Supermom In Training: 5 Games for young kids to play

We’re big fans of board games, card games, and the like. They’re better than screen time, they’re great on summer roadtrips, and they are awesome for learning. So here are our 5 favourite games to play.

Uno. We’re all obsessed with this colour and number matching game, and we have all different themed packs of Uno cards (minions, Minecraft, and more). It was an easy card game for my son to learn and pick up, and we have lots of fun with the “tricky” cards (like skipping someone’s turn or making the other player pick up two or even four more cards). The hardest part of Uno for littles: holding all of the cards in his/her hand (the bean used to spread them out on the floor to see em).

Checkers. I didn’t think he’d be able to understand this game when he was younger, but he has always loved playing checkers. It took some practice when it came to learning how to block the other player’s move, but he loves the challenge of learning it. The hardest part of Checkers for a littles: understanding the difference between a regular piece and a king.

Go Fish! We have a great set of Go Fish! cards from Melissa & Doug with actual fish on it – we loved them. They’re much easier to learn with than standard playing cards. The hardest part of Go Fish! for littles: again, holding the cards (Amazon has some cool gadgets for this).

Candyland. This one is a classic with kids. It helps them practice counting and mastering colours. And you don’t have to buy it new – we found ours at a garage sale for $5! The hardest part of Candyland for littles: Resisting the urge to ask for sweets while playing!

The Ladybug Game. The bean got this for Christmas one year, and while it wasn’t one we’d ever heard of, it’s lots of fun. Not only did it help hone his counting skills but learn a bit about nature too. The hardest part of The Ladybug Game for littles: the initial learning of the rules (there’s a few steps to this one).