As kids start to enter their pre-teens, you may notice their interests and habits change. They tend to want more time to themselves or with friends over family, they get glued to a video game or screen very easily and sometimes getting an answer out of them other than a single syllable grunt is impossible! Encouraging them to take part in something with the rest of the family can be a bit trickier than it is with younger kids, but the right board game might just be the thing
Board games are plentiful nowadays and there are many different benefits to playing them regularly. For kids of any age, playing board games will teach them many different lessons and get them to practice critical thinking, employ teamwork, and use their imagination actively.
Listed below are five games that we would strongly recommend for kids around ten years old, which tend to also be great family board games. The great thing is all these games are not just easy to learn but the playtime is relatively short also which will reduce the chances their attention span will wane. Each of these plays very differently from each other so whether you’re looking to get your kids into board games for the first time or help them transition to something a little more mature, there should be something for everyone here.
Forbidden Island
Published by: Gamewright Ages 10+ Players: 2-4 Time: 30 minutes
Work together to capture four sacred treasures in this cooperative game set on a perilous paradise. If players aren’t fast enough they’ll be swallowed up with the island into a watery abyss.
Players start by setting up the island tiles as specified. They then choose their adventurer, all of whom have their own special ability, and will take turns to carry out several actions like move around the board, search for treasure, or try to shore up a sinking square and slow its descent below. With this being a coop game, the whole family will need to work together and strategize in order to complete the win objective: collect four treasures and make their way to ‘Fools Landing’ helipad to escape the island. As the island is constantly sinking, it’s important to have players work well together to devise not only the best way to go about finding the treasures, but creating an escape plan as well! It doesn’t hurt to have a contingency plan too, just in case one of the players finds themselves on a sinking tile, trapped from escape!
This is a relatively short but tricky game to beat as the concept is simple enough but there are still different factors to account for when planning the best way to win. Forbidden Island shares some similarities to Pandemic but offers a more lenient level of difficulty for younger players. If players find they have mastered the art of escaping a sinking island, there are ways to adjust the difficulty for more of a challenge for older kids by making the island sink quicker. It’s a challenging but rewarding game for ten-year-olds that encourages them to work together and think fast on their feet.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Camel Up
Published by: Plan B Games Ages: 8+ Players: 2-8 Time: 20-30 minutes
Camel Up is a chaotic and fun betting game where players place wagers on camels as they race around a pyramid-shaped board. It’s perfect for kids who love a mix of strategy and luck. In this game, players don’t control a single camel, but instead, they bet on which camel they believe will win each leg of the race or the entire race itself.
Grown Ups will get a kick out of the game play this one at well, taking turns placing their bets, roll the dice to move the camels, or use their desert tiles to influence the camel’s movement. One of the game’s standout features is the stacking mechanic; when camels land on the same space, they stack on top of each other and move as a unit, creating unexpected changes in the lead that can drastically alter the race’s outcome.
The unpredictability and lively dynamics of Camel Up makes it a hit at family game nights. Not only does it encourage kids to think ahead and manage risks, but it also offers a hearty dose of laughter as camels leapfrog over one another in an often-surprising race to the finish line. It’s a fantastic option for 10-year-olds, with friends or without their parents, promoting social interaction and reinforcing concepts of probability and decision-making.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
King of Tokyo
Published by: Iello Ages 8+ Players: 2-6 Time: 30 minutes
King of Tokyo is a game where players take control of a giant monster and battle each other for dominance to claim the eponymous title of “King of Tokyo”. Now show me a ten-year-old boy that premise doesn’t appeal to!
Gameplay is very simple and easy to learn: players choose one of six kaiju’s and take it in turns rolling dice and resolving outcomes from them. In order to take an action players will need to have at least a few matching die, but get several attempts each turn to re-roll as many dice as they wish. Depending on the result of their rolls, players can either damage other players, gain energy cubes, or receive victory points. Gaining twenty victory points will secure a win, but it’s not just dice rolls that will help rack up the points.
The minimal game board consists of Tokyo and Tokyo bay. If a players cardboard standee is on the board at the start of their turn they’ll gain additional points. There are risks to being the centre of attention though as players not on the board will be able to attack the next player in Tokyo if they roll the right dice. Players can only regain hit points if not on the board and with only ten to spare, knowing when to stand your ground and flee to lick your wounds is crucial.
Energy cubes work as currency and allow players to buy upgrade cards for their monster. This is one of my favourite aspects of the game as there are tons of uniquely illustrated cards that grant players buffs or bonuses to gameplay. This adds a lot of replayability as it’s rare that you’ll get the same card in two different playthroughs with there being so many. This combined with the expansions that offer many additional monsters to play as, creates an experience kids will want to come back to over and over again.
With it’s simplicity, short playtime, visually pleasing aesthetics, and the promise of controlling a giant space penguin or royalty-free King Kong, this is the perfect game to keep kids entertained and have them coming back for more!
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Zombie Dice
Published by: Steve Jackson Games Ages: 10+ Players: 2-8 Time: 10-20 minutes
Zombie Dice is a fast-paced dice game where players assume the roles of zombies hunting for brains. The objective is simple: roll dice to get as many brains as possible without getting shotgunned by your prey. On each turn, players roll three dice representing humans with brains to eat, feet to chase, or shotguns that hit back—each result influencing your next move.
The risk element comes into play when deciding whether to continue rolling or to stop and bank the brains you’ve collected. Rolling three shotgun blasts means your turn ends and you lose all unbanked brains, adding a push-your-luck aspect to the gameplay. This game’s simple mechanics make it accessible to a wide age range, teaching children risk assessment and probability in a fun, thematic way.
The addictive nature of trying to outdo your previous score will keep you playing, ensuring that Zombie Dice is a game that children and even adults will want to play multiple rounds or times in one sitting. It’s one of the best board games for 10 year olds, but really anyone looking for quick entertainment or a warm-up before delving into more complex card games during a game night.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Catan
Published by: Catan Studios Ages 10+ Players: 3-4 Time: 60 minutes
A well-respected and timeless classic, with its iconic hexagonal game board: Catan is a game about exploring, settling, and trading where resource management is key to victory, but so is having negation and persuasion skills.
In Catan, players must acquire a certain number of victory points in order to win. This is done through building settlements and achieving various objectives. Whilst not a coop game in the strictest sense, victory is hard to achieve going it alone, so players will need to regularly trade and negotiate with each other as a means to an end.
The island players inhabit will be built with randomly selected tiles that represent different resources and start with a number of settlements and roads. Players will receive a certain number of resources each turn but in order to build roads and settlements of their own, they will need to work together with other players and trade cards to acquire the resources they need.
As play goes on players will build and upgrade settlements and cities, expand their armies and roads, and try their best to prevent the robber from stealing from them to hinder their progress. Once a player has gained (typically) ten victory points they are declared the winner.
Catan is a game about forward-thinking, strategy, negotiation and second-guessing what the other players have in mind. It’s about risk and reward as well as patience as each game could take up to an hour to complete. Maybe not the best for younger kids, or inexperienced gamers, but the kids version is probably a little light. Regardless, this it’s still one of the great board games for 10 year olds.
Catan is definitely a fun game for kids who want a challenge and something different from “roll the dice, move your token”, since players compete to collect resources, trade, and build a civilization.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Kingdomino
Published by: Blue Orange Ages 8+ Players: 2-4 Time: 15 minutes
Dominoes with a regal twist! Players take up the role of a lord seeking new lands to expand their kingdom. Whoever gains the most points and rule over the most prosperous kingdom will be declared the winner!
Kingdomino is a great gateway game if you’re looking to introduce your kids to the world of board games. Most people have played dominoes so the rules should be familiar, but there’s obviously a bit of a twist to this game!
The tiles are split down the middle like regular dominoes but rather than matching numbers, players lay down tiles to try and connect matching types of terrain like wheat fields, lakes, and mountains. The first tile laid down needs to connect around the 3-d castle tile for that player, but each subsequent tile needs to either connect to the castle or another tile with a matching landscape.
The objective of the game is to create a 5×5 grid and score the most points from the tiles that have been laid down. Scoring is simple, the longer the connection the better as this will result in more points…if those tiles also have crowns on them. Some tiles will have crowns on them and when adding up scores, you multiply the number of crowns by the number of connecting tiles.
If the connection has no crowns on them, regardless of length the player will receive no points for that tile set. There is therefore an element of strategy when laying tiles and deciding how to place them, but there is also a healthy level of luck as tiles are drawn from the box randomly when there are none left to use on the field, but play order changes most turns based on the actions from the previous turn.
A quick and simple game that younger players can enjoy for its simplicity, but older players can enjoy it for the light strategy elements. All the play counts are good with this one, up to four players, making it more flexible than other tabletop games. A great pick-up and put-down game if you have a short amount of time to kill.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Dixit
Published by: Libellud Ages 8+ Players: 3-8 Time: 30 minutes
Dixit is an inspiring game that engages kids imaginations and creativity whilst using very little in the way of rules or game pieces to create an engaging and worthwhile experience.
The game is played using beautifully drawn playing cards. Players are given a hand of these cards and take it in turns to be the ‘storyteller’. On their turn, they must use their descriptive skills to their fullest to describe one of their cards whilst keeping it hidden from the other players. This is not always an easy task as most of the cards are illustrated in a surreal fashion and explaining what they see on their card in a handful of words can be tricky.
Once everyone else has selected a card they feel best reflects the phrase or word, the storyteller mixes all the cards and places them face up. Other players then vote on which card they think is the storytellers. The trick to earn points on a player’s turn as storyteller is to be ambiguous enough that some but not all other players can recognize which card is theirs. If all or none of the players can identify the correct card, the storyteller scores zero points.
As long as some but not all players guess correctly, then the storyteller receives points. As you can see it’s a delicate balance between being too vague and too obvious! Depending on the combination of who voted for which card, non-storyteller players may also receive points based on the card they thought was correct and if other players chose their card other than the storytellers. The first player to collect 30 points wins the match!
Not only are there plenty of cards in the base set to make kids get the creative juices flowing, but there are literally hundreds of other cards obtainable through the many expansions available. Whilst not overly long or complicated, Dixit is a fun and delightful game that encourages children to use their imagination and can create a fun narrative that can provide hours of entertainment. Plus, this one is great for groups since it plays up to eight players.
It’s also a great game for families as the difficulty level can be adjusted to have younger players simply point at pictures rather than describe them. Definitely worth trying if you’re stuck for something to do on family game night! So, if you’re looking for a great board game, that is simple to learn but offers endless possibilities in terms of creativity and fun, Dixit is definitely a must-have for any board game collection.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Ticket to Ride: Europe
Published by: Days of Wonder Ages 8+ Players: 2-5 Time: 30-60 minutes
Take your family on a rail adventure across Europe with Ticket to Ride: Europe. This game is the stand-alone sequel to the original Ticket to Ride, but this time the journey takes players through the great cities of turn-of-the-century Europe. In this strategic board game, players collect train cards that enable them to claim railway routes connecting various cities across the map. The longer the routes, the more points they earn.
Ticket to Ride: Europe introduces new gameplay elements, including tunnels, ferries, and train stations, adding to the game’s depth and strategy. Players must balance greed for more cards with the fear of a rival stealing their essential routes. The game is simple enough for children to understand but provides depth for seasoned players through intricate strategy and tactical planning.
The appeal of Ticket to Ride: Europe lies in its elegant simplicity, combined with the excitement of tense competition and the thematic experience of establishing railroads across a historically rich continent. Whether competing for the longest continuous path or strategically blocking opponents, Ticket to Ride: Europe promises an engaging experience for players looking for an approachable yet satisfying route-building game.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Qwirkle
Published by: MindWare Ages 6+ Players: 2-4 Time: 45 minutes
Qwirkle is an abstract strategy game that combines the simplicity of matching colors and shapes with the complexity of tactical maneuvering. The game consists of 108 wooden blocks with six different shapes in six colors, rewarding players who can build lines by matching tiles based on color or shape.
This game is beautifully simple in its rules but can become deeply strategic as players aim to maximize their points by creating lines and Qwirkles, which is a line of six tiles that either all have the same shape or color. Scoring happens after each turn with points accruing for each tile in a line that a player builds upon. A full Qwirkle, meanwhile, nets double points, making it an especially coveted move in the game.
As engaging for children as it is for adults, Qwirkle is a fantastic choice for family game nights. It requires no reading, allowing younger players to compete against adults on an even playing field, and it has enough strategic depth to keep older players engaged. Over time, players develop the ability to think ahead and strategize about the best ways to place their pieces, similar to the timeless appeal of the game of chess. Given its easy-to-understand gameplay and the quick setup time, Qwirkle is also perfect for those occasions when you want a game that’s both quick to play and mentally stimulating. It’s a game that appeals to the budding tactician in everyone, providing countless hours of colorful fun.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Codenames
Published by: Czech Games Edition Ages 14+ Players: 2-8 Time: 15 minutes
Codenames is a fast-paced, team-based word game that will have players on the edge of their seats! This award-winning game is perfect for those who love a challenge and enjoy testing their vocabulary skills.
The premise of Codenames is simple, yet challenging. Two teams compete against each other to uncover all of their secret agents before the opposing team does. Each team has a spymaster who will give one-word clues that relate to multiple words on a 5×5 grid of words. The catch? Only the spymaster knows which words relate to their team’s agents, and they must be careful not to give any clues that could lead their team to uncovering the opposing team’s agents.
This game requires both logical thinking and creativity as players race against time to decipher their spymaster’s clues and make educated guesses on which words belong to their team. With a variety of word combinations and multiple game modes, Codenames offers endless entertainment for players of all levels.
One of the best parts about Codenames is that it can be played with just two players or as many as eight, making it perfect for both intimate gatherings and larger parties. It’s also easy to learn and quick to play, making it a great option for those looking for a fun and fast-paced game.
With its clever gameplay, engaging team dynamics, and endless replayability, Codenames is definitely a must-try game for any board game enthusiast. So gather your friends or family and put your word skills to the test with this exciting and addictive board game together! Keep an eye out for new editions and expansions to add even more fun to your Codenames experience.
We earn a commission if you make a
purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Conclusion
Those are our choices for the best board games for 10 year olds. There’s plenty of variety out there with varying degrees of difficulty and gameplay mechanics and these games certainly encompass that and each provides something different. Let us know what you think of our choices and if there’s a game we’ve missed that you think would be perfect for a ten-year-old to try!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Are these board games suitable for all ten-year-olds regardless of their age or experience with board games?
A: Yes, these games are selected as great family board games for 10 year olds, offering a range of complexity for family board games as well as strategy games more experienced young gamers.
Q: Can adults enjoy these games too, or are they strictly for kids?
A: These games are designed to be family-friendly and can be enjoyed by players of all ages on family game night. Parents will find them engaging and challenging enough to play with children, but, at this age, they can also just play with their friends, if they are tired of you as an opponent.
Q: Where can I purchase these games?
A: Most of these board games that can be found in local board game stores, online through retailers like Amazon, or directly from the publishers’ websites.
Q: Are there digital versions of these traditional board games or card games available for tablets or computers?
A: Some of these games may have digital versions available on various platforms. Check the respective app stores or digital game shops for availability.
Q: How can I learn the rules for each board game?
A: Each game comes with a rule book that explains how to play. Additionally, there are often tutorials available online, including video explanations and playthroughs.
Q: What is a good number of players for these board games?
A: The optimal number of players varies for each game, as mentioned in their descriptions. However, all are designed to accommodate varying group sizes with some adjustments to the game’s play.
Q: Are expansions available for any of these board games to add more variety?
A: Many popular board games, including some listed here, offer expansions. Check the product information or the publisher’s website to find out if an expansion is available for your board game of choice.