Board Games- When and What?

Hi S.,
I started playing memory with my Daughter when she was about 22 mos. old. We used the disney Princess version b/c she knew them all. I only started with a handful of matches at a time. we never play it competatively, which is good b/c now she would TOTALLY beat me. Candyland is great its really simple. We always play until everyone makes it to the castle and dont make a big deal about getting there first. Hi Ho Cherry O is good and there a "cooperative" version to play so everyone works together and their is no one "winner." Chutes and Ladders was more of a challenge. The board is more confusing for a little one as there is no clear pathway to go. She is starting to get it now that she is 3 1/2. I would definately start with memory with a few pairs and go from there. Have fun!

Candyland - my daughter loved that game from a very early age. Any other game that says age 4 and older, you can just help her along. Hi Ho Cherrios is great too.

Lucky Ducks and Crocodile Dentist would be a great games for her. Maybe even Gator Golf. These can all be found at TRU.

My husband is a board game geek-we own about 60 games! Every Wednesday is game night. One of our favorites was "Hiss" by Gamewright. It's a color matching game. Gamewright makes some of the best games.

My lovely hubby spends most of his time on boardgame websites. Check these out:

thoughthammer.com for ordering games at lowest prices
boardgamegeek.com for game reviews
timewellspent.org for ideas

Zingo is a great game for little kids, careful of the pieces, they are wide, but flat. It's like Bingo, but with pictures and the word, so they can learn both. Also, has a cute little device the kids can move to get the pieces out that they love.

The two games we got when my daughter was young were Whac-A-ole and Lucky Ducks. They are both for younger children and can be adapted to your childs skill level. Lucky Ducks is a color and shape matching game. And Whac-A-Mole uses hand eye coordination. The moles hat lights up and you whac it with a mallet. They are tons of fun!
My daughter is three and we are just getting into Chutes and Ladders, Hi-Ho-Cherrio, and Candyland. Oh and there is a younger version of Candyland that is also color and shape matching skills. This one we didn't have but it looks cool.
Have fun!

Our girls love Go Fish. We play with cards facing up so it is more of a matching game. There are lots of kid versions as opposed to playing with a regular deck of cards. There are other memory games where you turn over the card and look for the match. We also love Don't Spill the Beans, and Don't Break the Ice, if you can trust your daughter with the small pieces. Gepettos Toy stores tend to have a great selection of games, and the staff usually knows something more about the games than the people working at the big box stores.

S.,
What does your daughter like to play? If she is visual, then get a board game that has lots of pictures, colors, etc. For instance, Candyland. There are many different versions out there now. If she likes to count, boardgames with things to count. Different versions of the old Chutes and Ladders. This isn't a board game per sec, but any form of Go Fish is fun for a young toddler. They have really colorful, large, fish cards that have fish, sharks, whales, etc. on them. Take a walk in a toy store and see what is out there. There are colorform game boards, many games with dice, and some Christmas gameboards. A fun Christmas game board is called Charlie Brown's Christmas Tree. There are little ornaments to hang on the tree, cards to pick up that look like little Christmas cards, the Charlie Brown characters to move around the board(the board has large squares for little hands)and they can move forward or backward on a move. They get to pickup candy canes, put presents under the tree, move all over the board and do different moves, with cards they land on. At the end, the tree gets lit up. It flashes when they push the button. My grandsons are 2, 4, and even the 10 year old plays sometimes. They will play it over and over again if I am willing. I got it at Barnes and Noble. Veggies Tales has several versions of many fun board games. There are several versions of monopoly for young children out there. They like to play dominoes and can figure out what dots go together. Dominoes come in some very colorful dots and sizes now. But, keep in mind what your child likes to do. It is about your daughter, and what she would enjoy doing with you. Make it fun, and she will always remember this special time with you throughout her life.

E.:)

She can learn her colors with Candyland... an all time favorite!!
Also, any dice game so she can count.

Connect Four is good too. My kids learned that 4 in a row wins! Don't break the ice...
pounding with the hammer is fun!

Enjoy some good old fashioned, family time!

Candy land as soon as she understands taking turns. She doesn't even need to count!

At this age, they CAN do games. Both my kids enjoyed it from that age and younger. Never under estimate what a child can do, just based on age. They are capable. Just teach it to them per their age... and adapt the "rules" for them. My kids LOVE board games... we even taught my girl backgammon when she was not even 3 years old. Just simply... not the involved "adult" rules...but adapted for her. She loved it.

A good thing too are tangrams type "games."

if your girl has fun with it now, then go with it. It's good for them. They learn lots of things from it: concepts, cause & effect, counting, colors, names of things, functions, fine motor skills, matching, memory games, puzzles, etc.

Just put in the search word "toddler board games" or "toddler games" at stores like Amazon.com Lots will turn up.

Good luck,
Susan

Candyland is a great all-time favorite.
Yahtze Jr
Chutes and Ladders

i introduced my daughter to candyland when she turned 2, she got it almost right away. soon after came bingo. we got regular bingo & dora bingo which has animals and colours rather than numbers. she enjoys both.

My girls love Candyland, Chutes and Ladders, Scramble (without using the timer), Lucky Ducks (although the quacking drives me insane), and our two all-time family favorites - Zingo and Yahtzee, Jr. We started playing board games with our oldest when she was 3, but our youngest started playing at 2. Our oldest, who is 6 1/2, also loves Sorry, checkers, and all kinds of card games. We have a family game night once a week, and it's something we all look forward to. Have fun!

Our least favorite game is Chutes and Ladders. Such a classic but such a headache to play. The path's direction changes and is confusing for children that don't recognize the numbers and their values to 100 and you can make progress toward the finish only to drop down a chute right back to the beginning (very frustrating for new gamers).

Our first games were variations of memory/concentration, Candy Land, and Cariboo. Start out small with very loose rules and patient expectations and you'll both love it.

Candyland was probably the first game my sons played...colors and counting spaces. There are ones like Lucky Duck today and matching picture games. Also we had one called "blockhead" but played it when young with regular blocks. Just teaches taking turns putting a block on by turn until the tower tumbles (the real game had levels and you were out after you tumbled it 3 times). Most important is interaction with them rather than a formal game. Do a lot of singing games...ring around the rosy, London Bridges (my boys loved running under our bridge arms), Did you ever see a Lassy?. Also do action rhymes and songs with her...Hickory Dickory Dock, pat-a-cake, itsy bitsy spider (they learn rhyming, rhythm, as well as interacting with you). Play with play dough together...make snakes, peas, cakes...put on candles and sing happy birthday to a doll.
And read books...far more important than games at this stage...two year olds really are still a parallel play age...build relationships and vocabulary nad hand coordination....game rules and turn taking will come at a later age.
Have fun with your little one;)
H.

There are just so many things you can do that increase her edcation, increase her IQ, while having so much quality time together. If Candyland is too hard now (likely) along with those kinds of games, I'd try some preschool activities with her. Look online and just make them yourself. You can cut up colorful cereal boxes into just 3 or 5 pieces, and have her put them together. Also, very short "Memory" games are great: buy a set, but only use 3 or 4 pairs to play with for now, and then increase the pairs as she grows. There are just endless things on the web, but you might have to wait 6 mos. to play many board games. 3 is a great age to start those. My favorite book in the world for toddler activities is called "Toddler's Busy Book". It'll keep her going all year.
M.

Hi S.!

First of all, I want to say I am very happy that you are wanting to spend time playing games as a family! A lot of families do, but unfortunately, there a many families that don't, and I truly believe it is an important for families to do! I started both my daughters at a young age with matching games, bingo, candyland, chutes & ladders, etc... A couple other games they have REALLY enjoyed are Zingo and Roll & Play, which are available through Discovery Toys. If you'd like to check out those and other awesome games and toys, my website is:

www.discoverytoyslink.com/julieteutschman

Please let me know if I can be of assistance!

Mention Mamsource for a discount.

~J. Teutschman

I use the memory games at that age. Instead of flipping the cards upside down, leave them picture up and ask your child to find a color or object. You can also have them find the "two" and pair them up. Leap Frog has some board games too. Go ToysRUs.com and you can look up games by age. I know there is one where you lay colored circles on the floor and have your child jump around to different colors and pictures.

My son receives home therapy, and I remember one of his therapists recommending when he was 4 to play chutes & ladders, but to remove the game cards that send the child back spaces. That way, they reach the end faster and learn to enjoy the game. Memory games are also great fun and often come in their favorite characters - my daughter loves Dora. Just limit the number or cards in the beginning to 6 or 8.
Have fun!
A.

Discovery toys has a game called "Roll & Play Activity Game" for 18mos-Preschool age. We love it. There's a huge soft colored die that you roll and whatever color it lands on, you pick a card with that color and do what it says (has photos on the cards illustrating what to do), for example "clap your hands" or "sing a song".

Wow S.!

You've already gotten quite a bit of good games suggestions. I just wanted to give another thumbs up to the fishing game. I think it is by either Fisher Price or Preskool. My grandma played it with both my kids when they were really little and they loved it.

Also, the Memory game is great. because your daughter is so young, just start with a few tiles and increase as she catches on. I know she'll love it!

Have fun!

C.

You may have already received all the answers you were hopeing for, but what about Chutes and Ladders, Candy Land and Cherry o?

They have small pieces so you'll really have to make sure nothing goes in her mouth, but I'm sure she would pick up on the fun right away, especially since she's already enjoying games made for 3 year olds.

Board games will probably not be interesting to your little girl. Try simple turn taking games like follow the leader, simon says, and games like that. If you have a group, you can try red light green light, or duck duck goose. The earliest games that I played with my kids were candyland and high ho cheery-oh. Even at three, though, we didn't really make it through the whole game.

My husband and I love games. We started playing board games with our daughter (now 5) when she was two. Lucky Ducks is great and we also have 3 Sesame Street games that she loved. Then i introduced her to card games...go fish mostly. At first we played while looking at each other's cards but then moved on to the regular way. Go ahead and start but remember that your childs attention span won't be very long. Games teach a child sooo much. Have fun.
M.

There is a great game by craniam-of course i dont remember the name. But, it involved balls and the whole point was to user this key to pop open the windows to see if you found the balls. When they get a bit older then the whole shape/letter/color part of the game can come into play. But, at this age opeing the doors is fun.

they have a great game called the memory game with animals photos on it, candy land shoots & ladders, just be aware she is pretty young a baby, not to expect he to know the rules of the game, you can also make up your own game, with letters or take photos of your family, paste the photos on a small square, have her name who is in the pic, when she gets it right claps and whistle.. use your imagination..

We love games at our house. My daughter's first game was a fishing game. The colored plastic fish spin around in a battery operated "pond" and you have little fishing poles to catch them when their mouths open and close on the line. She LOVED this game at 2, and still wants to play often.

We also got small puzzles that have 24 large pieces. She might need help putting the pieces together but you'll be surprised at how quickly she picks up on it and starts figuring out how the pieces go together.

Also, CandyLand and Chutes & Ladders... it's a good way to introduce counting and colors. We also have some Dora dominoes that just match character pictures and that's fun.

I saw one the other day I want to get that looks fun. It was something about catching butterflies that flew out of an elephant's trunk.

Or take her to the store and see what she's interested in... just keep the rules simple and be willing to adapt them if she needs. Have fun!

I remember that some of the first board games I played with my girls were Candyland, Chutes and Ladders and HiHoCherry-O. Candyland you don't have to count it is played with colors and the other two games you count with.When the oldest turned 5 we started with Monoply Jr. and Yahtzee Jr. We also playedI Spy and Memory which comes in many themes. We had Bob the Builder and Dora. Good luck and enjoy!

I would say it is never to early to introduce new games. Let her play with whatever simple board game you can find. The cards and game pieces (make sure she doesn't put them in her mouth though....but I know you know that already)
At least you could "train" her to sit still and play in front of a board.
Good luck and have fun!

the first game we played with our daughter was the good night moon game. She loved the book so it made sense. She was about 21 months when we first got it, but realistically, at that time she just wanted to scatter the pieces. It was fine to introduce the concept, but she didn't start "playing" the game(s) until close to 2.5 years old. Candyland was an early favorite, also she got some kid picture dominoes and has loved learning that. Of course floor puzzles are great, especially the large wooden ones. She did those real early on and still loves all puzzles.

Hi S.,

I recommend the followoing first board / srategy games for little first-timers. My kids have had lots of fun w/:

1. Don't Break the Ice (Cootie Games by MB)
2. Cooties (Cootie Games by MB)
3. Ants in my Pants (Cootie Games by MB) (inexpensive)
4. Good Ol CANDYLAND (she'll need a little help from mommy though!)
5. Monopoly Town
6. Lucky Ducky

I'm sure there's more,but these are the ones that came to mind at the top of my head.

Have fun!!!

My daughter just turned two. She loves Hungry Hippos, Hullaballo, Don't Break The Ice, and Lucky Ducks. Have fun!

Hi S., try the memory game, shoots and laders, candy land these are good first starters. J. L.

Candyland and Hi-Ho-Cherrio are good first games. These are great at teaching counting, colors, and more importantly taking turns. And remember, it's okay to not finish a game if her attention span is too short.

A matching game is also good (there are so many out there, take your choice of themes). With the matching game, though, start with only 3 matches (6 cards) and build up. The games have so many cards that it can be difficult for even adults to play. You can even start with the cards facing up just to get her to learn matching, an awesome early skill.

We also enjoyed Cranium's Cariboo. It has 2 levels and my kids really had fun with the "treasure hunt".

Chutes and Ladders is a good first game as well. But, most kids I've played with have had trouble following the directional arrows at an early age. We had a similar game, Tomas' Tracks and Trestles (a Tomas the Tank Engine themed game) that my kids still enjoy and my daughter played before she was 3.

Board games are lots of fun. We have many of them and I'm amazed at how quickly my kids pick up advanced skills with board games. Enjoy and have lots of fun with them!

Definately try Bingo, its a great way for them to learn shapes and sizes and colors and abc's.

While my boys are now 10 and 14, our first board games were Candyland and Chutes and Ladders. From there, we graduated to Sorry, Monopoly (I think we have three or four versions now), Clue, Life and Risk. We also enjoy Battleship, Apples to Apples, checkers and chess.

It's amazing how many people disregard board games but I love them. Kids like them, too, although few will admit it. I worked in a jr. high age summer camp and these kids would go crazy over Monopoly (teaches great math skills). Apples to Apples is a favorite among the neighborhood kids my sons play with (teaches good vocabulary skills).

We used Sorry to help my youngest learn to count when he was in kindergarten.

So, hope that helps. Have fun!

You could start with CandyLand or Brown Bear Panda Bear (based on the Eric Carle book), my son's favorite it the Neighborhood Matching game by Bloom (it can be played many ways)... BUT don't expect her to play by the rules, not for another year yet. It doesn't mean it can't be something you have fun with, learning colors or simple matching or just telling stories about the characters. If you push the aspect of rules too much it won't be fun, and she really doesn't understand the concept of why you should follow rules, but you can start to teach taking turns - just don't expect her to play a game "correctly" until she is VERY close to her third birthday, or even closer to her fourth, that's when kids start understanding the concept of turns, rules, and being fair. Until then, just let it be a toy you play with together, and have FUN! :)

Hi S.,
Don't worry too much about what the box says about age (sometimes the age thing is because of small pieces in the box so you just have to watch your daughter if she likes to put things in her mouth)- just try to go by what your daughter is interested in and what her skill level is. My son just turned 6 but we are playing games for 8 years + because he understands the rules and enjoys them. We played Monopoly Junior when he was 4 and he learned to be the banker - so the age limit is just a guideline. We have lots of family fun playing board games (We've just gotten into the Cranium games and my husband and I have more fun than my son sometimes).

My son started out with Memory/Match games - they have hundreds of versions with different characters. We also did Bingo and Candyland pretty early on. We have Diego Bingo and now have Cranium Bingo (which is good for a little older kids). Candyland is a good one for younger kids too because it's easy for them to follow the colors and helps them count. Chutes and Ladders and Trouble are good games too.

Hopet his helps! Have fun!