Children’s board games have improved a ton since Candyland was released all the way back in 1949, so why play boring games with kids? There are many games out there just as fun for the adults as they are for younger players.
If you’re looking for the perfect game to play with your own kiddo or any of the other youngsters in your life, these will be a surefire hit once they hit the table.
Spot It!
The concept behind Spot It! is incredibly simple — spot matching images on two cards. When playing it though, the game can get downright chaotic in the best of ways. Spot It! Also comes in tons of different versions (seriously, there are over 130 of them) so anyone from NHL Fans to Marvel fans can have some of their favorite things to spot on the cards.
Outfoxed!
Outfoxed! is a bit like the classic game Clue but has players working together cooperatively instead. Each player is a detective chicken that is trying to figure out which fox stole a pie. Players have to collect lots of evidence and slowly clear suspects to try and catch the final culprit. There is a unique card mechanic for hiding the chosen thief that everyone is sure to get a kick out of.
Loopin’ Louie
The original Loopin’ Louie was released back in 1992 and won a coveted Spiel des Jahres award in the Children’s Game category a few years later in 1994. Despite its massive popularity, it didn’t receive a reprinted update until 2006 making it finally easy to buy once more.
Loopin Louie is almost a rhythm game of sorts, with players needing to hit a small level to bounce the plane back into the air so it won’t knock off one of their three tokens. The last player surviving wins. The game can get marvelously chaotic with the plane not just moving in a circle, but being able to be flipped entirely over at any time.
Coconuts
Coconuts looks simple on the surface: launch your coconuts into cups, and take them for your own to score points! But the game’s dexterity elements combined with needing to strategically choose which cups to steal from opponents (and not to mention how the cups get stacked) can really make things tougher. Adding in the Monkey King Magic Cards can make it even more fun, forcing players to shoot with their eyes closed among other things.
ICECOOL
ICECOOL is one of the best dexterity games around and with its sequel, ICECOOL 2, players can combine both boards to play with a whopping eight players! Talk about a perfect way to entertain ALL the kids!
The game has players flicking penguins as they try to get fish around their school while not being caught by the hall monitor penguins. ICECOOL also allows for some amazing trick shots for players that can learn them, so challenge those young ones to learn how to make the penguins jump over the walls!
Loony Quest
Just how good are your spatial reasoning skills? Loony Quest will put them to the test! Players have to try and carefully draw a path with a dry erase marker to get as many powerups and points as possible without getting penalties or hitting obstacles. The catch? They’re drawing on a transparent board and have to estimate around where to draw while looking at the board at the center of the table.
It’s much harder than it sounds but the nature of the game plus its cleverly designed catchup mechanic makes it easy for even the youngest players to keep up while challenging the older ones at the table.
Rhino Hero: Super Battle
Lots of people have played Jenga but this stacking game is far more entertaining! In Rhino Hero: Super Battle, players have to slowly create a house following rules set out for them while using folded cars. They need to make sure their superhero tokens won’t fall or make the house collapse either, meaning stability is key (though not always easy to achieve).
My Little Scythe
While it’s themed to look and sound a lot like the popular series My Little Pony, this game is not in fact official show merchandise. In fact, it’s actually a kid’s version of one of the most popular Kickstarter games of all time — Scythe!
My Little Scythe takes the intensely complex mechanics from the other title and simplifies them down so younger audiences can still enjoy them. The game is the perfect one for adults who want to still enjoy themselves while giving younger players a good fighting chance.
Zombie Kidz Evolution
Legacy games are all the rage these days so when Zombie Kidz Evolution came out trying to give that experience to younger players, tons of tabletop gamers went and grabbed a copy. Players have to try and survive in their schools after a zombie attack breaks out. Its trophy sticker system and various scenarios make it the perfect pick to pull out on a regular gaming night with kids.
PitchCar
Who doesn’t want to flick a “car” around a track they designed themselves? PitchCar lets players do just that! With tons of expansions, there are massive possibilities for the potential track combinations that younger players can come up with before racing through with others. The rules are also incredibly simple, making it easy to teach people of any age to play.
