Best games for 3 year olds


11 Best Board Games For 3-Year-Olds In 2022

These fun and educational board games help children learn essential life skills.

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As kids grow up, they want more stimulating toys to develop their interests. The more curious your child is, the more engaging their games need to be. So, here’s our list of the best board games for 3-year-olds to help you choose the right one. These engaging and educational board games motivate your child to learn and improve their motor, social, and cognitive skills while having fun and staying occupied. With various themes and designs, you can explore our list to know more.

Our Top Picks

Best For Fine Motor Skills: Educational Insights Special Edition The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game

Best For Teamwork: Wonder Forge Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye Found It! Hidden Picture Game

Best Multiplayer: Hasbro Gaming Chutes And Ladders Game

Best For Beginners: Briarpatch Pete The Cat The Missing Cupcakes Game

Best To Learn Math: Zobmondo!! The Ladybug Game

Best For Social Skills: Haba My Very First Games - First Orchard Cooperative Board Game

Best Visual Recognition: Briarpatch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood Welcome To Main Street Game

Best Non-Toxic: Gemem Alphabet And Number Puzzle Set

Best Portable: AriTan Erasable Drawing Pad Toys

Best For Cognitive Skills: Peaceable Kingdom Snug As A Bug In A Rug! A Counting Colors & Shapes Game

11 Best Board Games For 3-Year-Olds

1.

Best For Fine Motor Skills:Educational Insights Special Edition The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game

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The special edition board game from Educational Insights includes a soft fuzzy squirrel squeezer and 20 golden acorns with colorful tops. You win if you are the first to fill your log with five acorns. This set also contains four logs, one game spinner, and a tree-shaped board. It helps improve your child’s sorting abilities, strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and numerical skills. Check out this review for a detailed understanding about the product.

Pros

  • Multi-player
  • Includes an instruction guide
  • Durable
  • Easy to hold

Cons

  • May be too simple

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2. Best For Teamwork: Wonder Forge Richard Scarry’s Busytown Eye Found It! Hidden Picture Game

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The cooperative game for young children contains one game board, four movers, four mover bases, one spinner, one ferry tile, ten magnifying glass tokens, six food tiles, one sand timer, 30 goldbug cards, and instructions. You have to race across the 6-foot long game board to find different objects. The game has well-made, durable parts and is colorful to keep the child engaged for hours. This video review will help you understand more about the product.

Pros

  • Helps develop teamwork and attention span
  • Easy to play
  • Encourages object-identification skills
  • Multi-player

Cons

  • Illustrations may be very small

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3. Best Multiplayer:Hasbro Gaming Chutes And Ladders Game

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An all-time favorite, this game introduces the new generation to Chutes and Ladders. Suitable for children aged three and above, it does not require any reading, making it easy for children who may not have started reading yet. The game requires the player to ​​spin the spinner to move the pawn, and the first to reach the top wins. If you are still unsure, check out this honest review.

Pros

  • Encourages number recognition and counting
  • Can be played multiple times
  • Includes English and Spanish instructions
  • Multi-player

Cons

  • Spinner may be flimsy

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4. Best For Beginners:Briarpatch Pete The Cat The Missing Cupcakes Game

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Briarpatch’s board game is based on the popular book series Pete the Cat by James Dean and Kimberly Dean. In this game, players work to retrieve the missing cupcakes from Grumpy Toad. Children can sing songs, identify animals, food, and words, and act out physical activities to win. The set includes 14 cupcakes, a game board with spinner, 20 birthday present cards, four game pieces, a cupcake tray, and Grumpy Toad.

Pros

  • Includes a detailed instruction manual
  • Suitable for beginners
  • Helps improve memory and counting skills
  • No reading required

Cons

  • May not be suitable for more than four players

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5.

Best To Learn Math:Zobmondo!! The Ladybug Game

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The Ladybug Game from Zobmondo!! is designed for the whole family to play together. Created by a first-grader, the players need to feed the ants, evade the praying mantis, and transport the Ladybug home safely to win. The set includes a colorful game board, four ladybug pawns and stands, 61 aphid chips, eight praying mantis passes, and 38 ladybug cards, and the package measures 9x2x9 inches.

Pros

  • Multi-player
  • Helps improve mathematical abilities
  • Easy to learn
  • No reading required

Cons

  • May be difficult to clean up

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6. Best For Social Skills: Haba My Very First Games – First Orchard Cooperative Board Game

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The cooperative board game from Haba requires players to roll the dice and collect the corresponding fruit from the orchard before the raven gets down the road to steal everything. It includes sixteen big wooden fruit pieces, such as four green apples, four red apples, four yellow pears, four blue plums, chunky colored die to promote color recognition, wood raven, five path cards, and four trees.

Pros

  • Promotes teamwork
  • Helps develop social skills
  • Easy to play
  • High-quality components

Cons

  • May have a strong paint odor

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7. Best Visual Recognition: Briarpatch ​​Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Welcome To Main Street Game

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The colorful board game by Briarpatch is based on the famous TV series Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Players can accompany Daniel Tiger and his friends as they travel around the Neighborhood of Make-Believe and stop by stores on the Main Street to gather goods for their backpacks. The set includes 20 thank you cards, 20 gift tokens, four backpack cards, four character moving pieces, a game board with five pop-up pieces, a spinner, and instructions.

Pros

  • Encourages counting skills
  • Helps improve visual recognition
  • Helps develop social skills
  • Easy to play

Cons

  • Parts may be small

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8. Best Non-Toxic:Gemem Alphabet And Number Puzzle Set

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The three classic puzzles from Gemem are packed in a box and include a 26-letter learning board, 1-20 number puzzles, and 11 shape puzzles. These Montessori toys encourage children to identify numbers, letters, and shapes easily. The puzzle board contains colorful animals and vehicles that help the children improve their motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Pros

  • Smooth and durable
  • No choking hazard
  • Non-toxic
  • Safety-tested

Cons

  • Colors may not be bright

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9. Best Portable:AriTan Erasable Drawing Pad Toys

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AriTan’s sketching pad includes 12 unique, dust-free watercolor pens that are bright and easy to clean with a damp tissue. It allows your child to sketch and create, allowing their imagination to run wild. The erasable drawing pads measure 8×8 inches and have 14 pages, providing your child with enough room to create.

Pros

  • Portable
  • Safety-tested
  • Lightweight
  • Curved edges

Cons

  • May have an unpleasant smell

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10. Best For Cognitive Skills:Peaceable Kingdom Snug As A Bug In A Rug! A Counting, Colors & Shapes Game

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The game requires children to help colorful bugs get safe from stinkbugs. Children can practice rolling a die and spinning a spinner while learning the concept of big and little. This three-level game contains a board with a built-in spinner, three stink bugs, 24 colorful bugs, one die, and three stink bugs. It helps build your child’s cognitive skills and problem-solving skills.

Pros

  • Helps identify colors
  • Helps develop shape and number recognition
  • Includes a clear instruction manual
  • Multi-player

Cons

  • Spinner might get stuck

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11.

Best To Learn Numbers:Hasbro Gaming Chutes And Ladders: Peppa Pig Edition Board Game

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The Peppa Pig-themed Chutes and Ladders game from Hasbro Gaming includes Peppa Pig, Suzy Sheep, Gerald Giraffe, and Danny Dog. The game board is designed with characters from the cartoon, including Freedy Fox, Rebecca Rabbit, and more. It measures 1.61×10.51×10.51 inches.

Pros

  • Promotes number learning
  • No reading required
  • Sturdy pieces
  • Bright colors

Cons

  • Squares may be small

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How To Choose The Right Board Games For 3-Year-Olds?

Here are some interesting points to consider when buying board games for three-year-olds.

  1. Attention span: Children may prefer playing with short, straightforward, and easy-to-grasp games. Choose games that are not complicated and provide quick outcomes.
  1. Interests: Consider the child’s interests when buying a board game to ensure they like it. While some children enjoy competitive games, others like strategic, cooperative ones that promote team play.
  1. Complexity: Choose games that are easy to learn and play at the basic level but not too simple to bore the child. They should help the child learn the necessary skills while being engaging.

Why Trust MomJunction?

Priti Bose is a skilled product writer specializing in children’s toys and gift products. She curated the best board games for three-year-olds after extensive research through various consumer reviews and features of multiple products available on different websites. She even compiled pros and cons along with a buying guide, so you pick the suitable board game for your little one.

Board games are one of the most entertaining ways to bond with your family. Such games introduce your children to a whole new world of concepts. With this fantastic selection of games for children belonging to that age group, you can get the party started. Boardgames help your child improve their motor, cognitive, and social skills. While choosing the best board games for three-year-olds, opt for ones that are challenging but not overly complicated, and cater to the child’s interests. Board games provide an excellent learning opportunity with numbers, letters, colors, languages, and critical thinking.

Recommended Articles:
  • Best Board Games From 8-14-Year-Olds
  • Best Board Games For 5-6-Year-Old
  • Best Board Games For 7-Year-Old
  • Best Educational Board Games

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  • Author

Priti Bose is a poet, songwriter and blog writer. She did her masters in English, Public Relations and Advertising from Delhi University. Her creative skills and hunger for details make her do in-depth research on the topics she covers. For MomJunction, she writes on product analysis and reviews, especially for kids' products, toys and gifts. Before her association with MomJunction,... more

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Parents spend the majority of a baby’s first years focusing on their health and helping them grow. By the time they become toddlers, we look for other ways to further their development, such as playing board games for 3 year olds. 

My husband and I swore to ourselves that we wouldn’t let tablets and TV babysit our children no matter how easy it is. We wanted to make learning fun and simple by taking “old school.” No touch screens are allowed. So, what better to keep things simple and enjoyable than fun board games.

If you’re looking to support your child’s development and spend some family quality time together, here are some board games for 3 year olds that you can play with your toddler. And, always remember that the youngest always goes first!

When Can a Child Start to Play Board Games?

Board games provide a minimum age or age range for children to play. However, not all kids are the same. I take the recommended age as a general suggestion. Kids are like sponges, constantly absorbing the world around them. 

So, don’t sell your kids short. They may be more intelligent than you think. You won’t know unless you try new games. The best toddler board games may work well for one family and differ for another.

As always, with all parenting, what worked one week doesn’t necessarily mean it will work next week. So, if one board game doesn’t work one day, maybe give it another try a few months later

You will know your child best and understand what does and doesn’t work. You’ll soon find which is the best game for your next family game night.

What Makes a Good Board Game for a 3 Year Old?

The term “good” is relative, but there are common attributes in board games for 3 year olds: the time it takes to play, skills learned, number of players, minimum age, and any reading requirement.

  • Playtime: A toddler’s attention span around this age is limited. A good length of time for a game is no more than 15 minutes. The less complex a game is, the higher chance your little one will enjoy it, and the time will be a breeze. However, when they start to show frustration, there is always “next time.
  • Skills Learned: One of the motivations of board games for 3 years olds is that they help toddlers learn a new skill. These learned skills can be motor skills, counting, matching pictures, identifying shapes and colors, discover new animals, etc.
  • Number of Players: The number of players will let you know how flexible a game can be with more or fewer players.  
  • Minimum Age: The minimum age on the box is a recommendation. Each kid may learn how to play sooner rather than later. 

40+ Board Games for 3 Year Olds

1. Animal Upon Animal
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Dexterity
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

Think of Jenga plus Safari animals. You and your child will take turns balancing different wooden animals on top of one another. The goal is to stack all animals from your provision and be the first one done. Honestly, I’m surprised there isn’t an adult version of this game.

2. Banana Blast
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Addition and subtraction
  • Number of Players: 2-5 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

With a roll of a die, kids pick one or two bananas from the banana tree. However, players have a chance to gift or take a banana from other players. The game has a fun little surprise where the money can jump out. Whoever catches the monkey can add two bananas from each player. The player with the most bananas is, well, bananas.

3. Wonder Forge Richard Scarry’s Busytown, Eye Found It
  • Playtime: Varies
  • Skills Learned: Matching, Observation, Teamwork
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

Kids move around a six feet long game board (yes, six feet long), taking turns looking for specific items on the board. After a minute of searching, everyone gets to forward the number of spaces equal to the number of items found. It’s a win-win situation!

4. Candyland
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Color recognition, Matching 
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Hasbro has refreshed this classic sweet adventures board game has with new illustrations, but the gameplay hasn’t changed. Little ones take turns moving their gingerbread man around the board in a race to the candy land kingdom.

5. Chutes and Ladders
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Counting, Number recognition
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Chutes and Ladders is another classic board game for 3 years olds. The goal is to get to the top with the help of ladders. However, watch out for the chute! Players can slide back down if they land on a chute. No reading required; just go ‘ole fun.

6. Color Go Fish Card Game
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Color recognition
  • Number of Players:  2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game mixes the card game’s simple rules of “Go Fish!” and uses colors instead. Some parents have concerns that colors are not base colors, such as red, blue, green, etc. Rather, the colors in this game are buttercup, jade, and apricot.

7. Colorama
  • Playtime: 20 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching, Shapes, Colors
  • Number of Players: 1-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Kids roll a color and a shape die to determine which colored shape a player needs to place on the board. For instance, a kid rolls a red color and a circle shape. They need to match a red circle piece to its place on the board. There is no score, and it’s not a race. The goal is for everyone to match the pieces to the board.

8. Count Your Chickens
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Counting
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

If you’re looking for a game where everyone works together and teaches, Count Your Chickens is a great pick. Players spin a spinner that indicates which square the mother hen moves to next. For each square they move, players collect the same amount into the chicken coop.

9. Create and Tell Me a Story Cards
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Imagination, Storytelling
  • Number of Players: 1+
  • Minimum Age: 3

These story cards allow parents to create unique stories every time they play. Parents make up a new part of the story based on the card drawn, leading to endless stories. Over time, kids can start to tell their own stories when playing independently.

10. Wonder Forge Disney Classic Characters Matching Game
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching
  • Number of Players: 1+
  • Minimum Age: 3

Lay all the cards facedown and take turns finding the match. Adding familiar Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy adds excitement to the game. This card game works well for families and allows solo play.

11. Don’t Break the Ice
  • Playtime: 15  minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

In this game, players attempt to tap out blocks of ice with a small mallet. The goal is not to let the penguin fall through. This tabletop game will make the kids scream in excitement each time they successfully remove a block of ice.

12. Dragon’s Breath
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Color matching
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 5

This inventive game allows children to pretend to be dragons. Players act to melt an ice column by taking turns to remove rings. Any freed crystals that fall within a dragon’s color are up for grabs.

13. Elenfun and Friends
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Gross Motor skills
  • Number of Players: 1-3 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

This motorized elephant (batteries required) shoots butterflies in the air—the game tasks kids to catch the falling butterflies with their nets. Kids will have a blast playing. Parents will have to cherish the laughter while they pick up the mess.

14. Feed the Woozle
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Dexterity, Fine motor skills
  • Number of Players: 2-5 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Kids take turns rolling a die to determine how many snacks to feed the Woozle. They’ll have fun trying to balance as many snacks on their spoon. I wish I can use the same strategy to make them finish their dinner.

15. First Orchard
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Color recognition, Counting
  • Number of Players: 1-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 2

Kids take turns harvesting specific fruits into their baskets. But, they better hurry! A raven slowly moves closer to their basket. Everyone wins when everyone gathers all the fruit.

16. Franke’s Food Truck Fiasco
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Practical shapes
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

Are you looking for the next Master Chef Junior? With this Educational Insights game, players use a spinner to place an order. The first player to deliver a five-course meal wins! Maybe this game is the beginning of your kids preparing their own.

17. Ravensburger Snail’s Pace Race
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Counting, Color matching, Memory
  • Number of Players: 2-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Kids move snail game pieces down the board to reach the end. Although it is a snail-themed game, it doesn’t take more than 15 minutes to play.

18. Hi Ho Cherry-O
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Counting, Addition, Subtraction
  • Number of Players: 2-3 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Another board game for 3 year olds is the Hi Ho Cherry-O board game. Kids take turns picking fruits from their trees to fill up their baskets. And whoever picks all the fruits from their tree wins!

19.  Peacable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot!
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy, Teamwork
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

In this Pre-School board game, players attempt to help owls get to their nest before sunrise via a sun token. Everyone has to work together to reach their goal. Now, if I can use the same logic to get my kids to bed early, that would be great!

20. Caterpillar Matching Game
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Memory, Matching
  • Number of Players: 1
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game is another matching card game and is for construction equipment enthusiasts. Or, this is a good introduction for kids to learn more about construction. Even as an adult, I didn’t know what an excavator was.

21. Let’s Feed the Very Hungry Caterpillar Counting Cards
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy, Decision making
  • Number of Players: 2-4
  • Minimum Age: 3

Kids move the hungry caterpillar around the board collecting puzzle pieces, which create a butterfly. The first person to collect all the pieces and move to the center of the board wins!

22. The Little Orchard
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Memory, Color recognition
  • Number of Players: 1-4 player
  • Minimum Age: 3

Kids roll a die and pick a tile with a matching flower. The goal is to get five cherries before you hit too many crows. This board game for 3 year olds is similar to another favorite, Hi Ho Cherry O.

23. Math For Love Tiny Polka Dot
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Math
  • Number of Players: 1-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game is perfect when you’re on the go or when waiting with your child at an appointment. It also offers different kinds of games with cards, allowing you to have more options with your kid.

24. Monkey Around
  • Playtime: Varies
  • Skills Learned: Motor skills, Hand-eye coordination
  • Number of Players: 
  • Minimum Age:

The game offers solo and partner play. Depending on the card, kids have to imitate the actions described on the card. There isn’t a designated winner in this game. Instead, it’s a good reason to act silly and monkey around.

25. My First Castle Panic
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching, Strategy
  • Number of Players: 1-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

If you’re looking for board games for 3 year olds that have action, check out My First Cast Panic. Kids battle monsters that approach a castle. A kid can only battle a monster in a space with a matching shape held by the kid.

26. Pengoloo
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Color recognition, Memory,
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

Pengoloo is a new take on playing the memory game. Unlike other matching games where you usually flip over a card, this game requires you to lift a penguin to discover a colored egg. The goal is to find the colored egg that matches the rolled die color.

27. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching
  • Number of Players: 1+
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game is another matching card game but with Pete the Cat. If your kids are fans of Pete the Cat, they’ll enjoy this simple card game.

28. Pick Me Up, Piggy!
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Memory, Cooperation, Storytelling
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

The game begins by hiding the characters in different locations. A player creates a story to help everyone remember where the characters. It’s a fun way to play a memory game using imagination.

29. Race to the Treasure!
  • Playtime: 20 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy, Cooperation
  • Number of Players: 2-4 posts
  • Minimum Age: 5

Players work together to build a path to the treasure. As part of their mission, they also need to collect three keys. However, if the ogre gets to the prize first, everyone loses. Thus, race to the treasure!

30. Rat-A-Tat-Cat
  • Playtime: 20 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Math, Memory
  • Number of Players: 2-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 5

In this game, the lowest score is better. The idea is to get rid of the highest card by peaking and trading with other players. Although the recommended age is high, the concept is simple for three and four year olds to grasp.

31. Robot Turtles
  • Playtime: Varies
  • Skills Learned: Basic programming logic
  • Number of Players: 2-5 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

This game originated from Kickstarter, and developers created this game to teach kids the basics of programming logic. Kids must guide a turtle to reach a target location. Children accomplish this goal by giving instructions to the robot turtle. The instructions are on the cards, such as turn or move forward.

32. Sequence for Kids
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

The name of the game is to create a row (or sequence) of chips on the board. Kids play a card with a picture of an animal on it. The child then places the chip on the matching animal on the board to create a sequence of four chips.

33. Shopping List
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching, Memory, Literacy
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

Each player gets a shopping cart and a shopping list. Each player flips over face-down cars to reveal a grocery item. If the item is on the list, the player gets to put it in their cart. Whoever completes their list first wins!

34. Spot It! Jr. Animals
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Develops attention, Visual perception, Motor skills
  • Number of Players:  2-5 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

This game offers various modes, such as “Hide and Seek” and “The Tower.” Depending on the rules, kids have to match animals that are found commonly between the cards.

35. The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Motor skills, Hand-eye coordination.
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

In The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game, kids spin the spinner to find out which colored acorn they pick up. The fun part is getting to use a Squirrel Squeezer to pick up the acorns and store them in their log.

36. Stack Up!
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Balance, Color matching
  • Number of Players: 2-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

The premise of the game is to stack 12 blocks. However, this game includes challenges that kids have to perform. Also, part of the game is intentionally knocking down. Once you finish the stack, a smasher comes to knock down the tower.

37. The Yoga Garden
  • Playtime: 
  • Skills Learned: Yoga
  • Number of Players: 
  • Minimum Age: 4

A yoga teacher created this game to help teach children yoga. The game encourages cooperative play versus competition. Depending on the space where a player lands, the player will have to imitate a yoga pose or even invent one.

38. Uno Moo
  • Playtime: 15 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Matching colors, Learning animals
  • Number of Players: 2-4 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game takes the basics of Uno and puts a Pre-School spin on it using farm animals. The player with one more critter remaining yells, “Uno Moo!”

39. Yeti in my Spaghetti
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Strategy
  • Number of Players: 2+
  • Minimum Age: 4

Players carefully remove spaghetti noodles from under a Yeti. Watch your kids go crazy as they remove a noodle one by one. However, all it takes is one noodle to let the Yeti in your spaghetti.

40. Zingo
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Language, Reading, Matching
  • Number of Players: 2-6 players
  • Minimum Age: 4

This award-winning game is beloved by parents and teachers, which is a twist on the game Bingo, is the perfect board gaThis award-winning game is beloved by parents and teachers, which is a twist on the game Bingo. Players slide a Zinger that shows two different cards. When a player first correctly identifies the picture on the card, they can pick up the card and match it to their board’s image. The first person to cover all the squares on their board wins. Zingo!

41. Thinkfun Heads Talk Tails Walk Game
  • Playtime: 10 minutes
  • Skills Learned: Visual perception, Reasoning
  • Number of Players: 2-5 players
  • Minimum Age: 3

This game is entertaining and lets kids be silly. Kids take turns flipping over a card to see if it matches with the body of an animal. If the card does not match, then everyone imitates the animal. Whoever gets the most matches wins!

Final Thoughts

Did you find your best board game in this long list of best family games? Each game offers a new skill level to learn or improve. Also, at least one family board game offers three different levels, such as cooperative game play.

The essential thing is to enjoy the time with your little ones helping them grow along the way with a fun game. Whether it’s just the two of your or four players, everyone, from younger kids to adults, can have a great time!

So, are you ready to play?

10 best games for children under 3 years old

The younger the child, the more active and rapid his development is. On hearing the phrase of the famous child psychologist: "After three it's too late!". How much to do before! How terrible to miss the moment! Of course, you can not turn the life of a child into continuous activities. His main job now is to play. But we, parents, are able to choose for the child exactly those games that will be most useful and will soon bear fruit. Don't forget about yourself too! These games should be fun for us parents too.

1. Playing with words

The age from birth to 3 years is the time of active development of speech. It is now that the child is learning to pronounce his first words, correlate objects and their names, makes the first attempts to describe the world around him and express his feelings. For parents, everything around becomes a “visual aid”: we walk down the street - we name everything that we see around, we sit at home - we call out loud the household items that we use. To make this difficult process more fun and varied, we pick up a bright book with a visual dictionary, which the child will perceive as a toy.

For example, Animals from Around the World (The Big Baby Book series by Clever).

Why you'll love this book:

- Here you'll find 19 topics and over 100 pictures that your child will love looking at.

— The book is multifunctional: first, the child can look at the pictures, memorizing new words, then he can answer questions about the pictures.

— Bright execution, puffy cover, rounded corners make the book both a toy and the first textbook in the hands of a child.

2. Smart Blocks

Blocks are a basic game for toddlers. So they learn to interact with the world of objects, get tactile sensations, develop motor skills. Building the first tower is a real achievement. How much joy it brings to the baby! However, this game can be made even more educational if the cubes are with a "secret". Such as Brick Books for Girls or Brick Books for Boys (The Explore the World Together series by Clever).

Why you will like the book:

— Original block-book format — construction set and manual at the same time.

- Inside the cubes, basic concepts with vivid illustrations - convenient for learning the first words.

— Thick cardboard, bright printing — books will please the child for a long time.

3. First verses

Playing with a child, we want to give him as much information as possible, develop his horizons and memory. It’s good if there is a place for poetry in your games. This is a great memory training and a way to expand your vocabulary. Children love to repeat rhythmic rhymes, and sometimes make up their own. The main thing is to let them catch the melody of the rhymed lines. And then they will understand that poetry is also a game, a game with words. To help parents - an illustrated collection of memorable children's poems. For example, "We are going to the zoo" (Series "My first poems" by Clever publishing house).

Why you will like the book:

— Bright illustrations, interesting details that can be viewed, studied, discussed.

- Cheerful, memorable poems.

- Multifunctional: play with your child looking for details in the illustrations, explore new animals, make up stories about zoo life.

— Handy mini size, thick pages.

4. “Find and show”

This is a popular game, which the child joins, as a rule, with pleasure and passion. He will like to show attentiveness and ingenuity, looking for given objects in a rich illustration. At the same time, memory, perseverance, attentiveness are trained, vocabulary is expanded in a playful way. You just have to pick up a good illustration material that will turn this game into a useful developmental exercise. For example, "Transport" (Series "Find. Show. Tell" by Clever).

Why you'll love the book:

- Captivating, rich illustrations that can be used to explore the topic of transport in detail - from a bicycle to a helicopter.

— A variety of tasks: find given objects, compose a story based on the plots depicted, learn new words and concepts.

— An opportunity to have fun playing with the whole company: who will be the fastest and most attentive?

5.

“Find where the object is”

It is important for a child who is only learning about the world around him to understand the connection between the names and the variety of objects. A game will be useful in which you ask him to find among real household items the same as shown in the abstract picture. You will need a book with a picture of the most ordinary things and objects that can be found in your apartment or in the yard.

For example, "The world around the baby" (series "The first books of the baby" publishing house Clever).

Why you will like the book:

— Bright, memorable illustrations — objects that the baby sees from birth: familiar food, furniture, clothes.

- Various tasks: look at pictures, learn new words, ask the child to find the object shown in the picture in the house.

- Durable laminated pages, rounded edges, vibrant print - everything to make the book last a long time and be a joy.

6.

Living alphabet

Learning letters is a headache for many parents. It seems that without a game, this complex matter cannot even be approached! How else can you help your child remember the alphabet? Faceless letters do not cut into memory. But if for each one you come up with a character, a portrait, your own story, they become closer and more understandable for the child. You can make crafts in the form of various letters, write stories about each of them together, or you can refer to the publication, which already contains such creative tasks.

e.g. "ABC in pictures" (series "Draw and play" by Clever publishing house).

Why you'll love this book:

- This is a great collection of fun activities, walkers and mazes to help your little one learn the alphabet quickly.

- Draw, make up stories, do unusual tasks with your child - he will not even notice that this is a study. For him it will be gambling.

— The book develops imagination, fine motor skills, thinking, memory and facilitates the study of letters.

7. Opposites

It is easier for a child to learn about the phenomena around by contrasts: cold - hot, dark - light, sweet - sour. In everyday life, in which everything for the baby is the subject of research, it is useful to focus his attention on the opposite, ask him to look for objects that contrast in properties. This will be an educational game for him, expanding his vocabulary. Or you can play with a book, such as "I Seek Opposites" (Learning by Playing series by Clever).

Why you'll love this book:

— The original format with flaps and bright illustrations will awaken your baby's curiosity.

- This is an interactive encyclopedia with which you can learn new words, write stories, discuss situations in pictures.

- Contains the popular find and show game and over 100 memorization words.

8. Labyrinths

Children love mazes. This teaches them attentiveness, concentration, perseverance. And at the same time, the labyrinth is always an exciting game that never gets boring on the road or in line with mom. There are never too many labyrinths, they should be stocked up. For example, Walkers, walkers, borrowers (Labyrinths series by Clever publishing house).

Why you will like the book:

— The book contains 40 exciting walkers, adventure games and labyrinths.

— The book covers a variety of topics that can be discussed with the child.

— The book trains fantasy, memory, fine motor skills, attention.

9. Playing explorers

It is very important for children taking their first steps in understanding the world to feel their independence. Make sure that they themselves are able to learn something new, to satisfy their curiosity. In other words, feel like an explorer. This gives them the courage to move on, not to be afraid of new knowledge, to strive for it. It's great if parents give them this opportunity: they take them to museums where the child can explore the exhibits himself, give books and encyclopedias that the child can study on his own. One of such useful encyclopedias on the children's bookshelf will be Oceans and Seas (Little Explorers series by Clever).

Why you'll love the book:

- This is an encyclopedia game with valves that are so fun to open.

— Accessible and fascinating information about the life of the underwater world in vivid pictures and understandable stories.

— Possibility of self-study with a book: kids can look at informative pictures, older children can read about interesting facts about the life of the deep sea.

10. Coloring pages

Coloring is another child's passion. To prevent a refrigerator or a wall from becoming an object, it is better to prepare materials suitable for this in advance - paper, paints, pencils and coloring books. It’s good if, in addition to the usual “color” tasks, the album contains something new for the child, it gives food for thought. Like, for example, album "Princesses" (series "Find and color" publishing house Clever).

Why do you like the album:

- Contains funny pictures and interesting facts about the life of princesses and knights.

- Elements of the favorite game "find and show": the child is required to color the given objects by finding them in the picture.

- In a playful way, kids prepare their hand for writing, develop attention, imagination, memory and fine motor skills.

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    TOP 10 Games for Android

    The use of gadgets by children is a frequent subject for disputes. Can I give my child a phone? And how much time to allow him to deal with?

    Pediatricians state that the allowed time for play should not exceed two hours for children under five years of age. Then games on the phone will not harm either the eyesight or the child's psyche. But what applications to choose for such leisure is a question that requires parental attention.

    The best games for kids on your phone and tablet are not just interesting, but with bright pictures. In addition to entertaining, such games have a positive effect on the development of the child. Presented in the top, applications train children's attention, memory, form responsibility, consciousness.

    Read: The best kind games: 14 top games for all ages

    My Little Pony: coloring

    An excellent program for young fans of the cartoon of the same name about "ponies". The game consists in coloring cards, which depict the adventures of familiar characters. Also, the player needs to complete various tasks to complete the levels.

    Vibrant colors, crisp graphics, and plenty of image options are sure to please kids. To create a unique picture, in addition to the usual palette of colors, there are virtual markers with sparkles of different shades. The young artist will be able to show his imagination as much as possible.

    My Little Pony has a high rating and many positive reviews from users. Gamers of all ages can play it on a smartphone. Developers regularly add new pictures and tasks.

    Bubbu is my virtual pet

    It's no coincidence that this cute cat got into the top Android games for kids. It is not just charming, but helps to develop responsibility, kindness and the ability to care in a child in a playful way.

    A virtual pet needs petting, feeding, cleaning the tray, bathing and playing every day. And if the little cat owner has forgotten about a friend, the app will remind you that Bubbu is hungry or wants to pee.

    With this game on the phone, the child will not have to figure out what to do. He will always have a virtual little friend.

    In addition to caring for a kitten, various missions are available in the game, completing which the player receives rewards in the form of coins. For them, he can fashionably dress a pet or pamper him with delicacies.

    Users who already play Bubbu rate the game highly and note that it is a great option for families who are hesitant to have a live pet.

    Interesting stuff: What to play in quarantine: 18 cool online games for PC

    Toca Kitchen

    This fun kitchen is one of the best applications in the top kids games for Android. It won the Parents' Choice Award in 2012.

    With a fun, intuitive interface and plenty of game options, Toca Kitchen has won the love of young gamers and their parents.

    The rules of the game are in the absence of rules. The child prepares dishes from the selected products, which he will treat the characters to. The task is to mix everything you want, treat the hero and look at his reaction.

    The application has a wide range of products and cooking options: frying, boiling, stewing, baking in a microwave oven. Children learn the basics of cooking by playing on a smartphone.

    Users say that the main advantage of the virtual kitchen is that there are no ads and no need for additional purchases in the game. It also has no age restrictions. It will be interesting to everyone without exception.

    Be-be-bears: Multi-Know

    Does your child like Be-be-bears? Excellent. So he will like to play the game of the same name on a smartphone.

    Mini-games are available in this educational app to help you learn reading, counting, drawing and even basic English skills. The application introduces children to the basics of geography and animals that inhabit the regions of the country.

    Learning in this application will allow the child to get a significant amount of knowledge in various school subjects by the first grade. The best children's games for Android are those that give the child useful knowledge and skills in an unobtrusive way.

    Experienced little gamers and their parents highly appreciate the application and enjoy using it. This is evidenced by more than 1 million downloads of the game.

    This is interesting: The most powerful smartphones of 2021: Top 5

    Hot Wheels Unlimited

    This game will become a favorite for fans of Hot Wheels fast cars. The little racer will definitely appreciate the large selection of tracks, connecting which, you can build a city full of adventures and tasks.

    In the application, the player will have to create his own unique super track from the proposed routes, along which high-speed cars will drive. As well as on the tracks of the same name, in the virtual Hot Wheels City, the player is expected to test different levels of difficulty with famous monsters: a shark, a cobra, a bat and many others.

    This application is fun and interesting to spend time with, it helps the young player to develop attention, dexterity and foresight. You can also play Hot Wheels Unlimited on your tablet or phone with a friend as you race through dangerous tracks.

    LEGO Friends: Heartlake Rush

    Racing LEGO Heartlake is another interesting runner for fans of fast driving through city streets. In this game, the player can:

    • Drive around the virtual city as your favorite hero.
    • Collect bonuses in the form of fruits, coins, ice cream, flowers and gifts.
    • Unlock new levels by completing missions and earning extra coins.
    • Decorate and upgrade your car with stickers and designs.
    • Avoid pursuers at high speed.

    As the player progresses through the levels, they can also unlock new characters and vehicles to build their own collection.

    Users are satisfied with this application because it does not contain third-party ads. The game will appeal to children from 9 to 12 years old, it will help them have a fun and dynamic time.

    Did you know: Why the smartphone is not charging: 4 problems + solutions

    Find the Differences

    Such an exciting puzzle will be useful entertainment not only for the child, but also for his parents. Games to find differences stimulate the active work of the brain, contribute to concentration and concentration. Puzzles are very useful for the harmonious development of children.

    There are many pairs of pictures available in the application, in which the player will have to find the differences. Users highlight 5 cool goodies in the game:

    1. No time limits. The child does not need to rush to find the differences in a panic until the time is up.
    2. Possibility to enlarge the picture.
    3. Saving already found differences.
    4. Excellent image quality (HD).
    5. Tips without limits.

    Such a game will surely captivate a young player for a long time.

    Pet Bingo by Duck Duck Moose

    This app is an effective learning program for kids from preschool to fourth grade. The game was developed with the participation of scientists from Stanford University. Studying with funny cartoon characters, the child learns the basics of mathematics: addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.

    The application has a kind of curriculum, consisting of levels, as you progress through which the child masters new skills. A report card is provided that contains information about the levels passed, and parents can see what the baby has learned.

    Users rate the game highly, calling it "a brilliant app for learning basic math."

    Three cats.

    Educational games

    Fans of the cartoon about three funny kittens and their adventures will like this bright educational game from the first minute. The application contains 25 different games that will help the child:

    • Develop attention, observation.
    • Learn numbers and basic math.
    • Improve fine motor skills with coordination games.
    • Learn new words and repeat letters.
    • Develop your ear for music by writing your own melodies on the virtual piano.
    • Train visual memory and visual perception.

    The application is free, with a child-friendly interface and high-quality graphics. Together with Korzhik, Caramel, Compote and other favorite characters, the child will develop and gain knowledge in a playful way. The age category of young gamers is from 2 to 8 years.

    Minion Rush

    Funny yellow minions from the cartoon "Despicable Me" are known to adults and children. The developers offer to have fun playing a colorful endless runner with your favorite characters.

    The action takes place in the locations of the cartoon. The player's task is to run, collect bonuses, complete tasks and receive rewards.

    The yellow babies love to change outfits, and the player has to help them choose. Bright graphics, dynamic races and humor will make the young gamer return to the application again and again to have fun.

    Such a game for a tablet or phone will bring benefits to the child in the form of training mindfulness, dexterity, speed of reaction. Adults will also have fun playing this runner.

    Top 10 featured games received a high score from players. Let's take a look at the average rating of each app on Google Play:

    Smartphone games are not always a waste of time. Many of them are able to help young players acquire new knowledge and master skills. The main thing is to dose screen time and consciously approach the choice of programs.


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