In a world of tablets, laptops, portable games and so forth (cue dramatic movie voice), the humble board game still has it’s place as an educational tool for young learners.
From learning cooperation, playing by rules, accepting setbacks and defeats and controlling their emotions; board games help with social skills and thinking.
So what are our favorites for young learners, students in Kindergarten through 5th grade? Let’s get to our comprehensive list of the best educational board games. Each game we will breakdown how age appropriate is and best use case.
Race Across the USA – 8 and up
Race Across the USA is a game where young adventurers embark on a thrilling journey across the United States in a quest to visit six states, conquer geography questions, and race back to their home states for victory.
Utilizing the game board as a navigational tool, players will unravel clues to triumphantly claim state cards. Tailored to suit each player’s academic level, the game ensures an inclusive and fair playing field, fostering camaraderie among children of various grades.
Math Island – 7 and up
Embark on a thrilling adventure with Math Island Addition & Subtraction Game. Designed for 2-4 players, this fast-paced math game challenges kids to solve equations while navigating hazards like quicksand and temple guards.
With equation dice determining moves, it’s an exciting way to reinforce counting, addition, and subtraction skills up to 20.
Perfect for homes and classrooms, this game adds excitement to learning and seamlessly fits into Montessori math curriculum.
Taco vs Burrito – Ages 6 to 12
Taco vs Burrito is a fun, fast-paced card game where players build the most valuable meal by adding ingredient cards to their taco or burrito while using action cards to sabotage their opponents.
Created by then 7 year old Alex Butler, the game combines strategy and luck as players compete to create the highest-scoring meal or make their opponents’ meals as unappealing as possible. With its quirky theme and easy-to-learn rules, it’s perfect for all ages and great for family game nights.
Finally, there are also two expansion packs available for the original game which are worth getting once you get through the Taco vs Burrito base set.
Wordle – 3 years and up
Wordle is a popular online word puzzle game where players have six attempts to guess a five-letter word. The game became a cultural phenomenon, loved for its blend of challenge, simplicity, and the communal experience of solving the same puzzle each day.
Adsumudi – Ages 8 and up
Adsumudi is an educational math card game designed to help players practice and improve their arithmetic skills in a fun and engaging way.
The game is suitable for ages 8 and up and can be played solo or with multiple players. The whole goal is to solve math problems using the numbers on the cards by finding various combinations of addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division that lead to the target number.
Each card features five numbers, with one number in the center called the “Adsumudi number” and four other numbers around it.
Outfoxed – Ages 4 and up
Outfoxed is a cooperative board game designed for young children, where players work together as detectives to solve the mystery of who stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie.
The goal is to identify which fox stole the pie before the guilty fox escapes. The game is educational, focusing on developing deductive reasoning, teamwork, and basic logic skills.
It’s a great choice for developing critical thinking and cooperative skills in young children. It encourages players to communicate, share information, and work together to solve the mystery.
Rivers, Roads and Rails – Ages 6+
Rivers, Roads & Rails is a classic tile-laying game designed for children and families that focuses on connecting different types of transportation routes. The goal is to be the first player to use all of your tiles by connecting them to the existing network of rivers, roads, and rails on the table.
The game is simple yet encourages creativity, spatial thinking, and problem-solving as players build an interconnected network of rivers, roads, and railways. The game’s straightforward rules and visually appealing design make it a favorite for young learners.
Candy Land – Ages 3 to 6
Candy Land is a classic board game that is great for helping young children develop color recognition, counting skills, and the ability to follow simple rules. It’s a wonderful introduction to the concept of board games, taking turns, following set rules and and winning or losing gracefully.
The game is known for its colorful and charming artwork and imaginative theme, which immerses children in a whimsical candy-themed world.
Chutes and Ladders – Ages 3-5
Chutes and Ladders is a classic children’s board game that teaches kids basic counting skills, taking turns, following rules and introduces children to the concept of cause and effect as well as luck, as landing on a ladder or chute can significantly alter a player’s progress
Sloth in a Hurry – Ages 5 and up
Sloth in a Hurry is a lively and imaginative party game designed for children and families, where players race against time to perform silly and creative actions. This game encourages creativity, self-expression, and quick thinking.
It’s a great way for children to develop their imagination, social skills, and confidence as they perform in front of others.
Scarabble Junior – Ages 5+
Scrabble Junior is an excellent tool for helping children develop early literacy skills, such as letter recognition, spelling, and vocabulary. It also introduces them to the concept of strategic thinking as they decide where to place their tiles for maximum points.
Construction Kids – Ages 4 and up
Construction Kids is a creative and educational board game designed for young children that allows them to explore the world of building and construction.
It helps children understand the basics of construction and engineering while also fostering teamwork, planning, and decision making abilities.
Headbanz – Ages 6+
Hedbanz is a fast-paced, guessing game where players wear a headband with a card on it and try to figure out what’s on their card by asking yes-or-no questions.
This game is an excellent learning tool for developing critical thinking, deductive reasoning, and communication skills.
Phonics Board Game – Ages 4-5
Phonics based games are all typically geared toward early learners, focusing on the basic sounds of letters, word formation, and phonemic awareness.
My Feelings – Ages 4 and up
My Feelings is a fun game to help kids express emotions, improve social skills, and develop self-regulation.
I Never Forget a Face – Ages 3+
I Never Forget a Face is a memory-matching game designed for children, focusing on recognizing and remembering faces from around the world. The game is both educational and entertaining, helping players develop their memory skills while also introducing them to diverse cultures.
Bluey Scavenger Hunt Game – Ages 3+
“Bluey” is a popular children’s TV show. The game invites players to join Bluey and her family in a fun and engaging scavenger hunt around the house, promoting problem-solving, cooperation, and imagination.
Jumbo Checkers – Ages 4+
It’s Checkers, but on a rug sized board with big plastic checker pieces that are oh so satisfying to stack. Perfect for playing in the classroom.
Chess – Ages 6 and up
Chess is the best board game to teach your students how to play as they can play this game throughout their life. Students begin to recognize patterns and remember strategies, which enhances their memory and cognitive skills.
It also provides valuable life lessons about winning, losing gracefully and not quitting till the game is over. Children learn to respect their opponents, celebrate victories, and handle defeats with resilience.
Conclusion
That’s it for our breakdown on some of the best board games for young learners. From simple games like Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders, to learning how to play Chess. Board games provide a fantastic alternative to digital devices.
