Playing kindergarten and preschool board games with children is an excellent way for them to learn to share and take turns, cooperate with each other, to increase logical thinking skills, and to learn basic math concepts, as well as letters, colors and shapes. Check out some of the great games below and have fun playing with the children.
Don’t feel that you have to let children win every time they play board games. Learning to lose gracefully is a skill that will help them as they progress in life. Choosing cooperative games ensures all players win.
What makes a great board game for young children?
- The instructions are simple
- The game does not depend on reading
- The game is easy to set up
- No batteries needed
- The game builds skills in some way
- The game is constructed of safe, non-toxic materials
- For very young children, the pieces need to be sturdy and easy to grasp
Kindergarten & preschool board games
Hi Ho Cherry-O
is a counting game in which players race to be the first to have 10 cherries in their basket. A spin of the arrow instructs children to pick one, two, three, or four cherries from their tree and put them in their basket. Watch out for the dog, the bird, and the spilled bucket! Colors and parts may vary. No reading required. Includes game board, four cherry buckets and 40 plastic cherries. For 2 to 4 players.
Candy Land The game does not require children know how to read or know numbers. Movement up the board is based on a child being able to recognize colors and symbols. The game is based on chance and a child has the same chance of winning as their older siblings.
Each player tends a small garden composed of four different types of vegetables. The object is for all players to harvest all the vegetables before winter arrives. The game ends when all players harvest all vegetables, or when all six Winter pieces are filled in. The job is to harvest the gardens before Winter comes. A Cooperative kindergarten and preschool board game.
Not exactly a board game but fun to play. Many versions available with a large variety of images. Match pictures and build vocabulary at the same time. Flip over cards, two at a time and try to make a match. Find two of the same cards, and keep them. Includes 72 picture cards and a plastic storage tray.
There are many versions of this kindergarten and preschool board game available.
Children will definitely need help to understand the numbers and the direction of play but it is a good introduction to two digit numbers. As the game can go on for a long time, we used a timer in class to give more children an opportunity to play.
Play a card from your hand, place your chip on a corresponding character on the board…When you have 4 in a row, it’s a sequence and you win! Children learn to use strategies and think ahead after playing this repeatedly.
I recommend reading the customer reviews at the bottom of each of the page links above to see if the game will work for the children in your care.