Classic Board Games Your Preschooler Will Love

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I’ve spent the last ten days in Denver with Meghan and Joe, living in a hotel, waiting for our newest grandson to be born. While here at the Staybridge Suites, J.R. and I have spent a lot of time in the Great Room. What do we do there? We play board games, of course. J.R. has just turned four and is the perfect age for beginning to learn to play board games. Because he’s had so much fun, I’ve put together a list of classic board games your preschooler will love.

*Disclaimer: This post includes links to Amazon products. If you click on one of the links and make a purchase, I may receive a small amount of compensation. There is no cost or obligation to you, but any support is appreciated.To learn more about any of the games featured on my list below or to purchase one of them, click on the images or links.

Why Should Preschoolers Play Board Games?

There are several reasons why you should start playing board games with your little one. Board games are good for the brain. Playing them increases social and communication skills. They’re a quiet, low-stress activity that allows kids to “unplug.” Board games are also great for early learning and help children increase their attention span, plus they are great for parent-child (or in my case, grandparent-child) bonding.

1. Board games are good for the brain.

Board games help children increase their memory and cognitive function. They learn to think critically and develop strategy. While playing board games, children learn to problem solve. One of the games that I play with J.R. is Trouble. In Trouble, J.R. has to decide which piece to move. Will he move the one that will land on my piece and send me back to start or will he move the other one, gaining a lesser advantage? These types of decisions are great for his little brain.

2. Board games teach communication skills.

Have you ever played a complete board game without speaking? It could happen, but it’s rare. When preschoolers play board games with adults or older siblings, they improve their language skills and learn how to focus. They also become more confident as they learn the rules and (occasionally) win.

3. Board games are low-stress.

Board games are a quiet activity. By playing them, children receive attention in a very small group, usually 2-4 people. If your child is anxious, this type of quiet activity can be very soothing.  J.R. and I play in the hotel’s Great Room or out on the patio; other people are around. However, the other guests don’t bother us, nor do we bother them.

 

4. Playing board games allows little ones to “unplug.”

Screens are everywhere these days. From televisions to tablets, even preschoolers are in front of screens several hours a week. Playing simple board games takes time away from the various devices children use and allows for more authentic communication and learning.

5. Playing board games creates an environment rich with learning.

Children can learn new concepts and reinforce others as they play board games with parents and siblings. From practicing identifying colors and counting spaces while playing Candyland to learning about physics with Kerplunk!, board games are a fun way to learn. Most of the games require some type of math skills; children will count spaces and identify numbers 1-100 in Chutes and Ladders. They’ll even count marbles in Kerplunk! and Hungry, Hungry Hippos to determine who the winner is.  Games are also good for practicing hand-eye co-ordination skills.

6. Board games help teach social skills.

While playing board games, children learn many important social skills. They learn  how to be patient and how to take turns. They learn the rules of the game and how to follow them. And, they also learn how to be gracious winners and good losers.

7. Board games are a great way to bond with family members.

J.R. is a new big brother. Baby Oz can’t play board games yet–he’s only a few days old. Therefore, playing games is something special that only J.R. can do with Mom, Dad, or Grammy. These games allow our boy to have much-needed alone time with the adults in his life as he goes from being an only child to being an older brother.

Eight Classic Board Games Your Preschooler Will Love

Candy Land

Candy Land is one of the first games a child is able to play. To play Candy Land, children should be able to count from 1-6 and should know the basic colors . J.R. loves racing to King Kandy’s Castle . Candy Land is the perfect first game because children don’t need to be able to read to play.

There are several different versions of Candy Land, including the classic version, the Walt Disney theme parks edition, and the Disney princess version.

Chutes and Ladders

Chutes and Ladders is another easy classic board game for preschoolers. It does require a little vocabulary lesson at the beginning, but it’s as simple as saying that chutes are slides.

J.R. has the newer version, but I prefer the one I grew up with–the “retro” version. I think it’s easier to differentiate between the spaces on the older version. The light green and dark green spaces are a little difficult for J.R. to navigate.

Memory

Memory is another great games for children ages three and up. Children flip over cards looking for matches, testing and increasing their short term memory skills. There are several different versions of this game. I suggest choosing one with simple photos to make it easier.

Trouble

Pop-a-matic Trouble is a fun game that requires children to think about strategy. Not only do they have to move their own game pieces around the board to get home safe, they also need to prevent their opponent from getting his or her pieces there first.  There are several different versions of Trouble, as well. J.R. has the Cars version, but there is also a Star Wars one. Trouble is recommended for ages five and up; J.R. is four and has no problems playing it. Just make sure your child doesn’t put items in his or her mouth–the game pieces are little, and children could choke on them.

Kerplunk

Kerplunk is J.R.’s new favorite. We’ve played it several times a day since I bought it for him. He loves setting it up and playing with whomever will play with him. Kerplunk is also for ages five and up–the marbles are a choking hazard though, so keep them away from little ones.

Hungry Hungry Hippos

Hungry Hungry Hippos is another classic board game that kids love. It does have marbles, so the recommended age is five or older. Kids love moving the hippo heads to gobble up all the marbles. The winner is the one who has the most at the end.

Hi Ho! Cherry-O

Hi Ho! Cherry-O is another classic board game for children ages  three and up. Preschoolers fill their buckets with cherries, blueberries, apples, and oranges as the spinner dictates.  Watch out! You may have to return some of the fruit you’ve picked.   Hi Ho! Cherry-O is a great game to practice counting skills.

Card Games

Don’t discount those card games such as Go Fish, Old Maid, and Crazy Eights. Hoyle has a six pack of card games that is full of fun for ages three and up.  Hint: there’s a memory game with animal cars inside. This is a great activity to pack for camping trips or family vacations.  The cards don’t take up much space and provide hours of fun.

Conclusion

Board games can provide hours of fun for your family. There are so many benefits to playing them with your little ones!  Have you introduced your little one to the excitement of board games?  What are your favorite board games for preschoolers?

To see more toys my grandchildren love, check out this list of Step 2 toys.

 

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