My three-year-old’s attention span is, shall we say, limited. He tends to flit from activity to activity unless it’s something he really loves. Thankfully, he currently loves board games.
I love that he loves them. Not only are they a way for me to have quality time with him, but board games also teach him a ton too. (Not that he realizes that!) Many games for preschoolers are great for teaching counting and colors, but also bigger things too, like how to take turns and how there are actions and consequences. You spin a five and have to take a slide back to the beginning? Yep, that’s a consequence of playing a game and following the rules, buddy. It may tough for them to understand at times, but, like anything, the more you play, the more they’ll get used to the rules! (Affiliate links included).
Without further ado, here are some of my preschooler’s favorite board games. Also important? They’re games parents can enjoy too.
My preschooler’s favorite board games
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel: This is a basic game, but one kids love, because your kiddos get to help squirrels steal acorns! To play the game, they also need to match colors. Bonus: players use a Squirrel Squeezer (like tweezers) to move the acorns, so they practice fine-motor skills as well.
Don’t Wake Daddy: If your kids are like mine, they’ll squeal in delight when they “wake” daddy (which causes him to pop out of bed)… even though it means going right back to the start. The goal of the Don’t Wake Daddy game: be the first kid to sneak their way out of bed to grab a snack from kitchen. There is a lot going on in this game. Players need to color match to move across the board. They also need to match cards to the spaces they land on. There’s even counting when players press the alarm clock next to daddy’s bed. We’ve had this game the longest of them all, and it still remains a favorite. In fact, my six and three-year-old now often play it just the two of them!
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Surprise Slide Board Game: We adore Eric Carle’s Very Hungry Caterpillar book, and this game takes it to a whole new level! The game is basically a caterpillar’s version of Shoots and Ladders. Spin the spinner, and match colors to move your caterpillar across the board. If the spinner lands on a leaf, ride the leaf across the board! Warning: sometimes it’ll send you backwards. No matter what though, my preschooler loves riding the leaf — and “eating” through pieces of food along the way. The winner will land on a cocoon, where they get to turn into — you guessed it — a beautiful butterfly.
Set Junior: Set Junior is two board games in one! We haven’t quite graduated to the more difficult game yet, but I love that this game provides levels of play. It’s all about matching, which in turn helps cognitive development. Kids are challenged to not only match colors, but shapes AND numbers as well. Keeping score is easy peasy too with the help of the chips. My oldest, at age six, loves being in charge of handing out the points/chips.
Cars matching game: Both my Kindergartener and preschooler love their Cars-themed matching game. With 54 cards, it’s also one of the longer games and requires both concentration and a good memory. While some of the cards resemble one another, it can add a layer of difficulty, particularly for older kids. If you want to shorten the game? Just remove some of the matching cards. But, if your kids are anything like mine, they’re going to want to do them all! If the Cars movie isn’t your thing, chances are there is a matching game that features one of your kiddo’s favorite characters.
Board Game Alternatives
Go Fish: One of the newest additions to our game rotation: playing cards! The kids were, first of all, fascinated with the way I shuffled the deck. It was like magic to them, I swear. As for game time, we now regularly play Go Fish. Rather than collecting all four of a card, we focus on finding pairs. Unsurprisingly, my three-year-old loves yelling, “GO FISH.” Even though he regularly shows us his cards, he still manages to win every now and then too.
Learning Library: Okay, this one is technically not a game, but you can pretend it is! Rather, the Preschool Learning Library tasks kids with matching puzzle pairs. Kids are challenged with things like matching numbers, words and pictures, and more. Bonus: this is a “game” kids can also do on their own.
Since my preschooler loves these games, do they happen without a hitch? Heck no. We regularly have to remind him of the rules. (For example: Yes, if you your sister asks for you a card you have, part of playing the game is actually giving it to her). But in my mind, it’s worth it. They’re something I enjoy doing with the kids, and they love the games too. It’s a win-win all around.
What are your current favorite board games to play with your young kids?
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