What is the best way to connect with your children? Play together! Your 4-year-old is finally ready to play more complex family games that they can participate in and enjoy. So if you've been looking for the best board games for 4-year-olds, then you'll love our list! We've got something that's perfect for every skill level, whether your little one is just starting or has already mastered many of these games.
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Category | Image | Product | Features | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Best overall |
| * Exciting domino-like * Adorable theme * 2021 winner of a prestigious award | ||
Best runner up |
| * Super fun * Improves dexterity * Children love it | ||
Best under 15 $ |
| * Boosts hand-eye coordination * Durable * Easy to understand | ||
Best family game |
| * Suitable for a big family * Decent quality and beautiful design * Teaches spatial thinking | ||
Best playdate game |
| * Engaging, fun and easy-to-learn * Challenging enough for preschoolers * For larger playdates | ||
Best cooperative |
| * Not so easy to win * Interesting for adults * Teaches team work and decision-making | ||
Best educational |
| * Great as a first strategy * For 2 players * Teaches spatial thinking, spatial insight, and strategic thinking | ||
Best travel game |
| * Convenient for a car ride * Easy rules for 4-year-olds * A starting point for teaching children strategies like checkers, chess, etc. | ||
The funniest game |
| * Hilarious * Great as an ice breaker for playdates * Improves reaction speed, hand-eye coordination, teaches about body parts | ||
Best easy |
| * Cooperative * Children's favorite * Great as a first board game |
The best overall board game for 4 year olds: Dragomino
In 2021, "Dragomino" received a prestigious award as the best board game for children. The victory is well-deserved as "Dragomino" is an adorable, well-made game where you are looking for eggs with baby dragons inside. There is a lot of luck in the game and some tactics, so 4-year-old kids will feel confident enough to play it. Moreover, this is a domino-style game, which little children usually love, but "Dragomino" is much more exciting and interactive.
And finally, this is a kid's version of the wildly successful "Kingdomino." So, every "Kingdomino" fan with little kids must have "Dragomino" to enjoy this game with the little ones. And most importantly, adults will not get bored playing "Dragomino" with their kids, making it perfect for a fun family game night.
Game time: 20 min
Number of players: 2-4
Rules:
"Dragomino" is a color-matching game with a domino twist. Unlike domino, there are just simple terrain patterns, so it is pretty easy to match for a 4-year-old. So, each time you pick a domino, you try to match it to the other dominoes that already have been played. This way, each time you get a match, you score one egg. However, the age can either be with a dragon inside or empty. But only the whole eggs are counted for points. At the end of the game, whoever has the most points, is the winner.
Game benefits:
"Dragomino" is perfect for introducing your 4-year-old to board games. It is bright and engaging, so a child will stay focused on playing. Also, it is simple and easy-to-understand, so that a typical 4-year-old will understand it fast, as, at this age, kids tend to be sensitive to the competition and can be quickly discouraged from playing.
The game teaches children more complex color-matching, tactics, and even some strategy. However, the strategy part will be available for older kids. That is why the game is beneficial for older siblings as well.
The best runner up: Rhino Hero
A huge hit between children for the last couple of years, "Rhino Hero" is a dexterity game that seems to be a love child of "Uno" and "Jenga." This award-winning game is challenging to all family members because it is much more challenging to take the rhino from some rooms for the large adult hands. Especially after a few beverages. the game is compact and can be played anywhere; its format and size are convenient for traveling. "Rhino Hero" is incredibly fun for all the players and beneficial to children's development!
Game time: 15 min
Number of players: 2-5
Rules:
players stack walls and roof cards to build a tower. The winner will be the player with the least amount of cards when the tower crashes to the ground, or the one, who puts their last roof card on the top of the tower. There are also action symbols on the roof cards. For example, the card symbols tell when the rhino should go up in the tower, or when you skip your turn, etc.
Game benefits:
"Rhino Hero" improves hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, dexterity, self-control.
The best family game: Tsuro of the Seas
Who doesn't like mazes? "Tsuro of the Seas" is both fun and exciting for 4-year-olds that fosters many cognitive skills. Adults love this game as much as children. Moreover, this game enables up to 8 people to play simultaneously, which is excellent for larger game nights with family or friends. Also, "Tsuro of the Seas" is beautifully designed and well-made, making it a worthy investment into quality family time.
Number of players: 2-8
Game time: up to 20 min
Rules:
the game wins the last person who stays on the board. By creating paths with path tiles, you eliminate your competitors by sending their dragon's paws off-board. At the same time, you must avoid the dragon's paws of other players to stay on the board for as long as you can. As the game goes, avoiding your competitors becomes more and more challenging.
Game benefits:
as this is a maze game, "Tsuro" helps children promote their spatial perception and spatial insight skills, as well as some thinking-ahead, although we wouldn't expect much of strategizing from a 4-year-old. The rules are straightforward, so preschoolers will quickly grasp them. Also, the game is fast, so little ones will focus on playing without being overtired at the end.
The best board game under 15 $: Jenga
A classic stacking game is very convenient for playing with preschoolers as there are just a few rules, and the game is very hands-on, without any abstract concepts. Moreover, little kids love stacking, so "Jenga" comes naturally to them. You can play "Jenga" as a family, but kids can use it in their free play as well. It doesn't get old and is undestroyable. So the game is a good investment for a bit of money.
Number of players: 1+
Game time: 5+ min
Rules:
pull out a block from a stack without knocking it off. Whoever crashed the stack lost the game.
Game benefits:
"Jenga" promotes hand-eye coordination, an accurate eye, fine motor skills, dexterity, as well as planning skills, focus, and self-control.
The best playdate board game for 4-year-olds: Monza
Kids, both boys and girls, enjoy every minute of this racing game. "Monza" is easy-to-learn but challenging enough for 4-year-olds. Unlike many other games, where the usual number of players is 2-4, this game allows up to 6 players. Moreover, kids from 3 to 6 years old will love it, making "Monza" the perfect match for playdates of 3-6-year-olds.
Number of players: 2-6
Game time: 15 min
Rules:
to win the game, your car has to make a complete circle around the race track. The track is divided into sections of different colors. Dice in this game have corresponding colors, and by rolling six dies, you get the color sections on which your car can move along the track. Rules are straightforward so that every 4-year-old will understand, but still, there is some strategy in this game.
Game benefits:
the game mainly teaches color-matching, but most 4-year-olds are already familiar with most colors. Nevertheless, the game is excellent for teaching children planning and tactic decision-making.
The best cooperative board game for 4-year olds: Race to the Treasure
Having a similar core concept to "D&D", "Race to the Treasure" is an engaging cooperative game interesting to all family members. This game is not easy to win, so a family can team up, work toward one goal, and enjoy the victory. Racing against ogres is fun and unlocking the treasure at the end is thrilling. "Race to the Treasure" won several well-deserved awards!
Game time: 20 min
Number of players: 2-4
Rules:
your team must get to the treasure before the ogre. For this, you build a path with tiles that you or your teammates randomly draw from the pile. But be careful; you may also draw an ogre tile, which brings him closer to the treasure! A team must collect three keys that unlock the treasure and build a path to this treasure to win the game.
Game benefits:
even though the manufacturer claims that "Race to the Treasure" is a strategic game, there is a strong luck component. So, the game doesn't improve strategic thinking or planning skills. But it is such a fun game, and children enjoy playing it so much that it is a true must-have in your board game collection.
This game teaches cooperation and teamwork, and shared decision-making. Such skills play a significant role in the development of social-emotional intelligence.
RELATED: Top 10 Emotional Intelligence Activities To Raise Healthy And Successful Kids
The best educational board game for 4-year-olds: Quoridor Junior
"Quoridor Junior" is a great game to improve important cognitive skills. Most 4-year-olds are ready to play even the adult version of "Quoridor." The only problem is that it looks boring to them. "Quoridor Junior" is much more attractive and engaging for 4-year-olds so that they would play more readily.
Number of players: 2-4
Game time: 15 min
Rules:
the goal is to reach the opposite side of the board. You can either make a move with an animal toward the aim or block your competitor's animal with bushes and complicate their way to your side of the board. The rules are straightforward, and can a child can learn them through play.
Game benefits:
"Quoridor Junior" promotes strategic thinking, spatial perception, and planning skills. This game is a great first strategy that prepares children for chess.
The best travel board game: Tic-Tac-Toe (magnetic)
This classic game is usually a big hit between 4-year olds. Magnetic "Tic-Tac-Toe" has very sturdy pieces, and it sticks well to the box, making it very convenient for a car ride.
Number of players: 2
Game time: 5 min
Rules:
a typical 4-year-old can play tic-tac-toe right away after hearing the rules once. Though, they might need some help occasionally.
Game benefits:
tic-tac-toe is a starting point for teaching your child strategic thinking. After mastering tic-tac-toe, or at least understanding the rules well, a child is ready to move to more complex board games like checkers, "Quoridor," and later chess.
The funniest game: Dancing Eggs
This game is a fantastic ice breaker for playdates or just for a fun family evening. It is a hilarious, dynamic, and active game that children love so much.
Number of players: 2-4
Game time: 15 min
Rules:
roll the dice and see what action symbol appears on them with the eggs you need to take. There are lots of them: shout "click-click-click," throw a rubber egg, place an egg between your knees, etc. When one of the players drops an egg, the game ends. Then the points are calculated, and whoever got the highest number wins.
Game benefits:
"Dancing Eggs" is a highly dynamic game that promotes reaction speed, hand-eye coordination, and understanding of body parts and where they are.
The best easy board game for 4-year-olds: My First Castle Panic
An entry-level cooperative game that you can easily explain to your 4-year-old. This game has elementary rules, but it is still enjoyable and exciting for preschoolers (especially the moment of throwing a gobbling into the dungeon). There is hardly any strategy in this game, however. We recommend "My First Castle Panic" for a 4-year-old that has never played any of the board games before.
Also, 4- to 5-year-olds become very competitive, and they freak out when someone else wins the game. Playing such a cooperative game will be a brief relief for their ego as they can share their loss or victory. In this way, you can gently teach your child that losing is not the end of the world, and you can go through the loss together peacefully.
Game time: 15 min
Number of players: 2-4
Rules:
you put three monsters at the beginning of the path. Then you and your teammates draw a card, and if someone has a hero card that can catch a monster, you catch it and put it in jail. Then you draw another monster token from the pile and put it to the start.
When gobbling lands at the starting point, all the goblins on the board move towards the castle. Then you try to catch another monster with your superhero card. And so on. Some of the goblins have special powers, so they can move quicker on the board, complicating the game a bit.
Game benefits:
the game teaches mainly teamwork, colors/shapes matching, and prepares little ones for playing an adult version of the classic old "Castle Panic" game.
FAQ
1. Can 4 year olds play board games?
Absolutely! 4-year-olds' brains are mature enough to stay focused for a short time, follow the rules, and even apply some strategy and tactics in their play.
Playing board games with 4-year-olds is a great way to get the whole family together. Board games teach them new skills and foster social development, engagement, and collaboration with others.
Also, this is an excellent opportunity for parents to spend quality time with their children that doesn't involve screens!
2. What are good 4 year old games?
Depending on the goal of playing, there are several great games for this age. Cooperative games will be helpful for a quiet family evening without the "who won" drama and siblings' arguments. Educational board games are excellent when you need to prepare your child for kindergarten. Strategic games like checkers boost a child's cognitive development. Also, there are life-saving board games when you host a playdate in your house. The absolutely best board games you can find in our comprehensive list above.
RELATED: Kindergarten Readiness: Check & Prep At Home
3. Are there board games for toddlers?
There are many fantastic board games for 2-3-year-olds that do not require much rule-following and can be learned through play. We have a comprehensive list of board games for 3-year-olds here.
However, toddlers can successfully play even some games from the list above. For example, "Jenga" is simple enough for 3-year-olds to get the rules; they will love stacking and knocking off the tower. Or cooperative games like "My First Castle Panic" you can explain to a 3-year-old and help him during the play.
As for the 2-year-olds, Djeco games like "Little Balancing," "Little Memo," "Little Cooperation" are the best. Also, check out Haba games for 2-3-year-olds, which always have great quality and are very simple. For example, "My Little Orchard" is a cooperative game for children 2+, but you can play it even with some of the younger children.
RELATED: Board Games for 3 Year Olds – Top 10 Winners in Review
Conclusions
At the end of a long day, there's nothing more heartwarming than playing with your little ones. But if you want to make memories that will last for years and help them develop skills like patience, problem-solving, and creativity, in addition to building strong family bonds, then knowing what games are best is crucial.
In this blog post, we've listed our favorite board games that have been proven to be perfect for 4-year-olds -whether they're just starting out or already an expert! So grab your child (or children) today and get started on making those warm family memories together. Which game from this list do you think would suit your little one's skill level?
Have any favorites? Let us know!