7 Fun & Educational Board Games For Kindergarteners

As a parent, I want what’s best for my kids, and choosing the right board games for them is no different. I look for board games that are not only fun but also help them develop essential skills. However, finding games that strike the right balance between fun, learning, and durability can be challenging.

With so many options available, it can be overwhelming to pick the right board game without giving them a try. To make things simpler, I’ve put together this list of board games for kids to help you find the perfect one for your child.

Playing board games with kindergarteners is not only good for learning, but it’s also a great way to cut off some screen time. On top of that, these games do not need batteries and last for years if you take care of them.

Alright, without any further ado, let’s get into the list. Here are 7 amazing kindergarten board games that I highly recommend based on my experience. So let’s get to it!

What To Look For When Choosing Board Games For Kindergarteners

Let’s see some of the important factors that you can consider before choosing the right board game for your kids.

Development Skills

It’s true that games should be fun, but it’s even better when they also teach something. Always look for board games that build essential skills.

Playing board games can boost your child’s brain development, socio-emotional growth , fine motor skills, literacy and numeracy skills and cognitive skills ( memory, attention span, problem solving, critical thinking)

Complexity

It’s very important to get age-appropriate board games for your child. This may not always be the same as what’s recommended by the game manufacturer.

Every child is unique and they grow in their own phase. Think about what your child is good at and where they struggle.

If it’s too complex for them to grasp, they will lose interest and get discouraged. Similarly, if it’s too basic, they will get bored easily.

Some games need reading to play. Think about this if your child is still learning to read. Most board games for kindergarteners don’t need any reading though.

Also if your child has a limited working memory, it would be hard for them to remember multiple instructions. You can introduce complex games gradually.

ATTENTION SPAN

How long can your child focus on one thing ? If your child has a short attention span, don’t go for 30 minutes board games where they have to wait longer for their turn.

The shorter the wait time, the more they will engage.

Fun and engaging

While the games offer educational values, they need to be interesting enough to be engaged. Otherwise, children will lose the interest after a few rounds.

Look for many variations, bright colours or themes they love and games with multiple levels or modes that can develop as your child grows.

MATERIAL quality

Look for the quality of the parts. High quality game boards and other game pieces last longer and can be reused many times.

When I reviewed the board games below, I tried to include as many of these factors as possible.

Comparing Board Games For Kids

7 Board Games For Kindergarteners

1. Peaceable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot

Hoot Owl Hoot is a fantastic cooperative board game that kids can play with their siblings or friends.

The game is recommended for ages 4 and up. It does not have a complex setup and easy for kids to understand the game strategy after a few rounds.

You need to get the owls home before the sun rises. You can talk with kids about how to play the cards smartly as a bit of strategy is needed to win this game.

It’s better to start the game with 3 owls, so kids can understand the rules. As they get comfortable with the game, you can play with all 6 owls.

Game can be played with 2 to 4 kids and the play time is around 15 minutes. 1 game board, 6 owl tokens, 1 sun token, colour and sun cards are included.

Cooperative play – I really appreciate how this game focuses on teamwork rather than competition. It’s all about working together, which is a fantastic way to teach kids about cooperation and decision-making. And the best part? There’s no pressure to win or lose, which makes it perfect for younger kids. You can teach teamwork to kids. Everyone has one goal and needs to work as a team to win.

Strategic thinking – You can teach kids how to think strategically to win this game.

Colour recognition – Younger kids can develop colour recognition skills.

Thin cardboard tiles – Cardboard tiles are thin and can easily get damaged or lost.

2. Nene Toys Ladybug Memory Game

If you’re searching for a cute and educational game for your child, the Nene Toys Ladybug’s Garden Memory Game is a way to go.

It’s a great way to make learning fun for little ones while playing a fun memory game. You can also get great variety of educational cards such as letters, vowels, the human body, weather, shapes, flags, emotions, etc.

Really easy to set up this game and kids can even play it alone or convert it into a competitive board game by involving 2 players.

2 piece wooden game board, 21 cute ladybugs and 10 patterns are included in the box.

Cognitive and motor skills – This game is excellent for enhancing visual memory, fine motor skills and hand eye coordination. It’s engaging and interactive..

High quality – Both the game board and ladybugs are crafted from sturdy wood with smooth edges, so they are kid-friendly and durable. I was impressed with how well it’s made, ensuring it will stand up to lots of play.

Easy to extend – Getting additional cards and extending the game is easy. So kids don’t get used to the same matching cards.

Small pieces: The ladybug pieces are quite tiny, which could pose a choking risk for younger kids.

3. BLUE orange pengoloo

Pengoloo is another awesome memory game designed for preschoolers.

It’s so easy to set up and there are no complex rules. The simple version of this game is just memorising the egg colours by observing while others play the game.

My daughter likes to play memory games and she really loves this one.

A bit of strategy is involved in the advanced variant of the game. (recommended for 6+ years) Players try to memorise what other players have in their ice burg. They can steal from other players if they remember it correctly.

Either way, small to moderate level of attention span is required to play this game, as kids need to observe the colours even others are playing.

The game can be played by up to 4 players. 12 penguins, 12 eggs, 2 dice and 4 ice burgs are included.

High quality materials – The game pieces (Penguins and other parts) are made of high quality wood and have excellent paint work. You can expect the game to last for years to come! Totally worth the price.

Simple yet develop essential skills – Playing this game boosts memory skills and attention span.

Storage -We all know the pain, if a board game has millions of pieces. Even though Pengoloo does not have many pieces, it comes with a box to store the pieces. I consider this important as missing pieces will make the game less interesting over time.

Limited penguins – If you want to play with 4 players, then 12 penguins won’t be enough. So you probably have to play the advanced variant of the game.

4. ThinkFUN Zingo

Bingo with a zing is an amazing educational board game for preschoolers and older. If you are looking for the classic game bingo, that develops early literacy skills, then don’t look further.

This flawless game suits a wide range of age groups as it comes with many variants – Zingo, Zingo 1,2,3 Number, Zingo Sight Words and Zingo Word Builder.

The game can be fast-paced when the kids are fluent with numbers/words and have quick recognition skills. So they are not going to get bored easily.

It’s suitable for 2 to 6 players. 12 double sided Zingo cards, 72 double sided tiles and a tile dispenser are included.

Fun way to learn – Kids can learn numbers, letters and sight words while playing this game.

Easy instructions – As this is a Bingo game, kids are well aware of the rules and can easily set up and play. The game advances with the tasks, not with the complex instructions.

Can be extended – As the kids grow, you can buy the booster packs.

Limited cards – No doubt it will always be a fun game to play, but the learning will be limited as the number of cards is limited.

5. Sequence Letters BY JAX

If you are looking for a fun educational sequence game, Sequence Letters ticks many boxes. This game combines learning with classic SEQUENCE gameplay.

The idea of this game is to learn the alphabet, letter recognition and beginning sounds.

The game has some strategic thinking involved as there are two pictures that correspond to the same letter. So you need to select your space wisely to make a sequence.

It also has wild card options when the kids need an extra level of challenge.

Overall, it’s a fairly easy game which does not have any complex rules. The game is suitable for 4 to 7 year olds. A foldable game board, playing cards and chips are included.

Educational fun – Kids love to match letters to the beginning sound of pictures. The game covers both uppercase and lowercase letters, which really helps with letter recognition. No reading is required means it’s suitable for those just starting to learn their letters.

Decision making – You can teach kids how to make the correct decisions to make a sequence and win the game.

Limited chips – It’s meant for 2-4 players, but it only includes three sets of chips. If you have four players, you might need to play in teams.

6. Peaceable Kingdom Dinosaur Escape

This is the second game from Peaceable Kingdom. They have a variety of strategy board games for kindergarteners and this dinosaur themed game is also a fantastic addition.

This game is not just fun but also easy for little ones to pick up. If you have a dinosaur lover, this will surely be a hit. The cooperative gameplay is a big plus.

The objective is to rescue dinosaurs before a volcano erupts. You need to have good memory and strategy to move them faster.

This is a relatively quick game, suitable for 2-4 players.

Boost cognitive skills – This game promotes memory and strategic thinking.

Quick game – The game is simple enough to keep kids (4+ years) engaged without overwhelming them with a lot of instructions. Quick play time means it’s ideal for kids who have a short attention span.

High quality – The game pieces are well-made and durable. It’s built to last through countless rounds. 

Can outgrow – Older children may find it a bit too easy as they get used to the mechanics.

7. OUTFOXED BY gamewright

If you want a fantastic addition to your family game nights try Outfoxed!. It’s such a fantastic game for 5 years and up and they will surely enjoy playing it.

It’s all about teamwork and problem-solving, though the instructions could use a bit of work. However, don’t let the instructions get you down. After a few rounds, it will start to feel easier.

The game time is 30 to 45 minutes and up to 4 players can play this game.

Team work and problem solving – I really like how this game promotes problem solving and decision making as a team.

High quality – All the game pieces are well made and look durable. Also comes with a storage box.

Charming theme – The whole “who stole Mrs. Plumpert’s pot pie” mystery, with those cute fox suspects, adds a lot of charm. This really makes the kids feel like little detectives.

Tricky Instructions – The instructions can be a bit confusing. But once you get the hang of it, the game is still a lot of fun.

Wrapping Up 

These kindergarten board games each offer unique benefits. Zingo helps teach ABCs and 123s, while SEQUENCE Letters enhances letter recognition with strategy. Next off, Hoot Owl Hoot, Dinosaur Escape, Outfoxed promote cooperative play and cognitive skills, and Nene Toys Ladybug’s Garden and Pengoloo help memory development. 

Besides that, it’s a wonderful opportunity to spend some quality time as a family and make some lasting memories.

So if you are looking for fun and educational board games for kindergarteners, you will find something interesting on this list.

Try these board games and let us know your thoughts or any other board games your kids love to play.