30 Best Games For Preschoolers (& Toddlers)
Looking for a way to introduce your child to games? Or maybe a great birthday or Christmas present for a little one in your life? I have compiled the 30 best games for preschoolers, perfect for kids ages 18 months-5 years old (and beyond). We have played all of the games below and can personally confirm- they are great! 🙂
If you are short on time and just need a quick recap here are our favorites:
- Best Overall Game: Outfoxed
- Best Cooperative Game For Preschoolers: Hoot Owl Hoot
- Best 1st Game For Toddlers: Seek-a-Boo or Roll & Play
- Best Game The Whole Family Can Play: Outfoxed
- Best Game To Introduce Strategy Games: My First Carcassonne
- My 4 Year Old’s Go To Game: Hi-Ho Cherry-O
Also- don’t forget to get a card holder for your the little hands that you will be playing with. These are the ones we use with our kids and even my 8 & 10 year old reach for them on game night!
This post contains affiliate links, which means I will make a small commission at no extra cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
Our Top 30 Games for Toddlers & Preschoolers
This is a color coordinated matching game that is great for young kids. Players work together as a team to get the owls back to their nest before the sun rises. Cooperative games are a great way to work on shared decision making, problem solving and makes game playing a group effort. This has been a family favorite through the years.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
I remember playing this classic game at my grandparents and now it is one of my kids’ favorite games to play. In this game you try to empty your fruit tree and fill your bucket with the fruit before the other players do. This is a great game to work on fine motor skills and is also a wonderful way to work on number identification and 1:1 counting. It is not a cooperative game so it provides a nice opportunity to introduce the concept of winning and losing.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
This game is an awesome first game for little ones. It is a great game to work on memory skills and a fun way to introduce your child to games. We like to spread the large cards out around a room, allowing for a lot of gross motor movement and opportunities to get wiggles out while playing!
Ages: 18 months+
Players: 2+
4. Memory
Once your child has mastered Seek-A-Boo they are ready to move up to a harder version, the classic memory game. This game is a great way to continue to work on memory skills. You can alter the game depending on the age of child you are playing with to vary the difficulty level.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2+
We love this game and it makes this list as one of the best board games for little ones. It not only works on color recognition, matching skills and early strategy skills but also is a great game to work on hand-eye coordination.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
6. Trouble
As a child I remember playing this game at my grandparents, my grandma never played easy on us. 🙂 You work to move your pegs from home base to your finish line, without getting sent back home by an opponent. This game is an awesome way to each kids 1:1 counting, turn taking and even some strategy play. It is a game that I would pick for family game night for some good ol’ family fun!
Ages: 4+
Players: 2-4
This adorable game is made in Germany and is as cute as it is fun! It is a great game to introduce your toddler to turn taking, dice rolling and simple game play skills. In this game you roll a dice and catch the fish that is the corresponding color and the first person to fill all of their puzzle pieces wins!
Ages: 2+
Players: 1-4
8. Busytown Eye Found It!
This is such a fun preschool board game where you work with other players to move across town to get to your picnic food before the pigs eat all of the food. There is a fun eye spy component to this game that works on matching skills and object identification. This is a game that we often play over and over because it is different every time and my kids love it!
Age: 2+
Players: 2-4
I love this game for preschool aged kids as it is a great beginning board game. You are working to get your ladybug home to the Rose garden while avoiding the praying mantis, and don’t forget to collect aphids along the way so you can feed the ants! It helps foster number recognition and turn taking. My favorite part, it was invented by a 1st grader!
Ages: 3+
Players: 2+
This is our go to game to throw in our bag when we go out to eat as it is a fun game to play while we are waiting for our food. Rat-a-tat Cat introduces basic math concepts like memory, strategy and simple addition. I love that this game has different variations for kids of all ages, allowing us to play as a whole family!
Ages: 4+
Players: 2+
11. Acorn Soup
Winter is coming and it is your job to store extra food for squirrel. You will work together to make yummy soups for squirrel. This game is perfect for introducing young children to turn taking, rolling dice, following simple rules and working together with others. The wooden game pieces are adorable and perfect for kids working on their fine motor skills.
Ages: 2+
Players: 2+
Outfoxed has quickly become a go to game in our family. Players work together to solve the mystery of who sole Mrs. Plumpert’s pot pie, but you have to work quickly before the fox gets away! This is a great game to start learning about cooperative play, teamwork and deductive reasoning. It is incredibly engaging and my older kids love this just as much as my preschooler, making it a great choice for the whole family.
Ages: 4+
Players: 2-4 (but we have often played with more)
13. Uno
If you are looking for a quick game to throw in your bag to bring along to pass time waiting at a restaurant, doctor or other outing with your child this is a great choice! Uno works on both color and number matching. The game lasts less than 10 minutes and the whole family can play!
Ages: 4+
Players: 2-10
14. First Orchard
This is a great first board game for toddlers. It is a cooperative game where players work together to pick matching fruit from their orchard before the raven gets it! This game was designed for younger children and is perfect for introducing the concept of following simple rules, turn taking and teamwork.
Ages: 2+
Players: 1-4
15. Zingo
Zingo is like bingo, with a twist! It is a great game to work on sight words and matching with preschool kids and is an excellent choice for a group game. There are no reading skills necessary making it a perfect game for younger players. It is a great introduction to winning and losing a game and allows you to work with your child on being a good sport at the end of the game.
Ages: 3+
Players: 1-7
16. Monkey Around
In this adorable game you draw a card, do the action with your child that is on that card and place the card on the tree, working to fill the tree. Your child will have the chance to work on gross motor skills, hand eye coordination, turn taking and the basics of game play when playing this game.
Ages: 2+
Players: 2+
Looking for a great 1st game for your toddler? This game is so fun and is a great way to introduce your little one to taking turns. It is also one of the best educational games I have found for toddlers as it works on so many foundational skills (emotional regulation, color matching, & language skills).
Ages: 18 Months+
Players: 1+
18. Hedgehog Game
This adorable, Montessori style game is a great choice for preschool aged kids. The board has the most adorable, bright graphics and the board and pieces are all wooden. As you roll the dice you fill in the spikes on your hedgehog, trying to be the first to have all of your spikes placed on your hedgehog. This game is a wonderful way to work on fine motor skills and dexterity with little ones.
Ages: 2+
Players: 2-4
When it comes to preschool games, this is a classic. It is insanely easy and entertaining for kids of all ages (even adults 🙂 ). If you are looking to jump into some marble chomping fun this is the game for you!
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
Go Fish is a great game to introduce your child to card games. It allows you to work on turn taking, matching skills and how to hold cards in your hand (however we love this card holder for our kids to help them out a bit). The colorful graphics on the cards are so fun for kids too.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2+
Peaceable Kingdom is a wonderful game making company and this game by them is no exception. This game builds social-emotional skills and helps kids recognize emotions and feelings that the characters in the game have and problem solve on how to be a helper. It fosters empathy & compassion and is a cooperative game leading to a community building, non-stressful gaming environment.
Ages: 3+
Players: 1-4
In this cooperative game your child will help the mama hen bring her chicks home. This fun board game is a great game to teach kids 1:1 counting and foster working together as a team to get the chicks home. It is a great choice if you are looking for a board game for younger kids.
Ages: 2+
Players: 2-4
This game is perfect for kids who are not yet reading. It is a great introduction to strategy in game playing and works on logical thinking as the child works to get 4 chips in a row on the board. This is a great choice for family game night, your child will be so excited to independently play a game and it is fun for older kids to play too!
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
This was the 2017 game of the year, and for good reason. There are over a dozen variations of this game, some single player options (perfect for a quiet time activity for your child) and others are multi-player variations. This game is a great way to work on early learning math skills in a really fun way!
Ages: 3+
Players: 1+
25. Dinosaur Escape
In this game you work together to help the dinosaurs escape before the volcano erupts. It is a great way to work on problem-solving skills in a team environment. It also introduces the concept of shared decision making in a fun, playful way.
Ages: 4+
Players: 2-4
Spin the spinner and find the matching bug and sneak it under the rug before the stink bugs stink up the room. This cooperative game is adorable and works on colors, shapes, counting and differentiation between big and little.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-4
This is a fast-paced game that works on matching skills and quick recognition of objects. We love taking this game with us on trips or when we know we will need to wait somewhere with our kids. It is easy to travel with and you can play a game in about 10 minutes. It is so easy to learn and fun for all ages!
Ages: 3+
Players: 2-5
28. Guess In 10 Jr.
In this game the goal is to guess the animal on the game card in less than 10 questions. This game is perfect for road trips or large group play. The junior version doesn’t require any reading skills and is quick to learn. This game is frequently requested during family game nights at our house.
Ages: 2+
Players: 2+
This hysterical game is so much fun and perfect for family gatherings or large groups. As kids act out one of the things on their card the other players try to guess what is on the card. The cards have pictures so kids who are not yet reading can independently play, but this also is a great way to encourage early reading skills. There are 3 levels of play making this a great game for a wide range of ages.
Ages: 3+
Players: 2+
This is the kid version of the top rated game, Carcassonne. You lay tiles to create roads with the goal of collecting animals. This tile laying game is a great way to teach your child how to make strategic choices when playing a game. This is one of those games that is fun to play as an adult as well, making it a great family game night choice!
Ages: 4+
Players: 2-4
Other Gift Ideas For Preschoolers You May Enjoy
65+ Awesome Experience Gifts For Kids
Fun Board Games for 5 Year Olds
The Best Usborne Books For Toddlers & Babies
Top 20 Toys For Fine Motor Development In Preschoolers
I love these! Thank you for the great ideas!
I’m glad it was helpful for you!!
I’m looking for some games as Christmas gifts this year! Super helpful post!
Oh I’m glad! Hopefully it makes Christmas shopping a little easier 🙂