10 Best Board Games for 5-Year-Olds
Updated 28 October 2020
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Author
Daniel is our primary content producer here at TheToyZone. He is a big kid at heart and a self confessed geek. His mission is to find toys that kids will treasure, researching and writing about toys he wants to play with himself.
5-year-olds can get a lot more out of playing board games than just having fun. At this age, they are learning new skills in their development like verbal communication, sharing, and teamwork. Playing board games with friends and family encourage these skills and teach children about the pleasures of competition.
“But there are thousands of board games out there!” you scream. We’re here to help you choose the right one. Our list of the 10 best board games for 5-year-olds was compiled using endorsements from real people and eliminating any with fake reviews. Including a range of different budgets, we’ve got old classics and new games that are perfect for 5-year-olds to play with their peers, parents, and grandparents.
1HABA Monza - A Car Racing Beginner's Board Game Encourages Thinking Skills - Ages 5 and Up (Made in Germany)
This game brings together different types of games for kids to enjoy in a single board game. It includes a racing aspect, dice rolling, and easy-to-follow instructions that make it excellent for younger children.
What we love
- Uses color dice instead of traditional numbered dice
- Includes a challenging game variation for those that need something extra
What We Don't Like That Much
- It can be difficult to find replacement dice if any are lost
2Peaceable Kingdom Race to the Treasure! Beat the Ogre Cooperative Game for Kids
This board game provides kids with the entertaining challenge of racing for various treasures through a mystical and peaceful kingdom. Plus, unlike other board games, this one allows kids to team up in pairs, which makes it easier for multiple players to play.
What we love
- Comes with a challenging mode to help teach them how to strategize
- Instructions are easy-to-follow
What We Don't Like That Much
- Although kids can team up, the game still only is suited for 2 to 4 players or teams
3Ravensburger World of Disney Eye Found It Board Game for Boys and Girls Ages 4 and Up - A Fun Family Game You'll Want to Play Again and Again
This board game is designed to help kids pay closer attention to detail, and they get to play as some of their favorite Disney characters. The rules of this game are easy to follow, which makes it one of the best board games for 5-year-olds.
What we love
- Designed to help kids with critical thinking skills like memory, object identification, and matching
- Made from high-quality materials
What We Don't Like That Much
- Would be convenient if the spinner were placed on the game board
4Winning Moves Games Classic Trouble Board Game, 1176
Trouble is a classic board game that is designed to be entertaining, and it can help kids with simple counting. Unlike other games, it uses magnetic pop dice in the middle, which makes it easy to play on-the-go without having to worry about losing the dice.
What we love
- Game board is made from high-quality plastic material
- Fully assembled upon arrival
What We Don't Like That Much
- The peg pieces are small which may be a choking hazard
5ThinkFun Robot Turtles STEM Toy and Coding Board Game for Preschoolers - Made Famous on Kickstarter, Teaches Programming Principles to Preschoolers
This is an entertaining board game that is designed to help teach younger children the principles of programming while being fun. It provides easy to follow instructions, which makes it suitable for younger children.
What we love
- Designed to challenge children’s STEM skills
- Works as a functioning toy after the learning opportunity
What We Don't Like That Much
- Game goes by really fast
6Scrabble Junior Game
Scrabble is a popular word-smith board game that has been loved by generations, and this version was designed for younger children. It is designed to help them grow their vocabulary.
What we love
- Game board can be flipped over for a more advanced version
- Designed for 2 to 4 players
What We Don't Like That Much
- The letter pieces could be thicker
7Gamewright Outfoxed! A Cooperative Whodunit Board Game for Kids 5+, Multi-colored, Standard, Model Number: 418
In this board game, kids are supposed to help outfox the villain fox and keep him from wreaking havoc in the world. It is designed for cooperation, and it has instructions in other languages to make it excellent for most kids, regardless of their native language.
What we love
- An easy-to-play game and allows for 2 to 4 players
- Encourages cooperation between players to win
What We Don't Like That Much
- This game uses unique dice, which can be hard to replace
8HedBanz Junior Family Board Game for Kids Age 5 and up
This game is a fun guessing and question game. The object of the game is to guess the animal you are wearing on your head (with the supplied headbands) by asking questions. It forces kids to use logical reasoning to think of different yes or no questions to help describe and think through which animal they are wearing.
What we love
- Headbands are made from high-quality non-toxic material
- Comes with 32 animal cards to increase variety from game to game
What We Don't Like That Much
- Headbands only come in one size
9Fireside Games My First Castle Panic
In this board game, kids can fight to save their castle as mystical creatures, all within a short playtime. It doesn't require any reading, which is excellent for young kids, and it is designed to entertain and educate children from preschool age and up.
What we love
- Uses shapes and colors on the cards instead of words
- Illustrations on the game pieces are exquisite
What We Don't Like That Much
- It could use more 3D elements
10The Game of Life Junior Board Game for Kids Ages 5 and Up, Game for 2-4 Players
The Game of Life has been a classic board game for generations, and this version is designed more for smaller children. It uses younger and more fun game pieces, and the cards and spaces are more realistic for younger kids to relate to.
What we love
- The pieces are made from high-quality and durable materials
- Has more relatable action cards for younger children
What We Don't Like That Much
- Doesn’t exactly follow the same instructions as the classic version
