Whether they incorporate cards, dice, boards, spinners—or even an adorable cardboard monster and an oversized spoon—games have a host of benefits for young children. Games help children develop academic, spatial, and critical-thinking skills. Some of the best board games for preschoolers even provide kids with an opportunity for that oh-so important movement break.
When kids play with their classmates, they practice social-emotional skills like cooperating, taking turns, and being a good sport. Not to mention the good old-fashioned fun in playing games and the nostalgia that teachers will feel, as many of these games were plucked right out of the 1980s and 1990s! Many mainstream games are perfect for the preschool classroom. Check out our list of the best board and card games for preschoolers.
FEATURED PICK
1. Bunny Brunch
Build patterning skills with this fun cooperative game. Twelve hungry bunnies are ready to feast on carrots, blueberries, and more at the Bunny Brunch. But watch out! One mischievous mouse plans to crash the party.
Parent review: “This is a very cute board game! The instructions explain the game well, and it’s easy enough for smaller children to play. The dice being a popper was a ‘game changer’ (see what I did there) for us, because my little ones love losing small items like that.”
This classic game is a childhood staple, and these cards are easy on little hands and eyes. This has been considered one of the best board games for preschoolers for generations!
Parent review: “My kids love this Go Fish set. The cards are easy to hold and the colors are vibrant and beautiful. Definitely a must-have!”
Once your students understand the premise of “Go Fish,” treat them to this adorably imaginative version from a favorite illustrator. They’ll love making pairs of “Strawberry Fish,” “Scribble Octopus,” “Lobsterbots,” and more.
Parent review: “My 3-year-old absolutely loves this game. The illustrations are really fun, and they are easy to describe. The cards seem pretty durable and the case is nice. Would recommend.”
This game works on fine motor skills while also encouraging vocabulary recognition. Kids will love the frantic searching required to match all the objects on their cards.
Teacher review: “I use this with my students at school to build fine motor skills, working memory, visual discrimination, and focus. Fantastic game!”
Here’s a year’s worth of math-center activities for you in one cute and tiny box. Sturdy and visually pleasing cards offer tons of possibilities for building number sense. Students can use them to count, match amounts, compare, subitize, and more.
Teacher review: “Love this resource as I home-school my young children. I’m a former math teacher and the logic behind the creation of each card is fully endorsable!”
This is the perfect game for older preschoolers since they will need to have good hand-eye coordination to retrieve the pieces.
Grandparent review: “I bought this for my 5-year-old grandson. He is very interested in the skeletal structure of the human body. He absolutely loves this game. He plays with this game for hours. I would definitely buy again.”
Children race to be the first to fill their shopping baskets with the items on their lists. The board is simple and uncluttered, and the picture-and-word shopping lists encourage the development of concepts about print.
Teacher review: “Bought this for a few of my students that I assigned goals for following a visual grocery list. Works great! I have bought a few of these games.”
Preschoolers will feel empowered once they catch on to the principles of this basic memory game. The enticing Popsicle-shaped cards will get them talking about attributes while they play.
Teacher review: “These were used during our preschool camping unit. My students liked the colorful pictures and they are sturdy and can be used again.”
This is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s easily adaptable to large-group play. Movement cards ask kids to practice gross motor skills while playing with a fun beanbag banana.
Teacher review: “I teach 3-to-5-year-olds with developmental delays. This game is quick, which is wonderful for short attention spans. It’s fun and functional. The kids who may not understand the verbal instructions can imitate the others. Nonverbal kids can easily play together with verbal kids. … It’s silly, simple fun. It’s noncompetitive. It’s meant for young kids learning to take turns and share. It’s not supposed to be stressful. It’s also easily adaptable. You can make it longer than 5 turns, can make all the tasks done together instead of some solo. It’s been a wonderful game in my classroom. Kids request it and come to the table as soon as they see it out.”
Help kids learn basic game-playing skills like rolling a die and moving along a path in a familiar context: bedtime! Kids love helping make decisions about how Bunny’s bedtime routine will go.
Grandparent review: “Love this game! So cute and perfect for a young child’s first board game. They make little choices along the way, making getting ready for bed fun! My granddaughter loved playing every night before bed.”
This is the perfect game for the whole class to play at once since there are enough sturdy scavenger hunt cards to go around. The cards encourage literacy development since they have both pictures and words on each card.
Teacher review: “My kinder class LOVED doing this scavenger hunt in our classroom! The cards are brightly printed on thick card stock and put together on a sturdy ring. The challenges are cute and fun. They’re very quick and easy and it’s a great way to kill a few minutes at home or at any group gathering of little kids.”
Anything with Pete the Cat is an automatic preschool win. To get Pete’s cupcakes back from Grouchy Toad, kids must name objects, sing songs, and act out charades.
Teacher review: “As a teacher, I love that it is a cooperative game instead of just everyone out to win for themselves. I love that the activities you ‘have to do’ to earn the cupcakes are simple and age appropriate, but can be adjusted to the development level of the child.”
The suggested age range is 6 and up, but we feel confident that with a little coaching, older preschoolers will fall in love with this old-school game. It will encourage use of descriptive vocabulary too.
Teacher review: “Purchased this for my students. They’re all 6 and 7 years old. They absolutely love this game. Easy to put together. Easy for them to play. It also helps with processing skills.”
Sliding the card dispenser has a similar appeal to spinning a bingo cage. This is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it supports vocabulary development and print awareness as well as focus—you have to be watching to call out and snag your picture first! Spanish, sight word, number, and word-building versions are also available.
Teacher review: “My 2- and 3-year-old can play this easily with me. As a former preschool teacher, I have had a hard time finding quality games, but this is a good one! And the best part … NO BATTERIES REQUIRED!”
This game challenges kids to match shapes correctly while also challenging them to race against the clock. Kids will get a kick out of the pieces popping up when time runs out.
Teacher review: “Got this for our classroom of preschoolers 4 to 5 years old. We love it!”
This game works on both patterning and sequencing while also working on balance and coordination. Bonus: You can even use the game pieces for imaginative play in a toy kitchen.
Teacher review: “I’m a mom to a 4-year-old and a preschool teacher and I’ve recommended this game to every parent of young ones! This game is great quality, fun, and teaches so many concepts. Highly recommend.”
This classic game might make adults groan, but we still consider it one of the best board games for preschoolers. Why? Kids can take it out, set it up, and play it by themselves. Cooperation and independence for the win! (Pro tip: Provide a playing card tray for easy management of the draw pile and discards.)
Teacher review: “I bought 2 Candy Land games for my first grade classroom. I have replaced the color cards with sight word cards or math problem cards. My students love playing Candy Land.”
Dominoes is a versatile and timeless game for all ages. This set from Melissa & Doug is super-sturdy and gets kids recognizing standard dot formations of numbers 1 through 6.
Positive review: “We were looking for a game that our 4-yr-old and 7-yr-old could play together with limited frustration. The 7-yr-old plays by numbers and the 4-yr-old plays by color and is getting the hang of quickly counting the numbers. Makes for a fun family game with limited frustration and accommodates short attention spans.”
No list of best board games for preschoolers would be complete without some version of Hungry Hungry Hippos. We love this particular one since dinosaurs tend to be a favorite for many preschoolers.
Parent review: “My 3-year-old loves dinosaurs and I loved Hungry Hippos as a kid. This game is great and just like the classic! Very durable, we have been smashing the dino’s paddles for quite a few nights now with no breaks. Would recommend this game.”
The goal of the game is to have the lowest score when someone calls “Rat-a-tat cat!” This game builds number sense and teaches the concept of zero. If you’d like to encourage conversations about numbers, opt to have students play with their cards turned up and visible.
Teacher review: “Best game ever! I used it with my students who have working memory deficits to practice working memory. I also played it for years with my typically developing learners, and they love it, and me too, as it has some strategy to it and does not become overly boring like Candy Land, which bored me to tears.”
Another memory game but this one is just too cute not to include. And kids have to use their motor skills to fit the lady bugs into the holes.
Teacher review: “Awesome game. So cute, versatile and well made. Using this in a school setting as a fun way to practice drawing pictures; simple shapes; and writing numbers, beginning sounds and simple words. When the student gets a match, they do whatever task fits what you’re working on. When working on specific letter formations, just cover the pictures with sticky notes to make pairs of letters. They love it and so do I!”
In this matching game with a twist, the fun comes when you turn over cards that don’t match! When this happens, players must move like the animal body card and make the sound of the animal head card. Stomping like an elephant while clucking like a chicken is hilarious when you’re a preschooler—or a preschool teacher!
Teacher review: “Extremely silly and fun game. Played with a kindergarten class. Never seen so much goofy-ness. Kids really love mixing up the faces and bodies. Making sounds and acting out in character. Lots of fun.”
This is another perfect game for the older preschoolers in your class. Your students will have to use their critical-thinking skills in order to outsmart their opponent and get four in a row.
Teacher review: “This is your classic version of connect 4. I am a teacher and my students still love playing this just as much as I did as a kid. Sets up and cleans up in seconds. Highly recommended!”
Cue the squeals of laughter—kids love the suspense of this game! Remove the bananas one by one to see which one makes the monkey jump. The included puzzle is a nice bonus for friends to make together.
Teacher review: “My class loves to use this in our lessons when a student answers a question correctly and then gets to pull a banana!”
Practice matching basic shapes while helping Frankie the Cat create his food truck meals. The real appeal (and sneaky fine motor strength-building) comes from the Frankie-shaped “squeezer” players use to move the game pieces around.
Teacher review: “Simple, great game. Game helps with matching and learning shapes. Game play is simple enough for preschoolers to understand but fun enough for younger elementary students.”
Players roll two dice to get a color and a shape and must locate a matching spot on the board. There are multiple levels of play for different groups.
Teacher review: “This was a game I used for years in my 4/5’s classroom. The children have the choice of what to choose that matches the dice. Good for discrimination and learning.”
It just makes sense that Richard Scarry would be included on a list of the best board games for preschoolers. This oversized game board gives plenty of room for a group of kids to spy items in the pictures and move ahead on the board. The goal is to get to the picnic before the pigs eat all the food, and everyone has to help!
Teacher review: “This game is fantastic! I would recommend it to anyone with young children. I love that children learn how to play a game cooperatively rather than competitively. My son got this game last Christmas and still asks to play it all the time! As a teacher and mom, I highly recommend this game!”
This version of charades is one of the best board games for preschoolers because it’s designed for little kids. Preschoolers need opportunities for movement, and this game provides just that as they have to act out a variety of scenarios. The game also encourages vocabulary development as the cards have both pictures and words.
Teacher review: “I loved these. I’m a kindergarten teacher and let’s just say how fun these were!”
Every kid should learn to play Uno. It’s marketed for ages 7 and up, but the rules are easily adaptable for younger children. With enough practice, they’ll be unleashing the Draw Four cards like pros.
Teacher review: “Bought this for my students to do at the end of a session (speech and language therapist). They love, I love, it’s a win-win.”
Players must work together to get the owls back to the nest before sunrise. Color cards, similar to Candy Land, move the owls closer to the goal, but there are a few added twists to make it more interesting.
Teacher review: “I’m a preschool teacher and I just bought this game for my niece for her birthday. I’ve used it at work many times. Great for preschool age!”
It’s often the simplest games that are best. Players take turns rolling color dice to see which snails to move in this cooperative game. Which snail will win? Oh, the suspense! Swap out one die with a regular die if you want to speed up the game and encourage number recognition.
Teacher review: “I have used this game in two different pre-K classes. It is simple and fun. It teaches colors, taking turns, being patient, being a good sport. It is great for 2-6 players. I use it with one die only, but can go to two dice when the children are ready for a more complicated version. The only complaint I have is that the box could be sturdier.”
There are multiple ways to play this silly game. In the simplest version, players roll a die to determine how many pieces of food to “feed” the Woozle. But wait: Walking across the room balancing the food on the spoon adds an extra challenge. Players cooperate so they can satiate the goofy creature’s appetite.
Teacher review: “My preschool students love this game! It encourages my students to work together to feed the Woozle. It has three kid-friendly levels so all of the children can play. They love spinning the wheel and doing the silly movements to get the food in the Woozle’s mouth. I highly recommend Feed the Woozle.”
Players hide a wooden bear under one of six sturdy nesting blocks decorated as rooms in a house and then try to find him. This game capitalizes on toddlers’ love of hiding things and offers a lot of language-building opportunities. This is perfect for a class of 2-year-olds or a multi-age group in which older students can play the adult role.
Teacher review: “My students had so much fun playing this game. I used this as part of our bear unit. My students enjoyed playing hide-n-seek with bear. Lots of opportunities to expand their language with the different vocabulary items in each room. So fun!”
This game is our go-to for older preschoolers ready for a bit of strategic play. Players cooperate to create a path to reach the treasure before the ogre does.
Teacher review: “As a kindergarten teacher and parent, I highly recommend this game. Cooperative goal (everyone wins together or loses together) and great strategy, problem-solving and math skill building ~ this one even works on graphing (columns/rows). Awesome!”
Kids will have a blast picking pretend fruit from the trees on the preschool game board while they’re practicing math skills such as counting, addition, and subtraction.
Teacher review: “I’m a preschool teacher although I bought this game for my niece. I love Hi Ho Cherry-o because my preschoolers love it. It’s simple and fun and teaches counting skills and game-playing skills too!”
This game requires no reading, so it’s great for young kids. It’s also perfect for improving fine motor skills as kids try to place beans in the jar without tipping it over.
Teacher review: “As an elementary teacher, I like to find games that do not have difficult instructions but also teach social skills such as taking turns. This game was affordable and perfect for two young children to play.”
Is there a more classic game than bingo? It definitely deserves a spot on any list of the best board games for preschoolers. This updated version can help kids improve letter recognition, letter and object association, and concentration skills. It’s also a great opportunity for social-skills development and cooperative play.
Teacher review: “This is a simple, easy game that kids 4-7 absolutely love! I have used it to play with my own children and in class as a first grade teacher. It’s great letter practice and review. You can even change it to alphabet sounds as kiddos are getting ready to read.”
The object of this old favorite is to keep Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice, but as the game goes on, the ice blocks start falling. Kids can work on fine motor skills, problem-solving, and learning to take turns while they have fun.
Teacher review: “My students absolutely love this game. It helps to make indoor recess a blast.”
A forever favorite, Chutes and Ladders is an excellent choice for kids who haven’t yet learned how to read. They’ll have the best time playing this Peppa Pig–themed game while simultaneously improving number recognition.
Teacher review: “I bought this when I realized my first grade students have poor board game skills. A classic game, and my students related to the characters, but the board was very busy and some had a little difficulty with the tracking.”
Social-emotional learning is particularly important following the pandemic world we have lived through. We love the regulation strategies that make this one of the best board games for preschoolers who are learning how to manage their overwhelming feelings.
Teacher review: “Great game for special needs students to talk about & identify their feelings.”
This game is perfect for the preschool-age crowd since it is fast-paced and stresses cooperation over competition. Children as young as 2 can learn skills like turn taking and counting while having fun at the same time.
Teacher review: “I am a special education teacher and I saw this game being used over summer school for team-building skills. I decided to get the game for my classroom. The students will learn about cooperative learning and instead of trying to win the game for themselves, they will learn to win the game as a team.”
In this action-packed board game, players stack their groceries on their carts as they race to the checkout line. Preschoolers will work on their fine motor skills since they will be connecting and stacking the various grocery pieces. They will especially love the end when they get to launch their groceries from their carts!
Teacher review: “I bought this game as a recommendation from another speech pathologist and I love it! My students think the grocery carts are fun to use. The directions are very clear and easy to understand.”
This is the perfect game for 3-to-7-year-olds to learn their shapes and colors while having fun creating yummy (and yucky) pizzas. It will also teach them valuable skills like taking turns and making choices.
Teacher review: “Great for preschool or special ed classrooms. Easy to learn and navigate. Great fun for kiddos.”
Sight word recognition is so important for preschoolers. This game features 400 commonly found words on different-colored flies that correspond with different ability levels, so you can cater to different literacy levels. And little ones will enjoy swatting the flies!
Teacher review: “This game is perfect for any teacher or even for at-home use. It starts with pre-primer words and goes up through third grade. Very, very, very important for students learn these sight words as well as having fun while doing it. The fly swatters are very sturdy as well!”
This game teaches valuable skills like categorizing and sorting while also teaching about the four seasons. We love that it could even spark some debate since some of the cards could apply to more than one season.
Teacher review: “I used this game in my classroom. You can incorporate in your morning meeting or use it during your science lessons when you teach about the seasons to early learners. This is a great game for a classroom teacher.”
The preschool-age crowd loves the show Bluey and the oh-so adorable characters featured in it. This cute board game is based on a popular game from the episode “Keepy Uppy.” The best board games for preschoolers are fast-paced and fun, and this one certainly fits the bill!
Teacher review: “Bought this for my students and they love it! Pretty simple to assemble and easy for younger children to learn and use. Great for hand-eye coordination!”
This is one of the best board games for preschoolers to introduce them to the alphabet. By matching colorful letter cubes to picture word cards, they’ll enhance their spelling and memory skills.
Teacher review: “As a retired teacher who used to play this game to teach my own sons the fun of how language works, I’d recommend Boggle Jr. Kids don’t realize how much learning they are doing. We take out this classic game for short 10-20 minutes of play and it’s amazing how even just that helps them become enthusiastic about word building.”
This cooperative whodunit game introduces preschoolers to the thrill of deduction. Players use a fun evidence scanner to gather clues and identify which adorable fox stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie.
Teacher review: “I love this game. I’ve been teaching first grade for 25 years and I think this is one of my favorite games for my students (and I have HUNDREDS). The kids catch on quickly and absolutely LOVE this game. It’s one of their favorites!”
Dive into some noodly fun with this game where the suspense mounts as kids carefully remove noodle strands without letting the Yeti tumble into the bowl. Not only is it thrilling, but it also helps children develop important skills like understanding cause and effect, maintaining focus, and enhancing hand-eye coordination.
Teacher review: “This game is one of the highlights of indoor recess. I teach 3rd grade gifted and talented and there were squeals of laughter and excitement in the air. Half of my students begged for indoor recess the next day because they wanted to play the game again.”
