image of two happy preschool girls playing a board game - suggestive of the concept of preschool board games

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Easter Egg: Preschoolers are both easy and difficult to enthrall at the same time. What they adored yesterday may produce a wrath and fury like you’ve never seen before if you offer it today. The very best preschool board games ignite a child’s imagination, satiate curiosity, and provide a chance for them to practice and master new skills. That’s why I love this list of the top board games that will enthrall your preschooler so much. Both of my boys have tested and adored all the games on this list at one time or another. Each board game on the list aids in your child’s early development, provides hours of fun for both of you, and allows you to connect with each other during your busy day.

one image of two happy preschool girls playing a board game and a second image of a preschool girl engaged with a board game by herself - suggestive of the concept of preschool board games

Our family fell into our current level of board gaming quite by accident. We always enjoyed and had a closet with great board games. But then two things happened. Our tv broke and, for several reasons, we decided not to replace it right away.

And, I couldn’t believe it, nobody cared!

The boys didn’t ask to watch the smaller bedroom tv. Nobody asked when we could replace the tv. They just didn’t seem to care!

When I finally asked them whether they missed the tv, they said, “Not really.” They had already filled the tv time with more board games, more imaginative games, more building and creating, and more reading.

The second thing that happened was that I began to homeschool both boys this year. And so I naturally was looking for educational games and realized how much they enjoyed playing the new games with one another or as a family.

And, to be honest, our home has been a happier place ever since. The boys don’t constantly ask, “Can we watch?” I’m not wondering, “What are they watching?” And I don’t worry about whether they will pick up a bunch of trash talk from the tv.

The truth of the matter is that board games have been around since at least 3000 B.C. They’re absorbing, engaging, and hilarious fun.

image of a happy preschool boy playing a board game - suggestive of the concept of preschool board games

Play Is Invaluable For Children

But let’s talk specifically about the preschool set. Just as lion cubs learn valuable life lessons from play – so do our children learn from play. Board games are filled with lessons that little ones soak in – patience, taking turns, color recognition, winning and losing, letter recognition, spatial reasoning, memory, strategy, executive function, early math skills, cooperation, imagination, resilience, emotional regulation, fine motor skills, and the joys of spending quality time with family.  And if you start a regular family game night, you even have a new family tradition for everyone to anticipate throughout the week!

With only three exceptions – these are all games that we have owned or played extensively, and I’ve included them because they were a big hit with both of my boys.

And why the three exceptions, you ask? Well, let’s just say…how can I not want to say (repeatedly) and spread the word “rumpus?” As in…Raccoon Rumpus. So. #rumpusrocks (edited to add, we bought these rumpus-y racoons for a friend’s birthday and she really enjoy them!)

Top Preschool Board Games for 2 to 4 Players

  1. Educational Insights Raccoon Rumpus Game, Dice Rolling Color Matching Preschool Game, Ages 3+

    Raccoons have raided your closet and they’re having a rumpus! Help these masked bandits get dressed—the critter that collects the most costumes wins! Roll the jumbo color die and costume die, and search the cards for a match. Find it and put it on your critter card! Roll the underwear (kid-funny every time!) and lose your costumes; if you get the rainbow you can choose any one you want! 

    Lift one eye of the matching adult frog and roll 2 multi-colored dice to find out if your baby frog can hop forward in to race. Froggy Boogie reinforces color recognition, memory and social skills. 

    Take turns sliding the colorful swords into the pirate’s barrel, but beware! Choose the wrong slot and the pirate will pop out. Kids love seeing him fly! The barrel slot that will make the pirate pop changes every time you play!! 

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  2. Chutes and Ladders Game (Amazon Exclusive)

    Do you remember playing Chutes and Ladders when you were a kid? Introduce new generations to the classic gameplay of this kids’ board game for 2 to 4 players

    Chutes and Ladders can be a great game for kids who haven’t learned how to read yet. Just spin the spinner and move the pawn up the ladders and down the chutes. Players scramble to the top of the game board without slip-sliding down! 

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  3. Sequence for Kids

    The classic game of Sequence made just for kids! Play a card from your hand – no reading required – and place your chip on the corresponding character on the board – the first with four chips in a row wins! This is an exciting strategy game that helps develop logical thinking skills. 

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  4. Ants in The Pants Games

    The Flip-Flopping, Ant-Hopping Game. You remember! Try to get all your ants in the pants. Super fun and easy for all to play! 

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  5. Shark Bite with Let's Go Fishin' Card Game (Amazon Exclusive) by Pressman

    Sharkbite players take turns rolling the die and fishing for the colorful sea creatures using the fishing rod, but watch out – you never know when the shark will bite! Sharkbite is super easy to set up – just snap the sea creatures into the game unit and start fishing!

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  6. Blue Orange Games Pengoloo Award Winning Wooden Skill Building Memory Color Recognition Game for Kids

    Go on an eggs-pedition with this enchanting memory game for children. Detailed wooden playing pieces transport you to the South Pole where our quirky little penguins are ready to play with you!

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  7. HABA Animal Upon Animal - Classic Wooden Stacking Game Fun for The Whole Family (Made in Germany)

    A True HABA classic, Animal Upon Animal is fun for the whole family! Players race each other to be the first to place all of their wooden animals upon the animal pile before any of the other players. A roll of the die tells the players how many animals can be placed or whether they can add to the alligator base. 

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  8. Don't Break the Ice Game, Multicolor

    Don’t Break the Ice (or BREAK the Ice as my youngest loved to call it…) is a tried and true favorite. Players tap out ice blocks one by one, trying to win by keeping Phillip the Penguin on top of the ice. 

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  9. Hungry Hungry Hippos

    Everyone knows the Classic Hungry Hippos game has 4 hippo heads and bodies plus marbles for them to chomp! A hilariously good time for all! You’ll have a chompin’ good time with the classic hippo-feeding Hungry Hungry Hippos game! Hungry Hippo and his pals are ready to join in the feeding frenzy, and when you release all the marbles onto the game base, they’ll be chomping after them! You can be Hungry Hippo, Veggie Potamus, Sweetie Potamus or Bottomless Potamus.

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  10. Blue Orange Games Chickyboom Award Winning Wooden Skill Building Balancing Game for Kids

    Down on the farm, the chickens are as happy as can be on their perch. But when one stirs, everything starts to wobble! Get the chickens, wagon wheels and hay bales off the rocking perch without making it topple. The pieces in this counting game have different weights and point values. The player with the highest score wins the game. A game of balance, counting and laughs where the roost goes Chickyboom!

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  11. Educational Insights The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game for Preschoolers & Toddlers, Game for Boys & Girls, Easter Basket Stuffers, Ages 3+

    Your forest friends are hungry and they need your help. Spin the spinner, squeeze the matching colored acorn with your Squirrel Squeezers and place it into your log. Be the first to fill your log with delicious acorns and you win. You could also spin “pick an acorn,” “steal an acorn,” or “lose an acorn,” so be strategic, little squirrel. Small Parts: Not for < 3 yrs. Grades Pre-K+/Ages 3+. 2 to 4 player game. Includes one set of Squirrel Squeezers, 20 colored acorns, four logs, one game spinner and game board (doubles as packaging.). Develops matching, sorting, strategic thinking, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and pre-handwriting skills.

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  12. Peaceable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot - Cooperative Matching Game For Kids

    In this color coordinated matching game, players cooperate to help the owls fly back to their nest before the sun comes up. Help all the owls home before sunrise and everyone wins!

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  13. TOMY Pop Up Pirate Game - Provides Plenty of Swashbucklin' Fun on Family Game Night

    Swashbucklers beware! If the pirate pops up, ye be out! Pop-Up Pirate is loaded with fun! Push the pirate into the barrel and take turns sliding your swords into the barrel slots. But beware - if the pirate pops up you're out! This fun game will keep you guessing since the slot that will make the pirate pop changes every time you play.

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  14. Hasbro Elefun and Friends Elefun Game with Butterflies and Music Kids Ages 3 and Up (Amazon Exclusive)

    Kids can join the Elefun elephant in this fluttery butterfly chase! The motorized Elefun elephant will trumpet call and play music to start the game. Then, butterflies will fly through the air while kids use their nets to chase butterflies around the room. The player who catches the most butterflies wins the game!

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  15. Pressman 58 Let's Go Fishin' Combo Game, Includes Go Fish Card Game

    Get ready for some reel fun with this Let's Go Fishin' combo set, which includes a bonus Go Fish card game along with the original version of the well-known and well-loved fishing game that parents will remember playing when they were kids. Let's Go Fishin' teaches hand-eye coordination as players use their mini fishing poles to try to catch the most fish. With a rotating pond and hungry fish that open and close their mouths, this classic kids game provides fast-paced fishing fun that will lure kids into playing over and over again.

    

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  16. Spot It! Junior Animals Card Game | Game For Kids | Preschool Age 4+ | 2 to 5 Players | Average Playtime 10 minutes | Made by Zygomatic

    Spot It! hones players’ observational skills and lightning-fast reflexes as the whole family enjoys five different games modes that test who’s the fastest to spot matching symbols and call them out!

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  17. Peaceable Kingdom Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game Emotional Development Cooperative Game for Kids

    Can you help a little girl who's sad because she's standing out in the rain or a boy who's afraid of the dark? Get a token from the helping bag & see if you can help someone.In playing the game and reading about the feelings and needs of the characters, parents can help their children recognize feelings in others - the first step to building empathy.


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  18. Peaceable Kingdom Feed The Woozle Preschool Skills Builder Game

    The Woozle loves to eat hairy pickles and fuzzy donuts. Kids help feed him 12 crazy treats before the snacks are all gone. A monstrous game of mixed up fun!Feed the Woozle comes with three levels so it grows with your child. No reading required, so even the smallest can participate! 

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  19. ThinkFun Robot Turtles STEM Toy and Coding Board Game for Preschoolers - Made Famous on Kickstarter, Teaches Programming Principles to Preschoolers

    Two words: Robot Turtles. This game teaches kids 4+ the ins and outs of programming in a fun, tactile game. Perfect for 2-5 players, this game has levels of increasing difficulty, introducing obstacles and more complex Code Cards. Beginner to Advanced levels will make it a family favorite for many years!

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image of two happy preschool girls playing a board game - suggestive of the concept of preschool board games

*Just a note about this one – we adore it, but it’s been discontinued, so it’s crazy expensive. Hullabaloo is the high-energy game loved by kids of all ages. Simple, out-of-the-box fun that every family member will love, Encourages listening, problem solving and friendly competition, Kids play alone or with friends -giggling guaranteed!

We were lucky and found ours – in really good shape – at a yard sale. This is one of my son’s favorite games of all time – it’s a sure winner if you can find it! There are thousands of game variations, so kids never tire of the fun!

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image of a happy preschool girl playing a board game - suggestive of the concept of preschool board games