Great Games for Kids 6 and Under

I wanted to share about some of my favorite games for children – mine are 3 and 5, and all these games would be great for kids 6 and under.

My first favorite is a little hard to find, but worth it!

Cranium Hullabaloo
You can find this on Amazon (note: that is an affiliate link), is the most expensive game on the list with a price of $42.35.  Don’t let the price deter you, though,  because this game will keep your kids entertained FOR HOURS.  It states ages of 4+ but my daughter was able to play at 2 1/2.  The game is simple – an electronic machine tells the children what to do – stand on a yellow, a circle, a food, an animal (they’re all little plastic discs you put on the floor.)  Then it randomly selects a winner.  It’s fun, and because it’s not based on skill, anyone can win – from your 2 year old to your 8 year old!  I also enjoy playing with the kids because it’s an active game – we’re up off the floor and moving around – plus, we all celebrate when the winner is announced, no matter who wins.  It’s a great game, and if your child can understand the instructions, will keep them occupied for a long time!

Peaceable Kingdom / Stone Soup Cooperative Board Game
This game from Peaceable Kingdom, is different than the usual game – it’s cooperative instead of competitive.  Everyone works together to find matching pairs of ingredients for the stone soup before the fire gets put out.  I love that this game emphasizes teamwork and that in order to win, you all have to work together.  If you don’t work together, you will lose.  This is recommended for ages 5+, but again, my daughter (3) can play with my 5 year old.  Peaceable Kingdom also is very ‘green’ in their packaging with recycled content for their boards as well as soy-based inks for printing.  You can buy Stone Soup via Amazon fr $15.99.

Sequence for Kids

This game, while still competitive, is a great way to help children learn about patterns and strategy.  The concept is fairly simple – you need to get four in a row – but of course the cards are random and you never know if you’ll get that final card you need to make your row.  We play with our cards showing, but of course, you can play with them hidden so the other players don’t know what you have.   Like the other games, it’s not a game you’ll be playing for a long time, which is really nice!

What are some of your favorite children’s games?