The Best Board Games for

Kids on Amazon, According

to Hyperenthusiastic
Reviewers

Photo: FPG/Getty Images

We’ve written before about all sorts of board games and

activities to do while (still) cooped up at home — including
the best four-player board games, two-player board
games, and board games for adults — and here, we’ve
rounded up the best board games for kids, as praised by
the most enthusiastic reviewers on Amazon.

Related Articles: The Best Family Board Games | The

Best One-Player Games

Best-rated (and least expensive)

board game for kids

Over 29,000 five-star reviewers praise the classic board

game Connect 4. Many purchasers highlight how easy it
was for their kids to learn and understand how to play, and
they also love that it doesn’t take too long to finish a
game. “As a busy mom to three kids, it’s hard to juggle all I
have to get done and still get in quality time with my
children,” one reviewer writes. “It’s short enough that I can
play a few rounds and then let the kids play each other
while I finish up cleaning or whatever.” Many parents
found themselves getting a little nostalgic too. “This is the
same classic game that I played when I was a kid, and now
I can play it with my children,” writes one. “We got the
game at Christmas, and it’s now eight months later and
they still pull it out to play all the time. I think this one will
be a keeper.”

Best two-player board game for kids

“It’s a great game for a variety of ages, easy to catch on,

fun to play, and keeps kids occupied a while,” writes one
middle-school teacher of this classic board game. “This is
a fun game for children and teenagers,” another reviewer
writes. “The two players become quite involved in the
game as they try to figure out the position of their
opponent’s fleet based on the result of each successive
‘salvo’.” And while it can be a long game, it does hold their
attention for at least a little while. “Bought this for my 7
and 9 year olds, they enjoy it for the first half hour,” one
parent says. “My 7-year-old gets annoyed /bored. I enjoy
playing it with my 9-year-old, teaches her strategy and
process of elimination.” And while it is designed for two
people, if you have a bigger group, reviewers have found
their way around that. “It is great for family fun night even
though it is only for two players,” one writes, while another
says, “My 4yo is a little young for it, so we play in pairs
(adult with kid teams).”

Best cooperative board game for kids

The objective of Eye Found It is to move your piece to the

end of the board, and no one wins unless everyone makes
it to the end. Reviewers say that the “collaborative” nature
of the game makes for an enjoyable and accessible way to
introduce the value of teamwork, like one parent who
bought this for their 4-year-old daughter and says, “She
usually doesn’t like board games because she doesn’t like
losing. But nobody loses in this game, so it is a hit.”
Another, who writes that the game was a big winner with
their family at Christmas, also appreciates that “we all lose
or all win together — no poor losers or insufferable
winners.” But the fun of the game is searching for city-
themed hidden pictures as players navigate through the
six-foot board game. One family used the game as an
opportunity for “storytelling [and] sharing with each other
the activities and events along our journey.” And, since the
game ends on “Picnic Island” they “placed a picnic
blanket on the front lawn and enjoyed the game on the
blanket, often followed by our own picnic.”

Best educational board game for kids

Among nearly 700 five-star reviewers, over 50 say that
this cooperative board game is “educational,” since it
teaches children about 25 edible and medicinal plants, as
well as their uses in first-aid situations. One parent, who
describes the game as “educational and well-designed”
summarizes how players have to “gather helpful plants
which they can use in case of trouble, like bee stings,
hunger, or sunburn” to help each other during the game’s
fictional mountain climb.” Another reviewer loves that it
helps her kids both avoid “fighting and fussing, and when
we hike the kids are finding these plants and they know
how to use them.” Dozens of customers also appreciate
the board game’s “beautiful” design — which is crafted
from all recycled and recyclable materials and printed with
vegetable-oil-based inks. One 50-year-old customer, who
is a self-described “interactive” learner, says she bought
this “beautiful” game to learn more about herbalism
herself, but she also plays it with her 4-year-old niece:
“She is very competitive, so it was great to have a game
with a cooperative component … and it is very beautifully
illustrated. I was enchanted by the colors.”

Best interactive board game for kids

This board game has over 7,000 five-star reviews, and we

featured it on our roundup of the best gifts for 3-year-
olds. Parents love the simple concept of the game, where
kids pick up plastic acorns with a tweezerlike “squirrel
grabber” and place them in their corresponding color-
coded spots in a plastic tree-trunk piece. (And over 200
reviewers mention the “squirrel grabber” tool as a great
way to practice “fine motor skills.”) One reviewer calls it,
“Such a fun game to play with a toddler! I was nervous
about playing a board game with him as sometimes I think
it’s hard for me to explain the rules, but this game is
literally SO EASY (in a good way!).” Another says, “The
game’s concept is easy for my toddler to grasp and the
gameplay is short; maybe ten minutes, short enough for
little one’s attention spans.” As one purchaser puts it, “If
you’re on the fence, GET this game for your kiddos, you
won’t be sorry. It’s perfect for teaching turn taking and
matching colors.”

Best electronic board game

“THIS version is what I remember from my childhood:

difficult bone removal with an almost guaranteed buzzer,
parts that slide so far out of reach that you can barely see
them, and an actual challenge,” writes one reviewer, who
mistakenly bought the updated version before they found
this “original” one. There are still “12 body parts to remove
and one (ankle bone to the knee bone) to connect,” one
reviewer says, adding , “Yes, Sam’s nose still buzzes and
goes red if you touch the metal with your ‘operating’ too.”
And yes, the buzzer is still bringing kids joy. “My boys
shrieked in laughter and excitement trying to perform
each operation,” one parent says. One thing that is new is
“an ice cream cone in Sam’s head for ‘brain freeze.’” But it
still does its job of teaching fine motor skills to kids. So
much so that one reviewer says, “We may have some
doctors in the family.”

Best family board game for kids

This is a kids’ game that reviewers say is actually fun for
the whole family. “Grown folks reminisce and the kids
excited to play a new game,” one writes. Another nostalgic
reviewer says, “Just put your colored pegs in the correct
color coded slots and you are ready for the best part of
the game- the popper. I used to love the satisfying click of
pushing it and seeing the dice tumble. Getting that
number you need is a tiny thrill or getting to send an
opponent back is worth a laugh or two.” Because the rules
are so simple, it’s a hit among kids, too. “Simple enough
rules and counting that the 4-year-old can play but still a
bit of strategy to keep it interesting,” one writes, while
another says, “We play it with out first grader and she
loves it!” And while the main educational aspect here is
counting, one reviewer says, “The game also incites
cheerfulness and good sportsmanship,” which is an
added bonus.

Best counting board game for kids

Nearly 90 percent of reviewers give this classic board

game five stars. It’s great for toddlers, as many say the
bought it for the 3-, 4-, or 5-year-old in their life. “I bought
it for our 4-year-old granddaughter and she must have
played the game with family members 15 times the first
day which was her birthday,” one writes, while another
says, “My 5-year-old can easily play this version with out
getting frustrated about which way to go.” Many parents
enjoy it because it teaches their kid how to count. “My 5-
year-old loves playing this game and it’s our favorite way
to practice numbers,” one says. It also teaches good
morals because “The game advances you based off good
deeds,” one writes. Another says, “I like being able to talk
about how doing good things can boost up our lives and
self-esteem and others, but how misbehaving can drag us
down.”

Best spelling board game for kids

The difference between this version of Scrabble and the

original is that this one allows kids to play even if they’re
still learning how to spell. “The one side is for kids who are
reading but who need help to figure out words, and the
other side is for kids who are a little older and can make
words on their own,” one reviewer explains. The “easy”
side is ideal if “They’re not at the point of putting together
their own words, but are finding where they can substitute
letters in words that exist,” another reviewer explains. And
having the two options means this game is fun for a range
of age groups. “The 8-year-old can spell and has an
advanced reading level; he enjoyed the challenge of the
game; the 5-year-old knows her letters and can spell
some words; she enjoyed spelling words,” writes one
parent. Another says, “It reinforces my 5-year-old’s
reading abilities and it’s a good introduction to sight words
for my 3-year-old.” Having a board game you can grow
with also makes this a smart economical buy, as one user
points out: “We will get many years out of this game.”

Best building board game for kids

Purchasers highlight the creative and fun nature of Mouse

Trap’s gameplay. “The kids enjoy building the game
almost as much as they do running the ball through the
‘Rube Goldberg’ setup,” one parent writes. One child
therapist says it’s especially great for kids who like
something more hands on and interactive. “If your child is
a builder, I would get them this game,” they write. Others
praise the quality of the many pieces that come with the
game. “It’s extremely well made and the board
accommodates the plastic trap pieces very snugly. Treat
this gently and it should last for years,” a reviewer says.
They go on to say it’s a “family-night favorite” for them
and their 10- and 5-year-old boys. “Who can resist setting
up this trap and setting it off?”

Best not-too-competitive board game

for kids
Nearly 90 percent of reviewers give this classic board
game a five-star review, and many parents get it for
younger kids. “Candy Land is the perfect game for little
ones who can’t really use logic or strategy yet, but still
want to be able to play a board game. They only need to
know their colors and they’re set to go,” says one
reviewer. But the simple gameplay doesn’t mean it’s
boring or mindless. “This familiar game sets up simply and
teaches basic concepts of rules, turn taking, and paying
attention,” one reviewer writes, while another says it’s
“good for teaching turn-taking and good sportsmanship
because one second a player can be winning and the next
second they are back at the very beginning of the board.”
However, as one parent points out, they could still end up
as boastful winners: “My daughter is really enjoying
destroying the spirits of all of her quarantined housemates
by becoming the ruling Goddess of Candy Land Victory!
No one is safe from her winning streak and nothing seems
to compare to her ego-filled chortle!”

Best card-based board game for kids

With over 15,000 five-star reviews, Sequence is described
by many as pretty easy to learn — but reviewers do tend
to have a hard time summing up gameplay. “It’s a bit of
bingo and poker combined,” writes one. Another says, “It’s
like checkers and tic-tac-toe and rummy mixed.”
Regardless of how it’s described, the common
denominator tends to be how much fun it is to play, “really
for the whole family. It’s no secret why this is such a great-
selling game. It’s the perfect match between a card game
and a board game, allowing fans of each to come together
and enjoy hours and hours of quality time, face to face.”
And many note that it has something for players of all
ages: “An 8-year-old child will have as much fun as an 80-
year-old grandmother,” writes one reviewer.

Best exploration board game for kids

“It’s rare to find a game that everyone in the family loves.
This is that game,” says one of over 11,000 five-star
reviewers. They add, “There’s enough strategy in it that
you can make or break your game on your own merits, but
there’s also enough element of chance (and the strategy
isn’t too deep) that younger kids will enjoy it too.” One
reviewer describes the concept as “relatively easy, but it’s
a lot of fun,” explaining, “The board is set up like a map of
the United States, and each person is given routes that
they have to complete. You get points for completing your
route, or you lose those points if you don’t get them.” It’s
rated for ages 8 and up, but some report younger kids
picking it up quite easily. “Believe the hype on this one,”
says one gamer, who’s since purchased a bunch of
expansion packs. “I was skeptical at first, but I’m so glad I
gave it a try. We are now huge fans of the Ticket to Ride
series. We own Europe, Africa and the original, all of which
are super fun to play, and they only take about an hour to
complete, making it perfect for any evening.” (It’s also our
pick for the best-rated board game for adults, so you can
bust it out once the kids are asleep, too.)

Best maze board game for kids

Of the 9,000 plus purchasers who left a review for this

game, 87 percent gave it five stars. Many love that the
board changes a bit with each game since the tiles move
and are not fixed. “It has so much replayability since it’s
never really the same game each time you play,” one
parent explains. Another says, “The objective is to work
your pawn around the game board to the assigned
treasure. The trick is, each turn, players have the ability to
change the board and the path of the maze.” And
according to one reviewer explains, it doesn’t take long to
get the hang of it. “There’s no reading needed to play the
game, no counting, no questions to answer. It’s all about
moving pieces on a constantly moving game board, so it
works for all ages. It’s a game that takes just a minute or
two to learn, and just a few turns around the board to get
the hang of how to play.” Put simply: “If you enjoy board
games that require strategy and include a fantasy aspect,
this is for you.”

Best chess set for kids

“If you’re looking for a way to teach a kid chess without

the pieces being thrown off the board, or them wandering
away because they got frustrated, this is the game you
need,” one reviewer writes. That’s because No Stress
Chess contains a full chess set, intended to help teach the
rules and strategies of the game with the use of an
included deck of cards. One satisfied customer who
bought this for their son writes, “Even on the first night
that we played he was able to grasp the concepts of the
game quite easily thanks to the card system that this set
uses. Within a few games he was already confident
enough to play without the cards. He still has a way to go,
but this set has allowed him to enjoy chess, rather than be
frustrated and quit learning the old-fashioned way.”

Best strategy board game for kids

Settlers of Catan is intended for older kids and adults,

with a suggested age range of 10 and up. The game has
many passionate fans, one of whom warns, “Don’t try this
unless you plan on getting addicted. Your life will forever
be altered. You’ll find yourself begging strangers to come
over to play. Watching YouTube videos to improve your
game, bribing your children.” One parent writes that it’s a
big hit for family game nights: “Endless hours of fun for us
and the kids. The game involves strategy, making trade
deals, and there are several ways to win. Each of my kids
has their own strategy, and it’s fun to see them learning
about honesty and shrewd bargaining.” As one purchaser
advises, “Buy this game, read the instructions
(thoroughly) and then keep your eyes peeled, because
your opponents will quickly realize there are no
friendships across the board in Catan, and your success
hinges on their destruction.”

get the strategist newsletter

Actually good deals, smart shopping advice, and
exclusive discounts.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful,

expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast
e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests
include the best kids’ items, baby shower gifts, gifts for a
1-year-old, 2-year-old, 3-year-old, 4-year-old, 10-year-
old, and patriarchy-defeating books. We update links
when possible, but note that deals can expire and all
prices are subject to change.

Every editorial product is independently selected. If you

buy something through our links, New York may earn an
affiliate commission.