junior? With this Educational Insights game, players use a spinner to place an order. The first player to deliver a five-course meal wins! Maybe this game is the beginning of your kids preparing their own.
17. Ravensburger Snail’s Pace Race
- Fun play experience – You can play a game in 15 minutes, and it’s perfect for 2-6 players ages 3 and up, which makes this a perfect gift for families who love to play games together.
- High quality components – Contains 6x wooden snails, 2x colored dice, 1x playing board and instructions.
- Easy to understand instructions – High quality, easy to understand instructions make it possible to start playing right away.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Counting, Color matching, Memory
- Number of Players: 2-6 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Kids move snail game pieces down the board to reach the end. Although it is a snail-themed game, it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes to play.
18. Hi Ho Cherry-O
- CLASSIC BEGINNER GAME: Do you remember playing the Hi Ho. Cherry-O game when you were a child. Introduce new generations to the classic gameplay of this kids’ board game for boys and girls ages 3 and up
- FUN COUNTING BOARD GAME: Kids ages 3 and up can have a blast picking pretend fruit from the trees on the game board, and filling their buckets. The spinner lets them know the number of pieces to pick — or put back
- SIMPLE GAMEPLAY FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Players take turns picking pretend cherries, blueberries, apples, and oranges from their trees to fill their baskets. The first to fill their basket wins
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Counting, Addition, Subtraction
- Number of Players: 2-3 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Another board game for 3 year olds is the Hi Ho Cherry-O board game. Kids take turns picking fruits from their trees to fill up their baskets. And whoever picks all the fruits from their tree wins!
19. Peacable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot!
- HURRY LITTLE OWLS: In this color coordinated matching game, players cooperate to help the owls fly back to their nest before the sun comes up. Help all the owls home before sunrise and everyone wins!
- LEARNING AND GROWING: Kids learn simple strategy, following directions & taking turns. Two levels of play allow the game to grow with your child and lets older kids play with younger ones too.
- BENEFITS: Cooperative games cultivate emotional development, shared decision making, positive self esteem, creative problem solving, and develop a sense of community in a non-stressful play environment.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy, Teamwork
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
In this Pre-School board game, players attempt to help owls get to their nest before sunrise via a sun token. Everyone has to work together to reach their goal. Now, if I can use the same logic to get my kids to bed early, that would be great!
20. Caterpillar Matching Game
- A matching game featuring Caterpillar construction vehicles and equipment
- Officially Licensed Caterpillar Product
- Includes: 18 sets of cards
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Memory, Matching
- Number of Players: 1
- Minimum Age: 3
This game is another matching card game and is for construction equipment enthusiasts. Or, this is a good introduction for kids to learn more about construction. Even as an adult, I didn’t know what an excavator was.
21. Let’s Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar Counting Cards
- Fun, colourful and educational board game starring Eric Carle’s renowned storybook characters
- Collect puzzle pieces to transform your caterpillar into a unique, beautiful butterfly
- A fun game of counting, collecting and puzzle building
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy, Decision making
- Number of Players: 2-4
- Minimum Age: 3
Kids move the hungry caterpillar around the board collecting puzzle pieces, which create a butterfly. The first person to collect all the pieces and move to the center of the board wins!
22. The Little Orchard
- A co-operative memory and color dice game for 1-4 players ages 3-8. Playing time about 10 minutes.
- The pesky crowwants to steal the ripe cherries from the orchard. Can the children harvest them before the raven reaches the tree?
- Children learn about team work and cooperation as they rush to beat the greedy crow.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Memory, Color recognition
- Number of Players: 1-4 player
- Minimum Age: 3
Kids roll a die and pick a tile with a matching flower. The goal is to get five cherries before you hit too many crows. This board game for 3 year olds is similar to another favorite, Hi Ho Cherry O.
23. Math For Love Tiny Polka Dot
- Sixteen easy-to-learn games help kids fall in love with numbers!
- Playfully teaches counting, arithmetic, and logic
- Vibrant, colorful designs
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Math
- Number of Players: 1-6 players
- Minimum Age: 3
This game is perfect when you’re on the go or when waiting with your child at an appointment. It also offers different kinds of games with cards, allowing you to have more options with your kid.
24. Monkey Around
- GET READY TO MOVE: A wonderful first board game for kids that was created specifically for you and your two year old. Kids love getting to move about while playing a game!
- LETS MOVE TOGETHER: From hugs to high fives to simple skills like balancing, hopping, and marching, the cards in the game will prompt you and your toddler to get on the move! The included beanbag banana adds to the fun!
- LEARNING AND GROWING: Monkey Around improves gross motor skill development, coordination, understanding spatial concepts, recognizing matching body parts, listening, and building vocabulary.
- Playtime: Varies
- Skills Learned: Motor skills, Hand-eye coordination
- Number of Players:
- Minimum Age: 2
The game offers solo and partner play. Depending on the card, kids have to imitate the actions described on the card. There isn’t a designated winner in this game. Instead, it’s a good reason to act silly and monkey around.
25. My First Castle Panic
- Mythical Marvels – Bring home a cooperative game for little kids that offers a fantasy-filled challenge. Defend your castle from misbehaving monsters in an immersive and captivating game.
- Quest Together – Avoid sore losers and team up to oust any monster you find! Fire up game night with cooperative board games for kids 4-8 years old. Teach teamwork and strategy through adventure.
- Grabbing Goblins – In this kid’s board game 3-6 year-olds will enjoy catching monsters with special abilities and throwing them in the dungeon.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching, Strategy
- Number of Players: 1-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
If you’re looking for board games for 3 year olds that have action, check out My First Cast Panic. Kids battle monsters that approach a castle. A kid can only battle a monster in a space with a matching shape held by the kid.
26. Pengoloo
- COLOR MATCHING PRESCHOOL MEMORY GAME: This fun board game is designed to develop memory, teach young children about colors and strengthen social skills. Easy to understand and play – no reading required.
- HOW TO PLAY: Roll two colored dice and lift two penguins to search for colored eggs that match the dice. Collect six penguins on your iceberg to win!
- KID FRIENDLY: Pengoloo makes the perfect first board game with easy to follow instructions for children and parents alike. Reinforce color learning, help develop matching skills, strategic thinking, turn-taking, hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills with this fun, fast board game for kids. For 2-4 players, perfect for ages 4+.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Color recognition, Memory,
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 4
Pengoloo is a new take on playing the memory game. Unlike other matching games where you usually flip over a card, this game requires you to lift a penguin to discover a colored egg. The goal is to find the colored egg that matches the rolled die color.
27. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game
- Pete the Cat Adventure: Embark on an exciting adventure with the Pete the Cat Missing Cupcakes Board Game, inspired by the New York Times best-selling book series. Let Pete the Cat guide preschoolers through a delightful gaming experience full of fun and learning.
- Preschool-Friendly Board Game: Tailored for preschoolers aged 3 and above, this board game is thoughtfully designed to capture the attention and imagination of young players. It provides age-appropriate challenges and entertainment.
- No Reading Required: Enjoy hassle-free gameplay as no reading is required for kids to play. The game is accessible and engaging, allowing even the youngest players to participate in the excitement without any literacy barriers.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching
- Number of Players: 1+
- Minimum Age: 3
This game is another matching card game but with Pete the Cat. If your kids are fans of Pete the Cat, they’ll enjoy this simple card game.
28. Pick Me Up, Piggy!
- TELL A STORY: Tell stories about Piggy’s friends as you drive the toy car around the board in Peaceable Kingdom’s Pick Me Up Piggy! Can you remember each of the stories at the end? No reading required.
- GAMES THAT GROW: This creative memory game is an educational learning tool for kids to practice cooperation and vocabulary. It’s also a great tool for teachers: use it in a class demonstration to encourage turn taking, storytelling and memory.
- COOPERATIVE GAMES: Peaceable Kingdom’s Cooperative Games cultivate emotional development, teamwork, creative problem-solving and a sense of community. They are fun for families and perfect for classrooms.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Memory, Cooperation, Storytelling
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
The game begins by hiding the characters in different locations. A player creates a story to help everyone remember where the characters. It’s a fun way to play a memory game using imagination.
29. Race to the Treasure!
- COOPERATIVE GAME: Build a path with your team and collect 3 keys on a race to beat Ogre to the treasure! It’s a game where everyone plays together, no one is left out, and everybody has fun!
- FUN CHALLENGE: Kids love working together to beat the Ogre. Players strategize, cooperate and build the path together. Building onto a path encourages kids to think 2 steps ahead and examine options.
- EDUCATIONAL GAME: Cooperative games cultivate emotional development, shared decision making, positive self esteem, creative problem solving and develop a sense of community in a non-stressful play environment.
- Playtime: 20 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy, Cooperation
- Number of Players: 2-4 posts
- Minimum Age: 5
Players work together to build a path to the treasure. As part of their mission, they also need to collect three keys. However, if the ogre gets to the prize first, everyone loses. Thus, race to the treasure!
30. Rat-A-Tat-Cat
- Children’s card game that helps develop timing and basic mathematical concepts
- Teaches strategy, memory building, and addition
- Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Best Toy Award; Mensa 1996 Best New Mind Game Award
- Playtime: 20 minutes
- Skills Learned: Math, Memory
- Number of Players: 2-6 players
- Minimum Age: 5
In this game, the lowest score is better. The idea is to get rid of the highest card by peaking and trading with other players. Although the recommended age is high, the concept is simple for three and four year olds to grasp.
31. Robot Turtles
- EDUCATIONAL & FUN: This game seamlessly blends education with entertainment. It’s designed to introduce programming principles to preschoolers in an engaging, easy-to-learn manner. Perfect for kids 4+ and adults to enjoy together
- KICKSTARTER SUCCESS: Conceived by programming expert Dan Shapiro, this game made history as Kickstarter’s most-backed board game. Trusted globally, ThinkFun is a leader in brain and logic games
- CRITICAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: Gameplay offers a ‘stealth learning’ experience, where players unknowingly learn key programming principles. This game is inspired by the Logo programming language, letting kids write programs with playing cards
- Playtime: Varies
- Skills Learned: Basic programming logic
- Number of Players: 2-5 players
- Minimum Age: 4
This game originated from Kickstarter, and developers created this game to teach kids the basics of programming logic. Kids must guide a turtle to reach a target location. Children accomplish this goal by giving instructions to the robot turtle. The instructions are on the cards, such as turn or move forward.
32. Sequence for Kids
- The classic game of SEQUENCE made just for kids!
- Play a card from your hand, and place your chip on the corresponding character on the board – the first with four chips in a row wins!
- Exciting strategy game helps develop logical thinking skills
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
The name of the game is to create a row (or sequence) of chips on the board. Kids play a card with a picture of an animal on it. The child then places the chip on the matching animal on the board to create a sequence of four chips.
33. Shopping List
- Race to collect your groceries and fill your shopping cart in this fun game.
- Develops matching and memory and literacy skills.
- Features fun and engaging gameplay.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching, Memory, Literacy
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
Each player gets a shopping cart and a shopping list. Each player flips over face-down cars to reveal a grocery item. If the item is on the list, the player gets to put it in their cart. Whoever completes their list first wins!
34. Spot It! Jr. Animals
- EXCLUSIVE ANIMAL THEME: Dive into an exclusive animal-themed version of Spot It! designed to captivate and entertain younger players.
- MULTI-VARIANT GAME: With 55 cards, each featuring 8 symbols, enjoy 5 exciting variants of the game that can be played in any order or repeatedly.
- QUICK AND ENERGETIC: Spot It! is a fast-paced family card game that sharpens reflexes and observation skills.
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Develops attention, Visual perception, Motor skills
- Number of Players: 2-5 players
- Minimum Age: 4
This game offers various modes, such as “Hide and Seek” and “The Tower.” Depending on the rules, kids have to match animals that are found commonly between the cards.
35. The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel
- SPARK MORE TOGETHERNESS! Perfect for spending quality, unplugged time together as a family, The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game also builds key early learning skills and develops social emotional skills including taking turns, sharing, and winning and losing gracefully
- BEST-SELLING PRESCHOOL GAME 5 YEARS RUNNING! Reinforce color learning, develop matching skills (a key early math skill!), encourage strategic thinking, and build hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills with this engaging, quick-play board game for kids
- A SWEET STRATEGY GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Easy to set up, understand—no reading required!, play, and clean up (box doubles as game board and storage!)
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Motor skills, Hand-eye coordination.
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
In The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, kids spin the spinner to find out which colored acorn they pick up. The fun part is getting to use a Squirrel Squeezer to pick up the acorns and store them in their log.
36. Stack Up!
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Balance, Color matching
- Number of Players: 2-6 players
- Minimum Age: 3
The premise of the game is to stack 12 blocks. However, this game includes challenges that kids have to perform. Also, part of the game is intentionally knocking down. Once you finish the stack, a smasher comes to knock down the tower.
37. The Yoga Garden
- Playtime:
- Skills Learned: Yoga
- Number of Players:
- Minimum Age: 4
A yoga teacher created this game to help teach children yoga. The game encourages cooperative play versus competition. Depending on the space where a player lands, the player will have to imitate a yoga pose or even invent one.
38. Uno Moo
- Hooray, it’s UNO MOO!, a preschool version of the beloved UNO game!
- Farm animals come out of their barn to play, and younger players round them up by matching their colors or types.
- Kids will have a blast playing with cows, pigs, skunks, chicken, dogs, sheep or farmer figures and putting them on the barn door and pushing others into the barn.
- Playtime: 15 minutes
- Skills Learned: Matching colors, Learning animals
- Number of Players: 2-4 players
- Minimum Age: 3
This game takes the basics of Uno and puts a Pre-School spin on it using farm animals. The player with one more critter remaining yells, “Uno Moo!”
39. Yeti in my Spaghetti
- OODLES OF NOODLES—Lay out the noodles over the bowl with the Yeti on top!
- PULL THE NOODLES—Remove the strands of noodles from the bowl, but don’t let the yeti fall!
- ADORABLE GAME—Fun concept and adorable Yeti character make this game extra fun!
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Strategy
- Number of Players: 2+
- Minimum Age: 4
Players carefully remove spaghetti noodles from under a Yeti. Watch your kids go crazy as they remove a noodle one by one. However, all it takes is one noodle to let the Yeti in your spaghetti.
40. Zingo
- PRE-READING BOOSTER: Engage pre-readers with this fun, fast-paced game that develops language and matching skills, perfect for early learners
- AWARD-WINNING GAME: Zingo has garnered multiple accolades, including an Oppenheim Gold and Parents’ Choice Award, making it an ideal gift for kids age 4 and up
- AMAZON EXCLUSIVE: This exclusive version of the beloved Zingo game includes an extra Zingo card, allowing up to 7 players for more fun
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Language, Reading, Matching
- Number of Players: 2-6 players
- Minimum Age: 4
This award-winning game is beloved by parents and teachers, which is a twist on the game Bingo, is the perfect board gaThis award-winning game is beloved by parents and teachers, which is a twist on the game Bingo. Players slide a Zinger that shows two different cards. When a player first correctly identifies the picture on the card, they can pick up the card and match it to their board’s image. The first person to cover all the squares on their board wins. Zingo!
41. Thinkfun Heads Talk Tails Walk Game
- ENGAGING AND EDUCATIONAL: ThinkFun’s Heads Talk Tails Walk is a fun and silly matching game that enhances visual perception and reasoning skills while keeping kids entertained
- HIGH QUALITY COMPONENTS: The game includes 10 large body tiles and 10 small head tiles depicting different animals- ensuring endless fun and variety in gameplay
- FAMILY FUN: Not just a game for kids, it’s a hilarious family activity that parents will enjoy too- making it a perfect gift for both kids and adults
- Playtime: 10 minutes
- Skills Learned: Visual perception, Reasoning
- Number of Players: 2-5 players
- Minimum Age: 3
This game is entertaining and lets kids be silly. Kids take turns flipping over a card to see if it matches with the body of an animal. If the card does not match, then everyone imitates the animal. Whoever gets the most matches wins!
When Can a Child Start to Play Board Games?
Board games provide a minimum age or age range for children to play. However, not all kids are the same. I take the recommended age as a general suggestion. Kids are like sponges, constantly absorbing the world around them.
So, don’t sell your kids short. They may be more intelligent than you think. You won’t know unless you try new games. The best toddler board games may work well for one family and differ for another.
As always, with all parenting, what worked one week doesn’t necessarily mean it will work next week. So, if one board game doesn’t work one day, maybe give it another try a few months later.
You will know your child best and understand what does and doesn’t work. You’ll soon find which is the best game for your next family game night.
What Makes a Good Board Game for a 3 Year Old?
The term “good” is relative, but there are common attributes in board games for 3 year olds: the time it takes to play, skills learned, number of players, minimum age, and any reading requirement.
- Playtime: A toddler’s attention span around this age is limited. A good length of time for a game is no more than 15 minutes. The less complex a game is, the higher chance your little one will enjoy it, and the time will be a breeze. However, when they start to show frustration, there is always “next time.”
- Skills Learned: One of the motivations of board games for 3 years olds is that they help toddlers learn a new skill. These learned skills can be motor skills, counting, matching pictures, identifying shapes and colors, discover new animals, etc.
- Number of Players: The number of players will let you know how flexible a game can be with more or fewer players.
- Minimum Age: The minimum age on the box is a recommendation. Each kid may learn how to play sooner rather than later.
Final Thoughts
Did you find your best board game in this long list of best family games? Each game offers a new skill level to learn or improve. Also, at least one family board game offers three different levels, such as cooperative game play.
The essential thing is to enjoy the time with your little ones helping them grow along the way with a fun game. Whether it’s just the two of your or four players, everyone, from younger kids to adults, can have a great time!
So, are you ready to play?