BEST Board Games for Kids - That Won't Make You Run and Hide!

Find a few new board games to add to the family game night closet. Children and Parents alike are sure to love this collection of the very best unique and popular board games for kids and families.

I have always been HUGE fans of family games, and board games for kids are no exception. I grew up playing games of all kinds with my three brothers, including some of the best board games.

As an adult, my husband and I spent a year traveling in a motorhome before we got married. We had lots of time to find and play new and classic board games on the road. Our only fight the entire trip?

A blowout over the rules of backgammon before we even played… True story.

This list of board games for kids, listed by age group from toddlers to teens, includes educational games, cooperative games where everyone plays to win, games of logic and strategy, games that will help you learn a bit more about the members of your family, games that will make you laugh until your sides split, and games that will make you burst into song!

Unique Popular Games for Kids and Families

We searched far and wide to find unique popular board games for kids that even parents will enjoy. Although there are probably games on this list you already know, we are hoping to help you discover a NEW game or two to add to the family game closet!

That means that this list of board games does not include some of the classic family games that we all know and love. Sorry, the game of Monopoly is one of the best board games ever, but, you won’t find it here.

You also won’t find the Game of Life, Connect 4, Rummikub, Clue, or… Sorry!! I know that they are some of the best family games of all time!

This list of fun ideas also doesn’t contain nauseating kids’ games that make you cringe the second your child asks you to play with them. Nope, no Candyland or retro Shoots and Ladders here. I know they can be fun for kids, but as a parent they make me want to run and hide!

Instead, you will find new and unique popular board games, a cool dice game, a funny card game, and even a few fun party games including a game that will make everyone burst into song!

These games for kids are listed in order of the manufacturers recommended ages from youngest to oldest so you can easily find the perfect games for toddlers, preschoolers, elementary-aged kids, tweens, and teens.

Best Board Games for Toddlers

My First Orchard

Here is a simplified version of the classic orchard game for kids adapted to suit toddlers ages 2 and up. My First Orchard is a cooperative game where players must work together to save the harvested fruit.

Acorn Soup – Game for You and Your 2-Year-Old

Help your toddler learn to take turns and follow rules as you help Squirrel.

The Best Board Games for Preschoolers Ages 3 and Up

Sneaky Snacky Squirrel (Ages 3 and up)

Sneak in the fun of learning colors with the award-winning Sneaky, Snacky, Squirrel Game. Your forest friends are hungry and they need your help. Be the first to fill your log with delicious acorns and you win!

Board Games for Preschoolers Ages 4 and Up

Count Your Chickens (Ages 3 and up)

This cooperative farm counting game for kids can empower young learners, and, teach kids that playing together can be fun! Cooperative games can help children share disunion making and problem-solving so everyone wins!

Hoot Owl Hoot (Ages 4 and up)

Hoot Owl Hoot is a color-coded cooperative matching game with two play levels that will grow with your child. Help all the owls get home before the sun rises and everyone wins!

Enchante d Forrest Childre n’s Game (ages 4 and up — updated from the classic version)

A magical treasure hunt game in the land of fairy tales! Roll the dice and round the board, sneaking a peek at treasures hidden in the Enchanted Forest along the way. Be the first player to find the treasures the king seeks and the kingdom is yours!

Best Board Games for Children Ages 5 and Up

Race to the Treasure (Ages 5 and up)

Players try to beat the Ogre to the treasure by creating a path from Start to End. Along the way, they need to collect three keys to open the treasure. If players strategize, cooperate and build a path together before the Ogre gets there, they all win!

Mermaid Island (Ages 5 and up)

In this children’s board game, players work together to help the Mermaids swim to Mermaid Island before the Sea Witch gets there. Spin and move, pick up a wand and get the power to defeat the Sea Witch! If the mermaids get to the island safely, everyone wins!

Rivers, Roads, and Rails (Ages 5 and up)

Rivers, Roads & Rails is a transportation-themed card matching game that puts kids in the driver’s seat. Players build an ever-changing transportation network that includes rivers, roads and railroad tracks on which ships, cars, and trains can move freely. Each card must connect perfectly to the next, providing the proper pathway for the vehicles to travel.

Bloku s (Ages 5 and up)

Gather the family around the game table for this easy-to-learn favorite. Players take turns placing pieces on the game board, each starting from their corner. Each new piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color, but only at the corners! The goal is to get rid of all your pieces. The game ends when all players are blocked from laying down any more of their pieces.

The Secret Door (Ages 5 and up)

Valuables have been stolen, and players have to find them before midnight. Together they search through the mansion for clues. Because of the cooperative principle, everyone is part of a team that discusses ideas and shares strategies. Each game is different, exciting and tricky. That’s why adults like playing along!

Ogres and Elves (Ages 5 and up)

This game comes with three sets of rules, for younger children, middle years, and tough adult play. When the Royal Elf Family plans to visit their Mountain Kingdom the Ogres plan to grab all the valuables for themselves. The players must work together to get Royals & Ogres to share the goodies.

Best Games for Kids Ages 6 and Up

Qwirkle Board Game (Ages 6 and up)

This is a fun family game with easy to follow rules and is great for younger players. The rules of the game of Qwirkle are basic: simply build lines by matching tiles based on either color or shape and score points for doing so. Parents and children alike will love this engaging and mentally challenging game for the whole family.

Poop (Ages 6 and up)

Just like the classic game of Uno, POOP is a game where the first player to run out of cards wins! Take turns pooping but don’t clog the toilet! If you like Uno, you’ll love the game of POOP!

Monkey’s Up (Ages 6 and up)

Monkeys Up is the game that will have your family going bananas! Players compete to get the best score by flipping, switching, and stealing monkeys. Victory will come to the player who switches, steals, and flips the best. You will find yourself laughing head over heels until all of your monkeys are up!

Cauldron Quest (Ages 6 and up)

Cauldron Quest is a magical game of potions and spells where players must work together to find hidden ingredients to create a spell-breaking potion. If they are successful everyone wins!

Caves and Claws (Ages 6 and up)

Players work together as a team of archaeologists heading deep into a jungle to find ancient artifacts. The game has three parts with obstacles to avoid. There are paths to build, artifacts to find, and dangers lurking!

Fun Games for Kids Ages 7 and Up

Tenzi (Ages 7 and up)

This fast-moving dice game has quickly become a family favorite in our home. Play is quick and fun. Each player gets a different color set of dice and they roll them to see how many dice can match the same numbers. Then they keep rolling the unmatched dice until all their numbers match. The winner is the first one to get all of their numbers to match. You may need more dice and the cards make this game even more fun!

Personalogy (Ages 7 and up)

Discover something new about your family in this laugh-out-loud discovery card game that brings families together instantly. Questions have multiple choice answers to make it easy for kids. There are three ways to play, with or without points and can be played in teams. The perfect antidote for traveling with kids.

Best Board and Party Games for Kids Ages 8 and Up

Make ‘N’ Break (Ages 8 and up)

Easy to play and fun for the entire family, this game takes simple building tasks and sets them against the clock for an exciting and engaging showdown. The uncomplicated concept and variable levels of difficulty allow it to be enjoyed by builders of all ages, whether it’s a rainy day inside with the kids or an after-dinner match for the adults.

Labyrinth (Ages 8 and up)

This four-player adventure is an action-packed game of mystery is ideal for sleepovers, family game nights, and anytime kids feel like playing in a land of strategy and imagination. Players must find all of their objects and characters while moving carefully through the constantly changing maze, and be the first to make it back to the starting square to win.

Spontuneous (Ages 8 and up)

Simple party game to play for all ages and musical tastes. A word is given and it’s a race to blurt out any song containing that word. No singing skill is necessary! Millions already do it – You hear a word, a song pops into your head, and you spontaneously burst into a TUNE!

Say Anything (Ages 8 and up)

Say Anything Family is a game that will get the entire family talking and laughing in minutes. This family-oriented version of the popular adult party game gives players the chance to settle questions that have been hotly debated for centuries. Then players try to choose which answer the judge will like best. Play Say Anything Family Edition and find out what hilarious things YOUR family will say!

Shut The Box (Ages 8 and Up)

This 4 player version of the traditional English pub game of dice and numbers can provide hours of challenging fun and friendly competition. Simply roll the dice and lay down the matching numbered tiles until the winner “shuts the box.” Or, try this smaller travel version.

Indigo (Ages 8 and up)

Indigo is a board game of intricate pathways and twists with players competing to gather precious gems, including the blue sapphire. Gameplay involves laying pathways on the board along which players move gems to the exits on the board’s edge. The exits can belong to them or be shared with another competitor.

Ticket to Ride (Ages 8 and up)

Ticket to Ride is a cross-country train adventure game. Players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting cities throughout North America. The longer the routes, the more points they earn. Additional points come to those who can fulfill their Destination Tickets by connecting two distant cities, and to the player who builds the longest continuous railway.

Trekking The National Parks: The Family Board Game (Ages 8 and up)

Meet the best selling second edition to the best selling board game where you learn all about the national parks! This award-winning game is one of the top educational board games for kids.

Carcassonne Board Game (Ages 8 and up)

Carcassonne is the perfect introduction to the modern world of board games. With its simple rules. This fun board game would be a lovely addition to anyone’s game closet.

Board Games for Kids Ages 10 and Up

Catan Board Game (Ages 10 and up)

This modern board game has become an incredibly popular board game of harvesting and trading resources. Players build their own civilization and attempt to spread it across a modular hex board for victory points. Beware of robbers and anyone else out to take your wealth!

Wits and Wagers (Ages 10 and up)

Wits and Wagers is a fast-paced game that combines the most interesting elements of trivia with the excitement of gambling. Players can win by making educated guesses or by having the guts to bet on the high-payout answers of their friends.

7 Wonders (Ages 10 and up)

You are the leader of one of the 7 great cities of the Ancient World. Gather resources, develop commercial routes and affirm your military supremacy. Build your city and erect an architectural wonder which will transcend future times.

Board Games for Tweens and Teens Ages 12 and Up

Better Me (Ages 12 and up)

Using the principles of positive psychology, the game challenges players to take real-world action to improve themselves and their life. It also strengthens relationships by helping people connect in a meaningful way. The game creates amazing conversations, allowing players to quickly learn about themselves and their fellow players. And all in an encouraging and fun atmosphere, with no pressure or judgment, permitted.

Above and Below (Ages 13 and up)

Above and Below is a mashup of town-building and storytelling where you and up to three friends compete to build the best village above and below ground. In the game, you send your villagers to perform jobs like exploring the cave, harvesting resources, and constructing houses. Each villager has unique skills and abilities, and you must decide how to best use them. You have your own personal village board, and you slide the villagers on this board to various areas to indicate that they’ve been given jobs to do.

Family Game Night Ideas

Make family game night fun again with one of these amazing games for kids that even parents will love! This collection of unique popular board games for kids and families make a great gift idea for Christmas or a Birthday.

Know of another unique popular board game you think belongs on this list? Please share it in the comments below! Our family is always up for discovering a new game to try. 🙂