Board Games for the Extremely Young
March 15, 2020 11:34 PM Subscribe
My 3.5 year-old niece, since December, has been obsessed with the two board games she owns: Hoot Owl Hoot and Candyland Junior. What’s something similar I could send her so her parents- who are in Seattle and kind of trapped with her and an infant right now- get a little relief from the tedium of those two games on infinite repeat?
Hoot Owl Hoot is actually pretty solid for a game a non-reading kid can play; it’s cooperative and has an easy mode and a hard mode. If, say, a 3.5 year old and her infant sister whose moves she is controlling play with an aunt and a stuffed shark whose moves the aunt is controlling, you’ll both lose and win on hard mode just enough to last a long weekend without being bored to death. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Ideally, there’s something else that would fit the same bill that you might know about?
Niece is very good at talking and taking turns. She loves puzzles. She can recognize colors, letters and numbers most of the time and count reliably to 10. What’s next, gamewise?
Hoot Owl Hoot is actually pretty solid for a game a non-reading kid can play; it’s cooperative and has an easy mode and a hard mode. If, say, a 3.5 year old and her infant sister whose moves she is controlling play with an aunt and a stuffed shark whose moves the aunt is controlling, you’ll both lose and win on hard mode just enough to last a long weekend without being bored to death. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Ideally, there’s something else that would fit the same bill that you might know about?
Niece is very good at talking and taking turns. She loves puzzles. She can recognize colors, letters and numbers most of the time and count reliably to 10. What’s next, gamewise?
Chutes and Ladders (Snakes and Ladders in the UK/Australia) is something both of my kids were obsessed by at that age (and playing really improves their number and counting knowledge, to boot!)
Another good one is the Orchard Game. It's cooperative and simple but not soul-destroying for adults!
posted by forza at 11:56 PM on March 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
Another good one is the Orchard Game. It's cooperative and simple but not soul-destroying for adults!
posted by forza at 11:56 PM on March 15, 2020 [2 favorites]
Rat-a-Tat-Cat. Literally fun for all ages.
posted by latkes at 12:08 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by latkes at 12:08 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
This Little Red Riding Hood game is basically a logic puzzle and has different levels of difficulty. And it’s very cute.
SmartGames Little Red Riding Hood
posted by Liesl at 12:27 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
SmartGames Little Red Riding Hood
posted by Liesl at 12:27 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
The cooperative games from Family Pastimes are pretty awesome. Max is probably best for that age: https://familypastimes.com/products/max And the sandcastles game is also good - https://familypastimes.com/products/sand-castles
FYI- these games have a real charm, but look a bit “homespun” compared to many modern games.
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:44 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
FYI- these games have a real charm, but look a bit “homespun” compared to many modern games.
posted by chr1sb0y at 4:44 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
THIS GAME. Richard Scarry's Busytown Eye Found It. It's a cooperative searching game--the board is a huge Richard Scarry scene and on each turn you have to find all the _____ (kites, mailboxes, etc.) that you can before the timer runs out. Everyone is trying to get to the picnic at the end before the pigs eat all the food, but you all ride a ferry together. As an adult, I found it very relaxing to play with my four year old--not a lot of decisions, cool pictures to look at.
(edited to add the name of the game)
posted by gideonfrog at 4:48 AM on March 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
(edited to add the name of the game)
posted by gideonfrog at 4:48 AM on March 16, 2020 [3 favorites]
Count Your Chickens has been a perpetual favorite at our house!
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 4:51 AM on March 16, 2020
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 4:51 AM on March 16, 2020
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel comes complete with cute squirrel shaped tongs for picking up acorns.
posted by slmorri at 5:39 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by slmorri at 5:39 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
Zingo
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:07 AM on March 16, 2020 [2 favorites]
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 6:07 AM on March 16, 2020 [2 favorites]
Outfoxed is probably on the edge for 3.5, but it is cooperative with no reading. Our kids love it!
Rhino Hero is a dexterity game - basically building a tower of cards until it falls down.
Loopin' Louie / Loopin' Chewie (same game, but Chewie is Star Wars themed and for 3 players instead of 4) is fun but doesn't get quite as much mileage in our house.
Also the classics are always good: Memory (adjust how many cards are out as needed), Go Fish, Yahtzee (adults can help on deciding what to roll for), etc.
posted by hankscorpio83 at 6:30 AM on March 16, 2020
Rhino Hero is a dexterity game - basically building a tower of cards until it falls down.
Loopin' Louie / Loopin' Chewie (same game, but Chewie is Star Wars themed and for 3 players instead of 4) is fun but doesn't get quite as much mileage in our house.
Also the classics are always good: Memory (adjust how many cards are out as needed), Go Fish, Yahtzee (adults can help on deciding what to roll for), etc.
posted by hankscorpio83 at 6:30 AM on March 16, 2020
I came to recommend Max as a good cooperative game as well. The only problem we've had with it as a cooperative game is that some of our kids and friends don't get the concept of splitting moves and working together, they just sort of take charge of one piece and drive it alone. Fun either way.
posted by Naib at 6:30 AM on March 16, 2020
posted by Naib at 6:30 AM on March 16, 2020
Cards, not a board game, but Sleeping Queens is great and will (eventually) help with math skills. It can be played without scoring - winner is the first to get 5 queens (or fewer since she's young). It was created by a six year old.
posted by Mchelly at 6:31 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Mchelly at 6:31 AM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
There’s a few games for young kids by Ravensburger that my kids liked. This was the fave: Things in my house. Very simple board game that was somehow very appealing for kids.
There’s also a cute wooden animal stacking game called Animal upon Animal by Haba. Connect Four can be good too - even if she can’t play it correctly it’s fun to put the chips in the slots. Will try to think of more ideas...
posted by areaperson at 6:45 AM on March 16, 2020
There’s also a cute wooden animal stacking game called Animal upon Animal by Haba. Connect Four can be good too - even if she can’t play it correctly it’s fun to put the chips in the slots. Will try to think of more ideas...
posted by areaperson at 6:45 AM on March 16, 2020
Friend's kid did fine playing Tsuro at that age. Younger versions of Spot It would be good. Don't underestimate kids' capacity for board games; I just got my ass kicked by an 8-year old playing Carcassonne. <_<
posted by xedrik at 6:49 AM on March 16, 2020
posted by xedrik at 6:49 AM on March 16, 2020
- +1 to Outfoxed - my 4yo loves it.
- Guess Who may or may not be in her ability range.
- Kids can learn to play Uno at a surprisingly young age, if you include a card holder. The strategy will take time and help, but matching colors and numbers are something they can do really well
posted by chrisamiller at 8:37 AM on March 16, 2020
- Guess Who may or may not be in her ability range.
- Kids can learn to play Uno at a surprisingly young age, if you include a card holder. The strategy will take time and help, but matching colors and numbers are something they can do really well
posted by chrisamiller at 8:37 AM on March 16, 2020
Several of these will be great in a year or two but likely beyond her now.
Hiss is a game my kids loved and she will definitely be able to play. It's not super exciting for adults, but at least it's simple. Basically you draw tiles, match colors, and shout "Hiss" when you complete a snake.
posted by telepanda at 8:49 AM on March 16, 2020
Hiss is a game my kids loved and she will definitely be able to play. It's not super exciting for adults, but at least it's simple. Basically you draw tiles, match colors, and shout "Hiss" when you complete a snake.
posted by telepanda at 8:49 AM on March 16, 2020
CLACK! is a matching game with magnets. It's fun to play, and the rules are pretty easy to adapt to any skill level.
Seconding Richard Scarry's Busytown!
posted by hydra77 at 9:03 AM on March 16, 2020
Seconding Richard Scarry's Busytown!
posted by hydra77 at 9:03 AM on March 16, 2020
Unicorn Glitterluck was a big hit for my little one. The wooden pieces are satisfyingly chunky, the pink crystals are very crystally and the unicorns come in four colours. There are two simple dice and the game is well balanced and fun even for grown ups.
posted by Omnomnom at 12:09 PM on March 16, 2020
posted by Omnomnom at 12:09 PM on March 16, 2020
This isn’t a game, but one of kids favorite ways to pass the time when they were 3 was an Easter egg hunt. We did those year round with the plastic eggs. Kids can help fill the egg (with Cheerios, cereal, little crackers, we’ve even done it with tiny scraps of paper my kids ripped up). Counting the eggs is fun, then hide. This can last a long time if you do several rounds and let the 3 yr old hide them too.
posted by areaperson at 2:14 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by areaperson at 2:14 PM on March 16, 2020 [1 favorite]
The company Orchard Games has a lot of board games for young children, though I'm not sure any are co-operative. Crazy Chefs is probably the best.
posted by paduasoy at 3:13 PM on March 16, 2020
posted by paduasoy at 3:13 PM on March 16, 2020
Hi Ho! Cherry-O was a fun game we played a lot when my kid was a preschooler. (If everyone winning is important, you can just keep playing until everyone's trees have been picked of fruit, including help pick other people's trees when your own are done.)
posted by Margalo Epps at 2:24 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
posted by Margalo Epps at 2:24 PM on March 17, 2020 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you for all the suggestions! I went with Feed the Wozzle for my niece and the Busytown one for a very very busy barely-three nephew in the same situation. Was very tempted by the Orchard Game but it was pretty spendy for a gamble...will probably try Outfoxed for a later occasion when she's a tiny bit older if her game obsession continues.
posted by charmedimsure at 12:41 AM on March 19, 2020
posted by charmedimsure at 12:41 AM on March 19, 2020
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posted by fairlynearlyready at 11:44 PM on March 15, 2020