by Jackie (Toddlers parent)
My Father-in-law worked for Hasbro for 40 years. To say my husband’s family is into games would be a bit of an understatement. They not only own every game out there (and some test games that never made it to the masses), but they legitimately love to play. Some people unwind working on puzzles (inside joke for the toddler crowd), others play games.
We are stocked with games in our house (board, not video) – and now so are our children. I find playing a game with my kids as an awesome way to pass the time; doing something where we all can have fun.
Here are some games we love – some the littles can play now, some they will grow into over time:
Zingo: this is my favorite gift for the 3-4 crowd. Not only does it work on associating words with pictures, but it is actually FUN. Maddie (22m) loves to pretend to play, she can kind of set it up and knows all of the pictures, but she has to get faster at the shouting. Henry (almost 4!) is a pro and can teach the game to his friends! Its Bingo… WITH A ZING!
Eye Found it: There are a few different versions of this game, but we have the Richard Scarry Busytown. Again, this is great for the 3+ crowd and can be played with multiple players. It is a team style game, so if you are into the sort of thing where you don’t want any kid to feel bad, this is a good one. You have to work together to find objects to move ahead faster. It is good for team building, taking turns and memory.
Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel: This game claims 3+. But, I think a dexterous 2+ that knows their colors can play along ok…. This game works on color recognition, fine motor skills and is relatively easy to comprehend.
First Orchard: My SIL got this for my daughter for Christmas this year. She’s getting the hang of it pretty well and my older son helps her along! They can ALMOST play this together without any help from me (whoopie!). It is a very simple game based on learning and knowing your colors and being able to spin a spinner and rolling a die (not as easy as it seems for a small child!). I think it can also help work on counting.
Chutes and Ladders: This game needs no introduction. It is easy and teaches some good lessons on how to cope with disappointment (in a lighthearted way). Get the “Classic” style. It is significantly nicer. Candy Land is also in this genre, we own it. It isn’t played nearly as much as Chutes and Ladders – I personally think Candy Land is boring…not enough drama!
Disney “Twister”: At first, I was a little annoyed when we got this as a gift. It introduced my kids to WAY too many Disney characters that they didn’t know existed. But, after I decided I didn’t care, it turns out this game is actually entertaining. This game is easy for a kid to set up, is the right size for their little bodies and helps with color and shape recognition as well as stretching the limits of their athletic prowess.
I think that any memory style card game is a worthwhile investment as well. We have a Cat in the Hat one (which can also be used for Go Fish, eventually), you can set it up for as many cards or as little as you want. Helps with memory (right?) and learning numbers/letters/pick your poison.
Next stop UNO!
For those of you wondering what kind of games we adults play post-kiddie-bedtime….
Cards Against Humanity (sans parents)
Battle of the Sexes (hilarious for a group game night)
Blokus (fun strategy game)
Timeline (if you want to feel like a complete moron)
Geek Battle (if you want to feel like a semi-moron but laugh about it)
Happy Gaming!
Note: In addition to ordering these games on Amazon, many are likely stocked by local toy shops Math ‘n Stuff or Top Ten Toys – don’t forget to use your Chinook Book coupons! Or, try to find them used through NE Mom’s yahoo group or Buy Nothing facebook group.