I recently read a post about family games and was in awe at the way they felt about some of my favorite childhood games. Trust me. I know there’s some pretty boring games out there (ahem, Monopoly), but if they’re quick and my kids love them then I’m pretty much on board. We started playing games when our oldest was 4. I wasn’t sure if she’d be able to follow the rules or sit for the length of a board game, but to my surprise she did so well and absolutely loved it! I love that we’re engaging together as a family without TV and cell phones.
Our Favorite Family Games for 3-5 yr olds
1. Classic Card Games: Go Fish!, Matching, UNO
I picked up a fish themed pack of Go Fish! from the dollar spot at Target and figured I’d give it a try with the 5 year old. She loved it and requests to play over and over. Our 3 year old likes to play too with a little assistance. He doesn’t last as long as she does, but will do a few rounds of the game. We’ve also been playing matching games for a few years now. I love watching their little minds at work and seeing how much they remember. (6 games in 1 pack)
Related: How Busy Moms Can Create Quality Time with Kids
2. Hungry Hungry Hippos
Somehow we have two versions of this game, although I don’t know where they came from ha! The kids started playing this one with our babysitter and excitedly told me about this hippo. I had forgotten how loud it is, but also how QUICK the games go. If you need a little family pick-me-up, this one will change any mood from sour to ecstatic.
3. Puzzles
The kids are really into puzzles right now. They’re perfect for independent play and also family game night. We grabbed a couple from the dollar spot and also some princess themed puzzles for the 5 year old last year as a Christmas present. I’ve tried to start storing them in plastic storage bags with a cut out of the puzzle box, but if you have any other storage suggestions let me know if the comments!
4. Candy Land
This one is probably my favorite childhood game and Isa’s too. She does really well following the directions and again the 3 year needs a little more help figuring out where to go.
5. Chutes & Ladders
I’m throwing this one in at the end, because while it’s not my favorite, the 5 year old REALLY loves it. I like a game that goes a little faster and doesn’t send me down a chute when I’ve almost made it to the end. We’re also using this one as a learning experience on being a good sport. Isa gets more frustrated with this game and will get really upset when she has to go backwards. I have to constantly remind her that there’s still a chance, it’s just a game, and it’s OK if she doesn’t win. (I found this Spiderman version that my son would flip over!)
What are some of your favorite family games? The kids love playing so much, that I really want to grow our game arsenal!
