When thinking of the best gifts to give a kid in your life, whether for birthdays or holidays, you may reach for the popular dolls, action figures or stuffed animals, but the other option you should consider is a board game. In fact, the best board games for kids are ones that keep them entertained while also teaching them important skills. Whether they enjoy more familiar titles like Candy Land , Chutes and Ladders and Operation, brain-teasing options like Scrabble Junior or something on the newer side such as Sushi Go Party!, there’s a board game for every kid’s personality.
To find the best board games for kids, I spoke with experts, including child and family psychologists and a professional playroom designer, for their guidance and product recommendations.
SKIP AHEAD How I picked the best board games for kids | The best board games for kids | How to shop for board games for kids | Why trust NBC Select?
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How I picked the best board games for kids
Aside from simply choosing an entertaining game, there are a couple of factors to consider when choosing board games for kids. Here is what our experts recommend I keep in mind when curating this list:
- Age range: One important factor in choosing a board game for kids is whether or not it’s a fit for their age group, according to Karri Bowen-Poole, a professional playroom designer and the CEO of Smart Playrooms. “Ensure the game is suitable for the age group you’re targeting,” she says. “Games should have rules and content that match the cognitive and emotional development of the children.” This means making sure the entertainment or humor of the game is appropriate and engaging and that the rules are simple enough for kids but also advanced enough for older children.
- Educational value: The educational value and learning aspects of a board game are also important when shopping because while games should be entertaining and engaging, they should also help foster growth of different developmental skills. “Look for games that incorporate learning into their mechanics,” says Bowen-Poole. “This could include aspects like math skills, language development, problem-solving, critical thinking or social skills.”
- Replay value: While many board games are meant to be played more than once, some aren’t always interesting or unique enough for kids to want to play them repeatedly. “A game with replay value keeps kids interested over time,” she says. “Look for games with different scenarios, multiple ways to win, or adjustable difficulty levels.” This will also increase the shelf life of the game itself, meaning you’ll spend less time having to replace it after each year.
- Themes: Bowen-Poole also recommends looking for games with thematic elements, such as ones that revolve around food, cartoons, fun or hypothetical situations or ones that are modeled after classic games, such as Monopoly, but have characters pulled from popular movies or television shows. “A game that aligns with the interests of the children can be more engaging,” she says. “Themes could range from fantasy worlds to real-life scenarios like running a restaurant or solving mysteries.”
The best board games for kids in 2024
Sushi Go Party!
- Food based
- Teaches math skills
- Best for kids 8+
Sushi Go Party! Is both a board game and a card game, which revolves around the culinary practice of making sushi. The set includes a square-shaped board upon which you place cards that have illustrations of different types of sushi dishes and ingredients, such as sashimi, tempura, edamame, eel and tofu, as well as different amounts of points. In addition to teaching kids about different cuisines, it mixes elements of math through adding points and allows for creativity, since players can make unique combinations of sushi ingredients.
Age recommendation: 8+ | Player amount: 2-8
Sequence Kids
- Teaches pattern recognition
- Easy to learn
- Best for kids 3-6
This is a kid-friendly board game, which has a 4.8-star average rating from 7,299 reviews on Amazon, is modeled after the classic Sequence game, which is all about creating a matching sequence based off of cards that players draw. Instead of the usual face card-themed board (think kings, queens and aces), this version of the game has cards with colorful illustrations of animals like cats, sharks, giraffes and foxes. The object of the game is to match the animals on the cards to ones on the board to create a sequence of four spaces in a row, either horizontally or diagonally. It helps kids identify different types of animals and develop logical thinking skills, according to the brand.
Age recommendation: 3-6 | Player amount: 2-4
Super Mario Checkers
- Video game based
- Easy to learn
- May be easy for some children
This 2-in-2 game set, which has a 4.7-star average rating from 1,425 reviews on Amazon, is perfect for any kid that is a fan of both Super Mario Brothers and checkers. Instead of the traditional round discs playing pieces, players use coins with either Mario or Bowser. On one side of the board is the checkered grid and the other has a 3 x 3 grid for playing tic-tac-toe, which means kids can play both and switch in between the two at any time. The board folds into a small tin case that’s easy to store and has a fun illustration of Mario and Bowser.
Age recommendation: 6+ | Player amount: 2
The Genius Square
- Geometry based
- May be basic for some kids
- Only up to 2 players
The Genius Square board game is a simple-to-follow option that is ideal for kids who love building block-style or geometric toys, such as Legos. The game has a small square-shaped board, multiple sets of dice and small blocks. Players roll dice and use the results to add the blocks to the board in different ways. With a 4.8-star average rating from 6,330 reviews on Amazon, the set is also small and easy to set up, so you can travel with it without worrying about it fitting in a backpack or suitcase.
Age recommendation: 6+ | Player amount: 1-2
Qwirkle Board Game
- Teaches shape recognition
- Similar to dominoes
- Requires at least two players
Recommended by Bowen-Poole, the Qwirkle board game helps kids with learning pattern recognition and strategic planning. The layout of the game is similar to dominoes since you connect blocks with similar shapes and colors to build a table full of different tiles. Players earn points by matching tiles with the same attributes and earn up to 6 points, called a “qwirkle”, if they line up 6 tiles with matching attributes.
Age recommendation: 6+ | Player amount: 2-4
Castle Panic
- Medieval themed
- Many players allowed
May be complicated for some
Castle Panic is a great board game for kids who enjoy medieval-themed shows or games. The object is to save a castle that is under attack by working together with other players. Aside from the board, the game has a set of playing cards with characters called castle cards, monster tokens, walls, towers and a rulebook. Kids can play the game with just a couple of friends or with family members. It has a 4.8-star average rating from 2,653 reviews on Amazon.
Age recommendation: 8+ | Player amount: 1-6
Story Time Chess
- Teaches chess
- Unique characters
- May be complicated for some
Story Time Chess is a good way to get kids started with learning the basic rules of traditional chess. It uses the dynamics of the original game, but replaces the usual pieces with kid-friendly characters such as King Shakey, Cranky Princess and Casanova the Dragon. The game, which has a 4.9-star average rating from 51 reviews at Uncommon Goods, makes it easy to teach kids how to play chess at their own pace while also making it interesting and entertaining.
Age recommendation: 3+ | Player amount: 2
Peppa Pig Chutes and Ladders
- Cartoon based
- Easy to learn
- Easy to set up
- Nothing to note at this time
Modeled after the traditional board game of Chutes and Ladders, this version of the game replaces the main characters with ones from the popular children’s cartoon Peppa Pig. In addition to Peppa Pig herself, players can act as other characters such as Suzy Sheep, Danny Dog, Freddy Fox, Rebecca Rabbit and Gerald Giraffe, as they move around the board’s different paths. Since the game board has spaces with numbers, it also helps kids recognize and learn numerals, according to the brand.
Age recommendation: 3+ | Player amount: 2-4
Monopoly: Pixar Edition
- Movie themed
- Familiar characters
- May be complicated for some
Many kids are huge fans of Pixar’s many animated films and characters and this board game brings them into the world of Monopoly. The game, which has a 4.6-star average rating from 2,669 reviews on Amazon, has themes from movies such as The Incredibles, Toy Story and Coco and more. It follows the basic rules of Monopoly, except it includes spaces along the board inspired by different locations, objects and settings from Pixar’s famous movies, such as Radiator Spring (Cars), Clawtooth Mountain (The Good Dinosaur) and Marigold Bridge (Coco). Other themed Monopoly games include a Marvel Avengers Edition, a Harry Potter Edition and a Barbie Edition.
Age recommendation: 8+ | Player amount: 5
Scrabble Junior
- Educational
- Easy to teach
- Nothing to note at this time
Scrabble Junior is a simple but entertaining educational game that helps people build children’s vocabulary. This version of the game is made for kids, but it still has the same dynamics as the original game. The main difference though is that one side of the board has pre-written words on the board that help kids learn how to spell and identify words and objects. On the other side is a blank board that allows kids to make their own words and learn to spell on their own.
Age recommendation: 5+ | Player amount: 2-4
Jumanji Deluxe
- Movie themed
- Adventure based
- Only up to four players
Inspired by the popular movie from the 90s, this adventure-based board game uses concepts from the film, such as solving riddles and survival quests and more. With a 4.6-star average rating from 4,441 reviews on Amazon, the set also includes an electronic green dome light in the middle of the board which creates drumming sounds, inspired by the film. Aside from the electronic board, the game has 100 playing cards, 4 sets of dice and a sand timer.
Age recommendation: 8+ | Player amount: 2-4
Ticket to Ride
- Train themed
- Geography based
- May be complicated for some
This game was recommended by Bowen-Poole, who says it’s a great game for helping kids build thinking and geography skills. Ticket to Ride is a fun adventure game perfect for kids who also love trains. This game has a collapsible board that displays a map of North America and several railroads and train routes. Players venture from one destination to another, building railways across the states and earning points along the way. Aside from the board, the game has multiple train car playing pieces, 30 destination tickets and 100+ playing cards.
Age recommendation: 8+ | Player amount: 2-5
How to shop for the best board games for kids
There are a few crucial aspects to keep in mind when shopping for a board game for a child. Here’s what our experts say to prioritize when shopping.
Listen to your child
While you may find yourself buying a board game for kids who may not be your family, if you can, it’s a smart idea to interact with your kids to learn about what types of games and themes they enjoy, according to Dr. Laura Purdy, a board-certified family medicine physician at Swell Medical. “For example, if your child is into animals or the solar system, search for a game that will engage those interests,” she says. “Opting for a game with an educational or developmental tilt like memory or counting should also be a consideration.”
Emphasize learning opportunities
In addition to finding a fun board game for kids, it’s important to remember that the games should provide kids with learning opportunities, especially ones they can develop more when they’re older. “Board games are a great choice for an end of the day family activity that is both mentally engaging and low stimulation, this combination helps to encourage a calming wind down to the day and a good night’s sleep,” she says. “It also teaches kids how to deal with competition, as they may get upset when losing, you can redirect and let them know it’s ok to lose.” Board games are a chance to teach the importance of camaraderie as well.
Meet our experts
At NBC Select, we work with experts who have specialized knowledge and authority based on relevant training and/or experience. We also take steps to ensure all expert advice and recommendations are made independently and without undisclosed financial conflicts of interest.
- Karri Bowen-Poole is a professional playroom designer and the CEO of playroom design firm Smart Playrooms and playroom retailer Project Playroom.
- Dr. Laura Purdy is an entrepreneur and board-certified family medicine physician at Swell Medical.
Why trust NBC Select?
I’m a commerce editor at NBC Select, where I write about home and kitchen topics, such as home life, kitchen appliances, cleaning, bedding and more. I spoke with two experts for their guidance and product recommendations for this story.
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