Once it starts getting darker earlier in the day, we find ourselves inside more than usual and one of our favorite ways to pass the time as a family is to play games together! I love that it's an easy way for me to engage with the kids because I'm not really into imaginative play with them (I know I suck, #sorrynotsorry). I also love that it engages them, teaches them important lessons about winning and losing, and how to take turns and follow directions.
My boys are 3 and 5 so finding games that engage them both for their limited attention spans can be a challenge. Here's a list of my favorite ones I've found!
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Richard Scarry BusyTown: This is my personal favorite because it incorporates some "I Spy" elements where you have to find as many of a particular item on the board as you can before a timer runs out. As a team, you work together to get to the end of the board before the pigs eat all the food at the picnic! It's a cooperative game so you win or lose together, which is great for this age group. My 5yo asked for the "Richard Scarry Airport Game" for his birthday and I can't wait to play that one too!
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My First Orchard: There are 4 different colored fruits and a raven. Each player rolls the die and picks a fruit that corresponds to the color on the die. If you roll the raven, he moves up on the board and threatens your orchard! Another cooperative game, great for color recognition and turn taking! We've tried a few other games from this company but this one is our favorite!
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Spot It!: I am just obsessed with this game. Each card has about 10 graphics on it and every card has ONE matching graphic with another card in the deck. There are several ways to play but the kids love to just sit and pick out the matching graphics. This game is super fun for adults too!
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ThinkFun Roll and Play: A game geared more to the younger set but my 5yo still loves this game. You roll a big plush die (which they love and so do I because it doesn't get lost under coffee tables or knock anything off shelves), pick a card that corresponds to the color you roll, and then perform the action on the card ("meow like a cat," "find something blue"). If you were feeling really ambitious, you could even add cards to this if there were some skills you wanted your child to work on or if you just wanted to mix it up! Bonus: The big plush die has storage for the card deck!
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Zingo: Bingo with pictures! My kids love to work the little dispenser and find all the matches on their boards and each other's boards. This is something we regularly play at the dinner table. It comes in different versions, too. We just got the "sight word" version and obviously only my 5yo can play it so far but I actually think it will really help him learn a few words!
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Hungry Hungry Hippos: The game that needs no introductions or explanations. I don't personally love to play this game, but it does entertain my kids for quite a while.
What are your favorite games for your kids? Anything I need to try?
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