5-year-olds are at a great age to start playing board games. They are old enough to understand the basic rules and concepts but still young enough to be entertained by the bright colors and simple gameplay. Board games can help with problem-solving, critical thinking, and social skills. Here are some of the best board games for 5-year-olds.
The Importance of Playing Board Games
Board games are an excellent way for 5-year-olds to learn essential skills like counting, strategic thinking, and taking turns. They’re also a fun way for families to spend time together.
There are many benefits to playing board games with your kids. Board games for kids can help promote family time, communication, and learning. They can also help develop fine motor skills and problem-solving skills. In addition, board games can be enjoyable for the whole family to spend time together.
They also give families a break from looking at television and phone screens. They provide an opportunity to be physically and mentally present and require people to interact with each other. In addition, board games can be educational and provide a way for families to bond with each other.
How Did We Come Up With Our “Best Board Games for 5-Year-Olds”
There are a few things to remember when buying games for younger kids. First, it’s essential to choose age-appropriate ones. Games that are too easy will be boring, and ones that are too difficult will be frustrating.
Second, look for games that encourage social interaction and cooperation. If they are too competitive, they can be stressful, and games that are too individualistic can be isolating. Third, look for ones that are both fun and educational. The best games are those that strike a balance between these three elements.
Next, let’s talk about a few of the essential elements:
Simple Rules
5-year-olds must play games with simple rules because they are still developing their cognitive skills. Games with simple rules help them understand how to play the game and give them a better chance to win. In addition, games with simple rules are often more fun for 5-year-olds because they are not as frustrating. The best board games for 5-year-olds are easy to learn and have short, simple rules.
Suggested Ages
Most board games have a “suggested ages” label on the box. This label is there to help you choose one appropriate for the age of the child you are buying it for. It is essential to look at this label because some may be too difficult or too simple for a child of a certain age. Games that are too difficult can be frustrating for children and cause them to give up, while games that are too easy won’t spark their interest. The best way to find a game that is right for your child is to look at the suggested ages on the box.
Number of Players
It’s always good to pick one that allows enough players for your whole family to play. That way, everyone can join in on the fun. Board games are a great way to spend time together as a family. They can help promote family bonding and communication. That can’t happen if some family members have to sit the game out.
Length of Time
There are several reasons why it is vital to find board games that are quick to play. For one, it can help keep kids’ attention spans from wandering. Additionally, short games can be an excellent way to fill in some free time without committing to more prolonged activity.
Finally, some kids (and adults) simply prefer shorter games. Regardless, there are plenty of great board games out there that can be played in a relatively short amount of time. Generally, for 5-year-olds, it’s best to find games that can be completed in 15-25 minutes.
Team Gameplay
Cooperative board games are better for 5-year-olds because they promote teamwork and social skills. In cooperative games, players work together to achieve a common goal, such as winning the game or completing a puzzle. This is in contrast to competitive games, where players compete against each other to be the first to reach the finish line.
Cooperative games are a great way to teach young children the importance of working together and being good sports. They also promote communication and problem-solving skills. Some of the best cooperative board games for 5-year-olds include Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land, and Memory.
Hoot Owl Hoot!
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What We Love About This Game
Hoot Owl Hoot! is a fantastic cooperative game that is exceptionally colorful and enjoyable for kids above the age of 4.
This game is for between 2-6 players and can be played in about 15 minutes. It can help 5-year-olds learn specific basic skills such as strategic thinking, working together, social skills, planning, and cooperation.
In this game, people work together as a team, not against one another, to achieve a particular goal to guide the owls to their final destination. It’s a race against the sunrise, and the players win or lose together. Hoot Owl Hoot is a family favorite in our house. It’s perfect for introducing a cooperative board game to your kids.
This game is rich with benefits; not only 5-year-olds but kids of different ages will enjoy them tremendously. Your children are bound to enjoy it as much as you will, and it is bound to build their team spirit.
Noah’s Animal Rescue
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What We Love About This Game
It is a fun cooperative game that is capable of helping kids learn specific skills in the simplest ways possible. It’s slightly more complex that Hoot Owl Hoot in that it uses pictures rather than simple colors to advance the pieces on the game board.
If you have ever heard about the biblical story of Noah and his ark, then you already have an idea of what this game is about, but in case you don’t. Noah’s Animal Rescue uses tokens, cards, and a single board. The game aims to ensure that all the animals make it into the ark before the storm begins. For this to happen, all the players are to work together to get the animals to safety.
Just like Hoot Owl Hoot, no individual wins in this game. Instead, everyone has to learn together to win together. They must compare strategies and determine the best and the fastest ways to get the animals to safety. Everyone has to communicate, and it makes for engaging family time.
Outfoxed!
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What We Love About This Game
The storyline will keep you more than intrigued until the end.
If you are looking for a game with a bit of intrigue, suspense, and a solid background story for 5-year-olds, this game is perfect for you. It contains a lot of exciting bits and pieces to ensure that the players’ cooperative and inductive skills are fully developed.
In this game, everyone must work together as a single unit to stop the fox from escaping with the pie. As a result, the children can develop social skills and the ability to estimate probabilities and pay attention to details.
This game is most suitable for kids aged 5 and above and can be played by 2-4 players simultaneously. The game lasts about 20-30 minutes, making it impossible for the children to get bored while playing it.
Outfoxed! is nothing but an entertaining game that helps kids to learn as much as possible while spending time with other people. While playing this game, children are bound to grasp the concept of decision-making and errors in logic very quickly.
Yeti In My Spaghetti
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What We Love About This Game
Yeti In My Spaghetti is fun, and children learn basic logic quickly.
Complete with 30 noodles, a yeti, and a bowl, this game for 2-4 players is unarguably one of the best games ever created for kids. It’s definitely one of my kids’ favorite games. It’s almost like a sloppy spin on Jenga, with a fun, goofy twist for the kids.
If you want to teach children about patience or how to take turns doing things, this game is the best way to go about it. They will laugh so much that there won’t be any usual complaints that come hand in hand with trying to teach kids those things.
The game is played by putting the yeti on top of the noodles. Next, the players remove the noodles one after the other while ensuring that the yeti does not fall into the bowl. It’s a simple game, but the kids love it nonetheless.
This is almost the perfect game though it has just one flaw. The box it comes in may not be enough to store, so you must think of another way to store it. Also, you should keep it away from children under three to avoid choking hazards.
The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
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What We Love About This Game
It provides kids with basic pre-school skills.
Suppose you want your preschooler to learn color matching, hand-eye coordination, pre-handwriting skills, and other simple maths skills. In that case, this game is definitely the perfect one for you.
To play this game, prior reading knowledge is not required, and the game is easy to set up and clean up. The rules are also easy to understand. The game aims to improve the cognitive and numeric skills of the player in a fun way.
While playing this game, the players can learn about color matching and develop some fine motor skills. In addition, they can also develop some social skills while playing the game.
The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel does not really take much time to complete. It has a limited number of acorns; before you know it, the spins will be finished in no time.
This game is perfect for children of 3 and above and can be played between 2- 4 players. It is also easy to complete and is the best for children who are still in the process of learning things.
I love the colors they chose for this game; the squirrel tongs are so cute. Our kids love playing this game.
Monopoly Junior
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What We Love About This Game
It is a simple way of teaching your kids how to count while learning the mathematics of simple transactions. The money is only one-dollar bills, and all of the properties are priced for easy counting. There are no houses, hotels, or other more complicated concepts in the more grown-up version.
As far as classic games go, Monopoly is one of those few games enjoyed by people of all ages and equally beneficial to them. While the traditional Monopoly may prove a little bit hard to understand to kids, the Monopoly Junior is explicitly designed for their skill level.
Depending on your version, the game uses tokens such as Toy Car, Little Scottie, Little Hazel, and Toy Boat. Other versions have 4 animals, including Little Scottie, Little Hazel, Little T-Rex, and Toy Duck.
The properties bought in the game are kid-friendly, like the zoo, and this highly coveted board game can also serve as the best birthday or Christmas gift you can ever give your 5-year-old.
Lastly, it is great for family game nights. That’s because it can easily be played by every family member and doesn’t take much time.
Hi Ho! Cherry-O
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What We Love About This Game
Hi Ho! Cherry-O is a classic board game that children have loved for decades. The game is simple to learn and play and is a great way to teach basic counting and probability skills. The game is also affordable, making it an excellent option for budget-conscious families. Best of all, the game is great fun for all ages and can be enjoyed by the whole family.
The game’s goal is to pick all the cherries from the tree and put them into your basket. The player who gets all the cherries off their tree first wins. The spinner determines how many cherries you can take off the tree each turn. Some of the sections on the spinner cause cherries to be put back on the tree.
This game is unsuitable for children under 3 years old because it has small parts, and it is the best for an age range of 3 and 6, that is, your average preschoolers.
Count Your Chickens
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What We Love About This Game
This game is perfect for children of 3 years or older and can be played between 2-4 players in a short time.
It can help 5-year-olds learn fundamental skills such as basic counting, strategic thinking, teamwork, social skills, planning ahead, and cooperation.
In this game, preschoolers have fun working together as a team and not against one another. They must help Mother Hen bring all the chickens back to the coop to achieve a common goal.
It helps kids’ emotional growth by simulating a non-stressful game situation filled with playfulness and geared towards creating positive self-esteem.
Candy Land
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What We Love About This Game
This classic game helps preschoolers to sharpen their understanding of colors. Transport your 5-year-olds to a world of colorful adventure with this game.
In this game, no reading is required to play. The instructions are straightforward, easy to understand, and fun to play. Candy land is laden with colorful illustrations that captivate kids’ minds as they play, putting them in a tasty world of colors where they encounter delicious surprises.
This game is perfect for an age range of 3 years and above and can be played between 2- 4 players. It is also easy to complete in about 15 minutes.
Chutes and Ladders
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What We Love About This Game
You never know what to expect! The suspense fills the entire duration of the game and keeps the players guessing.
In one turn, you’re sliding your way back to the beginning. In the next, you’re climbing a ladder to the finish line. You really don’t know what will happen. While this isn’t the most educational game, it is iconic, and your kids can learn basic counting and following simple instructions.
Overall, this iconic game earned a spot on our list of top board games for 5-year-olds. This game is suggested for an age range of 3 and older, and you need between 2-4 people to play. Depending on luck and the number of players, games can last longer. I would estimate an average game taking about 20-30 minutes.
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of great board games out there, but not all are appropriate for 5-year-olds. Some games are too complicated, while others are too simple. However, a few games strike the perfect balance for 5-year-olds. These games are fun and challenging without being too overwhelming. Whatever your child’s interests, there’s sure to be a game on this list that they’ll love.
