Great Board Games For Kids You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Board games aren't just for rainy days or cozy nights at a cottage. They’re a secret weapon in your parenting toolkit. Not only do board games offer hours of entertainment, but they also provide a playful way to help your kids build essential skills like patience, problem-solving, and teamwork.

If your classic games like Candyland are showing signs of wear and tear, and Snakes and Ladders is getting old, roll the dice on a new game night tradition. The games below introduce fresh challenges and excitement to keep the whole family engaged.

Why play board games with your kids?

Not only are board games fun, but they can help support your child's cognitive, social and emotional development. “Board games are conducive to not only social skill development, but to language acquisition, literacy and numeracy,” says University of Calgary Research Excellence Chair in Parent and Child Health, Dr. Nicole Letourneau.

Dr. Nikki Martyn, program head of early Childhood Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber, also agrees that board games can be a playful way to support a child’s growth. She says that board games let parents model being patient, taking turns, losing and losing with grace. “Engaging in play with children builds trust and reinforces the idea that play is valuable at every stage of life, which is essential for fostering curiosity, resilience and creativity.”

How to choose board games your kids will want to play

For younger kids, Martyn says to stick with games with simple rules and cooperative play. “Socially, board games teach children important skills like cooperation, taking turns and handling both winning and losing gracefully,” she says. She adds that at around six years old, children also begin to understand the rules and strategize accordingly. "This helps them grasp the importance of structure and fairness in both play and real-life situations.”

Also, consider the amount of time needed to set up and play the game. According to the Center for Neuropsychology, Learning and Development (CNLD), the average attention span duration for children ages five to six is 12 to 18 minutes. So, the original Monopoly is out, but there are new versions for kids that might work. Gameplay should be under 20 minutes. And if all goes well, you can always play another round.

Finally, make sure that the game board, pieces and components are safe for kids (no small parts for kids under three).

Games that are educational and fun

Ticket to Ride: First Journey

Introduce your kid to the world of travel with this train-themed adventure strategy game that also teaches geography. The object of the game is simple. Visit the most North American cities on the board to win. Players draw cards to gather resources, and once they’ve collected enough of the proper resource, they can complete a path to receive their ticket. From Chicago to New York, this colourful game encourages kids to match cities on the board with their tickets while developing strategies to achieve their goals.

Outfoxed!

Looking for a board game that won’t get too competitive? Try Outfoxed!. If your family loves solving mysteries, you’ll have a great time trying to crack the case of Mrs. Plumpert’s missing pot pie. Players move around the board to gather clues and rule out suspects—but they must find the thief before the guilty fox escapes.

This mystery board game helps your kids sharpen their deductive reasoning in a non-competitive environment, while also encouraging them to estimate probability and pay attention to small details.

Robot Turtles

Who knew learning programming could be so simple? In this board game, your kid may just think they’re playing with a bunch of turtles, but they’re actually learning the basics of programming—all without a computer! Robot Turtles is a great option for two to five players and has different levels of increasing difficulty. This game allows families to build on their programming skills each time they play.

Sleeping Queens

You’ve probably heard of “Dancing Queen,” but have you heard of Sleeping Queens? In this fantasy-themed card game, The Pancake Queen, the Ladybug Queen and ten of their closest friends have fallen under a sleeping spell, and it's up to your kids to wake them up.

Invented by six-year-old Miranda Evarts, Sleeping Queens invites kids into a magical world filled with dragons, jesters, knights and queens, of course! While players compete to wake up the most queens, they are also developing important skills like memory, strategy and math.

Sum Swamp

Board games like Sum Swap encourage addition and subtraction in everyday life. Your kids will be entertained as they race through the swamp while facing math challenges and meeting creatures.

Best kids' board games that encourage creativity

Dixit

Let your kids’ imagination run wild with Dixit. In this beautifully illustrated card game, the storyteller picks a card and gives a clue. The other players put down a card they think matches the clue, but it’s up to them to see who can find the storyteller’s original card. Dixit helps kids learn the value of creativity while also giving them opportunities to practice communicating their inner thoughts.

Story Cubes

Once upon a time, you and your little ones played Story Cubes! In this game, players take turns rolling the dice and telling stories inspired by the symbols that are revealed. Story Cubes help children to use their imagination, think creatively and develop concentration skills.

Kids are also encouraged to practice listening and turn-taking, which Letourneau says is important for child development. “Learning to ‘wait your turn’ is also helpful for prefrontal cortex development, linked to impulse control, planning, decision-making and building social skills,” she says.

Concept

If you’re looking for a game that is all about teamwork, be sure to play Concept during your next family game night. Each team picks a word, character or expression and combines different symbols on the board for the other team to guess. There are three difficulty levels, so kids of all ages can give the game a try. If your little one is also an animal lover, you might want to grab Concept Kids Animals for children ages four and up.

Codenames Pictures

You may be familiar with the original Codenames but did you know the game has a version with pictures? In this game, two “rival spymasters” are selected and are tasked with giving one-word clues that can represent multiple pictures on the board. It is up to each team to guess the picture that belongs to them. This game helps kids develop their strategy skills, while they also learn the value of teamwork.

How to make board game night a success

Along with supporting developmental skills, board game nights with your kids can be a great way to connect and strengthen your relationship. Here are some tips to make board game night enjoyable and beneficial for everyone:

Choose the right games

A successful game night starts with choosing the right game for your family. Play an educational board game to support learning at home, or pick a more imaginative game to encourage creativity. Letourneau suggests parents “find games that are age appropriate or just a little beyond to add a challenge.”

Create a comfortable environment

Whether it’s once a day or once a week, it's important to set aside dedicated time for board games. Make sure it's a tech-free zone, which means there are as little distractions as possible.“Set the tone for fun and connection rather than competition. Celebrate effort, creativity and teamwork rather than just winning,” Martyn says.

Set expectations

Game night might not always go as planned, but that’s okay. One child may start crying and another one may decide midway through that they don’t want to play. But that doesn’t mean the night is a failure. Take notice of what caused drama and try again next time.

Teach good sportsmanship

No one likes a "sore loser," but it's natural for kids to feel disappointed if the outcome of the game isn’t what they’d hoped for. To teach your kids how to win and lose gracefully, Martyn encourages parents to be playful role models. “If mistakes happen, use them as learning moments rather than sources of frustration,” she says.

Encourage discussion and reflection

Once game night comes to an end, check in with your child to get a sense of how it went. To help children develop critical thinking skills, Martyn also suggests parents ask their kids about their favourite parts of the game or what strategies worked well for them.

The bottom line

By playing board games with your little ones, you’re helping them to develop important emotional, social and problem-solving skills, while also making screen-free family time a priority.

If you’re thinking about making board game night a family staple, feel free to explore different types of games to find out what works best for you and your kids.

Experts

• Dr. Niki Martyn is the program head of Early Childhood Studies at the University of Guelph-Humber.
• Dr. Nicole Letourneau is the University of Calgary Research Excellence Chair in parent and child health.