Updated June 20, 2025
One of the best things is when your kids can actually play board games! For me, my son was about 3-4 when we started playing some simple games together and ever since it has been so much fun.
Board games are such a great way to bond as a family, learn new skills like problem solving, planning and strategy, practice emerging skills like counting and taking turns and the ever so important: learning to lose and be ok with it.
During these extra cold months family game night offers a great way to pass some time inside. So, grab some snacks, turn off the phones, turn on some music and try one of the kid friendly games we suggest below!
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Land Acknowledgement
This land has welcomed First Nations from across Turtle Island, and settlers and visitors from around the world. Alberta lands are part of Treaties 4, 6, 7, 8 and 10, and the homeland of the Métis.
Alberta Mamas respects and celebrates the sovereignty, lands, histories, languages, knowledge systems and cultures of all Indigenous, Métis, and Inuit nations. We are striving to better listen, understand, and learn from the Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.
We are all Treaty people.
Games for Your First Family Game Night
Classic Games
- Connect 4
- Dominoes
- Snakes & Ladders
- Jenga
- Trouble
- Candyland
- Checkers
- Battleship
- Clue
- Uno
- Skip-BO
- Bingo
- Monopoly Junior
- Catan Junior
- Sorry
- Operation
- Mouse Trap
- Sequence for Kids
- Twister (maybe let the kids play this one and you can spin for them)
New Classics
Not your ’80s board game, but everyone knows about it!
Games to Play with a Deck of Cards
Some of these have become their own specialized deck of cards, but you can play it just as well with a classic deck of 52 cards.
- War
- Memory
- Matching
- Go Fish
- Old Maid
- Hearts
- Crazy 8s
Need a deck of cards? Why not try out this Basecamp Kids Edition which comes in a tin case and are water resistant. Each playing card features an interesting discussion question ranging from thought-provoking to goofy.
New Games You May Not Know Yet
- Gooey Louie (gross, but little kids love it)
- Kids Against Maturity – a cleaner Cards Against Humanity (though still some dirty jokes)
- Trash Pandas
Cooperation Games
Do the kids not take losing well? Why not try a cooperative game where you all win or lose together. These are some of our favourite types of games.
- Story Cubes
- Out Foxed
- Count Your Chickens
- Dinosaur Escape
- Stone Soup
- Cauldron Quest
- Gnomes at Night
- Zombie Kids
- Pandemic
Tips for Playing Board Games with Kids
- Start small. Younger children easily get overwhelmed with games, set a time and stop when you see them getting agitated.
- Try cooperative games. At first games where everyone is a winner or everyone has to work together are a safe bet.You can always modify a game to make it this way, or do teams.
- Modify the rules to suit the ages and developmental ability of your kids. For example, we love playing UNO but we deal only 5 cards at the start to make it more manageable.
- Emphasize that the point of playing board games is not to win, it is to have fun. Sometimes adults need to remember this one too;)
- Check for used board games at second hand stores, Facebook Marketplace or garage sales, there are usually tons. Just make sure that they have all the pieces!
What’s your favourite kids board game?
