Top 10 Board Games For 4 Year Olds

 This is part of our series on board games by age. For more info check out our complete guide to picking the best game for your kids here.

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As kids get closer to starting school full-time, it’s important to take the time to engage with them more and more rather than let the TV or tablet babysit them. Playing board games are a great way to engage with them and teach a number of useful skills that will benefit and prepare them for their time at school.

 

During a child’s early years, their brain development is at its fastest. The kinds of experiences they go through will affect who they grow into and ensuring they are exposed to positive influences will have a beneficial impact on the way their brain develops. It’s therefore important to challenge children in different ways to keep their brain active to encourage growth, and using board games and card games is a great way to do this.

 

There are some common themes amongst all the games. Most of them are there to help encourage teamwork or cooperation and improve on some essential skills that will benefit them in school, such as numeracy and literacy, as well as color and pattern recognition.

What Are the Best Board Games For 4 year Olds?

To compile our list of the top 10 board games for 4 year olds, we laid out specific selection criteria focusing on developmental benefits and child engagement. We considered factors such as how each game fosters cooperative play – an essential skill for preschoolers to learn. Educational value was paramount; we chose games that subtly boost numeracy, literacy, color and pattern recognition without detracting from the fun.

Importantly, we also assessed the quality and safety of the game components, ensuring they are durable and suitable for young children. Feedback from both parents and early childhood educators played a significant role, providing insights into which kids games truly resonate with children and contribute positively to their pre-school learning experience.

 

Hoot Owl Hoot

Published by: Peaceable Kingdom    Ages: 4+    Players: 2-4    Time: 15 mins

 

The baby owls are out way past their bedtime and need to get back to their nest before the sun rises and a new day begins. Players will need to work together and strategically move the owls around the board in order to get them back home before sunrise.

Hoot Owl Hoot is a cooperative game where players need to strategize and work together to get a number of baby owls back to their nest before the sun rises. The game board is set out with a circular track with each space being a different color and a nest in the center that players must navigate their way towards. At the start of the game, players place three owl tokens on the starting space and are given three cards to make up their hand.

These cards will either represent one of the different colors on the game board or a sun.  If players find themselves with a sun card they must discard it and move the sun tracker one space. If the sun token makes it’s way from one side of the board to the other, the game is sadly over. If a player has a color card, they discard it and move one of the owls to the nearest space that corresponds with that color.

After every turn, the player draws a new card to ensure they always have three in their hand. Players always have their cards on display to encourage teamwork and for players to offer suggestions on which cards to play. The game is light on rules but it can be made more difficult as players grow more proficient by adding more than three owls to the game.

 

Hoot Owl Hoot is a simple game and very easy to learn but the game takes time to master. Like most Peaceable Kingdoms games it encourages cooperative gameplay and involves significantly more strategy than other games aimed at this demographic. This isn’t a bad thing as it not only teaches young kids to use simple strategies but encourages older kids or adults to support younger players.

Read our full review of Hoot Owl Hoot here.

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Animal Upon Animal

Published by: HABA      Ages: 4+     Players: 2-4     Time: 15 mins

 

If you’ve ever wanted to see a penguin perch on a crocodile, a sheep stacked on top of a snake, and a toucan tottering at the top of it all, this is the game for you! Be the first to stack all your animals without any of them tumbling over to win!

 

If you’ve ever seen the animated version of Aladdin and can recall the scene where the Sultan is stacking little wooden animals on top of each other, that’s what Animal Upon Animal looks like! Players will take turns to roll dice, follow the directions, and try and create an animal pyramid. To start the game, players select seven different wooden animals and place a crocodile in the center of everyone. This acts as the starting piece and will form the base of the pyramid.

When the players roll the dice, one of several actions takes place. If a player rolls one or two dots, they will have to choose one or two animals and place them on the pyramid. If the crocodile is rolled, the player places one of their animals at the front or back of the crocodile, essentially making the pyramid’s base and playing area larger. If a hand is rolled, the active player hands one of their animals to another player to stack on the pyramid. If the question mark is rolled, the other players choose which animal must be used this turn.

If the player stacking the animals causes any to fall they must take them back. As soon as a player has stacked all their animals, they are declared the winner. There are a few additional rules for those who want more of a challenge, like players using more animals and having to take more animals back if they cause the pyramid to collapse.

 

Animal Upon Animal is a fun little game that has minimal rules and is quick and simple to play. The game is great for enhancing hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and something truly important: patience! Even with a competitive element to the game, the animals toppling over normally results in a lot of laughs and will keep kids coming back for more.

Read our full review of Animal Upon Animal here.

 

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Enchanted Forest

Published by: Peaceable Kingdoms     Ages: 4+     Players: 2-6     Time: 30-60 minutes

 

In this classic adventure game, players are tasked by the king to find three treasures hidden within the enchanted forest. Those clever and brave enough to find the treasures and prove their worth will become the king’s successor and rule the kingdom!

 

Enchanted Forest is a simple but fun game for pre-schoolers with optional additional rules for those who want more of a challenge. At the start of the game, treasure tokens are placed randomly underneath the many trees scattered around the game board. These tokens correspond with treasure cards, which are placed in the courtyard on the far side of the game board, opposite to where players start the game.

One of these cards is placed face up and players must try and track the treasure displayed on the card. This is done simply enough by rolling dice and moving the playing pieces around the board. When players land on blue spaces they can carefully peek underneath the tree to see what treasure is hidden there.

When players reach the key space next to the castle they can make a guess about which tree holds the treasure. If they guess correctly, they keep the treasure and, if they’re feeling brave, can try and guess where the next treasure in the pile is. If not they can move away and continue checking under other trees. If the players guess is incorrect they will have to move back to the starting space.

This continues until a player has found three different treasures and is declared the winner! For older players or a more challenging experience, there are a set of additional rules that can be implemented. These include things like sending a player home if another player lands on their space, as well as being able to move to any blue space or change the active treasure card if a player rolls doubles.

 

An enjoyable game with straightforward rules, Enchanted Forest provides plenty of fun for young children. The treasure cards are beautifully illustrated with depictions of classic fairy tale tropes like Jack’s magic beans, Rapunzel’s hair and Puss in Boot’s…boots! With varying difficulty, the game offers lots of replayability to keep older kids entertained.

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Dragon’s Breath

Published by: HABA     Ages: 5+     Players: 2-4     Time: 15-20 minutes

Imagine a sparkling cave filled with colorful gemstones that the mighty dragon, Dragonia, has been guarding. In the inventive and playful game of Dragon’s Breath, the dragon has left, and it’s up to the players to collect these shining gems as the ice around them starts to melt.

Dragon’s Breath is an award-winning game that encourages children to use tactical thinking and decision-making skills. Each player is given a dragon and takes turns to decide which color gems they will collect for each round. A unique column of ice rings filled with gems is built, and on each turn, the active player will ‘melt’ a layer of ice by lifting one of the rings, causing gems to spill out of the sides of the column. Players will then collect any gems of their chosen color that have fallen out of the column and onto the board. Points are scored based on the number of gems collected.

As gameplay continues, the anticipation builds because players must predict which colored gems will come tumbling out next. Not only is Dragon’s Breath a vibrant and visually captivating game, it also challenges children to employ strategic foresight and risk evaluation. After all the rings have been lifted and all the gems have fallen, the player with the most points tallied from collected gems wins the game.

The game promotes fine motor skills as well as color recognition, and its quick rounds make it an excellent choice for young players. The simple yet exciting mechanics of Dragon’s Breath have earned it recognition in the board gaming community and among families seeking fun and educational gaming experiences.

Read our full review of Dragon’s Breath here.

 

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Dragomino

Published by: Blue Orange Games      Ages: 5+     Players: 2-4     Time: 15 mins

In the award-winning game Dragomino, young players embark on a dragon-filled adventure to score points by matching land types and collecting dragon eggs. Designed as a kid-friendly adaptation of the popular game Kingdomino, Dragomino invites players to build their own dragon kingdom, one domino-like tile at a time.

The game starts with each player receiving a starting domino and taking turns to select new tiles from the center of the table to add to their kingdom. These tiles depict various landscapes like forests, deserts, and ice fields. Placing matching land types next to each other allows players to discover dragon eggs; some eggs harbor baby dragons that provide points, while others are empty shells offering no reward. The hunt for these whimsical creatures is both thrilling and visually delightful.

Dragomino brilliantly balances luck with simple strategic decisions making it ideal for young minds. Its quick gameplay and bright, enchanting graphics keep children engaged and eager for another round. The game also introduces the principles of tile placement and territory expansion in an accessible manner, paving the way for more complex games in the future. With its emphasis on pattern recognition and light strategy, Dragomino serves as not just a source of entertainment but also a vehicle for developmental learning.

Read our full review of Dragomino here.

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Zingo

Published by: Ravensburger   Ages: 4+     Players: 2-4     Time: 5 mins

 

A quick-to-learn and fast-paced identification game, Zingo is just like Bingo but for kids. Players will have to match the tiles to the images on their cards and be the first to cover all nine of their spaces in order to be declared the winner.

 

Zingo is incredibly similar to Bingo but is more enjoyable and visually appealing for younger players. Similarly to Bingo, the player who fills all the spaces on their card wins. Each Zingo card is double-sided and provides a slightly different experience: the green side has fewer images in common with each other but the red side shares more, which can make for a more competitive and faster-paced experience.  The game comes with a “Zinger”, which is used to store the game tiles that are stacked inside it at the beginning of the game.

Each turn two tiles are revealed and if a player recognises the image, they call it out and can place it on their card. If more than one player calls out the name then the quickest player to do so claims the tile. If nobody claims the tile then it goes to the bottom of the pile. When all nine spaces on a card are covered, the player shouts Zingo!” and is the winner. For players who want a different challenge, the rules provide several variations options for various patterns players can try and make as an alternative to just covering all nine spaces for variety.

 

Whilst being one of the best board games for 4 year olds- and the simplest games on this list rules-wise, it teaches a lot of younger children plenty of important skills: image and vocabulary recognition, memory, concentration and social interaction. A great game that doesn’t take long to play and is light on rules and will help younger children with basic reading skills also.

 

Monza

Published by: HABA Games   Ages: 5+     Players: 2-6     Time: 20 minutes

Monza is a colorful, fun and exciting race car game designed for children who love the thrill of speed and strategic thinking. Players take on the role of race car drivers, competing on a fast-paced track to cross the finish line first. The game board depicts a vibrant race track that’s cleverly designed to teach children the basic concepts of tactics and decision-making.

Each turn begins with the player rolling six dice, each side containing a color that corresponds with the different colored spaces on the track. They must then strategically sequence their moves based on the colors they roll, navigating their car through the race track without crashing into other cars or obstacles. Decision-making is key, as players have to choose the best path that will allow them to move the furthest, while also potentially blocking their opponents’ paths.

Paired with simple rules and engaging gameplay, Monza encourages children to think ahead and plan their moves wisely, promoting critical thinking. Despite its competitive nature, playing the game nurtures an environment of friendly rivalry and healthy competition among young players. It’s a perfect game for families and young gamers looking for a blend of excitement and education on game night.

Read our full review of Monza here.

 

Dinosaur Escape

Published by: Peaceable Kingdoms    Ages: 4+    Players: 2-4    Time: 20 minutes

 

With a volcano on the verge of erupting, three lost dinosaurs are trying to escape before it’s too late. Players must work together and use their memory, and some logic and rely on a bit of luck to usher the dinos to the safety of Dinosaur Island.

 

Dinosaur Escape is a cooperative game where players must help three dinos flee from a volcano that’s about to erupt. Gameplay is based on players rolling dice and moving the various dinosaurs around the different landscapes that make up the board to uncover a token that matches their dinosaur. The game comes with a handful of double-sided tokens with ferns on one side and one of several different pictures on the other. These tokens are placed randomly on the spaces around the board fern side up.

Every time a player moves, they lift a fern token from anywhere on the board to see what’s on the other side. If the token matches the dinosaur and both are in the same habitat, that dino can then move to dinosaur island and is considered safe. Do this for all three and the players win. However, there are a few speed bumps that will get in the players way.

Some tokens have rocks, bones and bugs on them and when these are flipped over nothing happens. Some tokens are hiding a T-Rex, which when revealed, scares all the dinos back to the starting space. Additionally, the dice has a volcano face, which when rolled, means one of the several volcano pieces needs to be placed on the board. If the 3-D volcano is erected before all the dinos escape, the players lose. 

 

A fast paced game, and fun game that promotes teamwork and requires players to use their memory in order to be successful. A good short game that should keep the younger kids entertained. After all, who doesn’t like dinosaurs?

 

Sequence for Kids

Published by: Jax Ltd.   Ages: 3-6     Players: 2-4     Time: 15-20 minutes

Sequence for Kids simplifies the classic game of Sequence into a more child-friendly format. The game is designed to help develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of strategy in younger players. Here, children play animal cards from their hand to place a chip on center card in the corresponding space on the game board—three chips in a row form a sequence and wins the game.

Much like its adult counterpart, the game embraces the core concepts of sequences and patterns, but it introduces them in a manner appropriate for a preschool audience. The cards feature delightful illustrations of animals, encouraging children to match images while also fostering an enjoyment for simple strategy gaming. Special “unicorn” and “dragon” cards add unexpected twists and excitement, allowing players to place their chip anywhere or remove an opponent’s chip.

Sequence for Kids is both educational and entertaining, offering young learners the opportunity to practice turn-taking, strategic planning, and improve their ability to focus on tasks at hand. It’s a superb game for those not quite ready for the original Sequence but eager to engage in the fun of multi-step planning and execution of a game plan.

Read our full review of Sequence For Kids here.

Outfoxed!

Published by: Gamewright   Ages: 5+     Players: 2-4     Time: 15-20 minutes

Outfoxed! is an engaging, detective-style board game where players cooperate to solve the mystery of the missing pot pie. As young detectives, players must work together to gather clues, suss out which of the foxes is the sneaky culprit, and crack the case before the fox gets away.

The gameplay involves the use of a unique evidence scanner, through which players reveal clues and eventually aim to identify the guilty fox. Each turn, players must decide whether to search for clues or reveal suspects. They will roll dice to move around the board and whenever they land on a clue icon, they may use the evidence scanner to find out what item the culprit had with them. The clues are then placed on the suspect board, and if a suspect has a corresponding item, they’re innocent and players can eliminate them from suspicion.

In Outfoxed!, children learn the importance of decision-making, teamwork, and deductive reasoning. It’s designed with simple mechanics but offers a thrilling chase to keep the excitement high. The game’s cooperative nature encourages discussions among players, developing their communication skills and strategic thinking. Outfoxed! a fantastic and quick game for the whole family on game night, especially for those who love mystery and working together to solve a puzzle.

Conclusion: So many great kids games

We’ve listed some great board games for 4 year olds kids preparing for school that will help them practice some useful and essential skills. All the games on our list are are also great family board games and any one of them would be a great first board game for kids who just started playing and are ready to move on from a basic memory game or Tic Tac Toe and Go Fish.

You can’t go wrong with any of our picks for the best kids games, but whichever one you choose, get to the table and enjoy every opportunity to play games with your kids.

If there are any favorite family board games or others we haven’t included here that you enjoy playing with your young kids or little ones, please let us know.

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