Hey there! I’m Ashley, a mom of two little girls, Kylie and Mia. Playing board games and card games used to be something I disliked, but since becoming a parent, I’ve realized the countless benefits of playing games with young children. It’s not just about having fun and bonding, but also developing motor skills, learning rules, and fostering social skills. In Montessori approach, cooperative games are emphasized to promote teamwork and peace. However, traditional games can also be introduced with a focus on good sportsmanship and the process of playing rather than winning. In this article, I’ll be sharing a list of my favorite board games for toddlers and preschoolers, including both cooperative and traditional games. So, whether you’re looking to build fine motor skills or practice turn-taking, I’ve got you covered!
Now, let’s dive into the wonderful world of board games and discover some engaging options for your little ones. We’ll explore cooperative games like Monkey Around, Get Up for Pup, Acorn Soup, Friends and Neighbors, Hoot Owl Hoot, Count Your Chickens, and Snug as a Bug in a Rug. And if you’re interested in traditional games, I’ll recommend favorites like Melissa and Doug Catch and Count Fishing Game, Sneaky Snacky Squirrel, Shelby Snack Shack, Sequence for Kids, Sleeping Queens, and Found It. I’ll also share tips on transforming traditional games into cooperative ones and explain the importance of striking a balance between letting your child win and playing honestly. So, get ready to have a blast with these board games that will entertain and educate your little ones!
Benefits of playing games with young children
Playing games with young children offers numerous benefits for their development and learning. Not only does it provide them with entertainment and bonding time with caregivers, but it also helps them develop essential motor skills, learn rules, and foster social skills.
Motor skill development
Playing games with young children is a great way to promote the development of their fine and gross motor skills. Many games involve actions such as picking up cards or game pieces, moving around the game board, or using fine motor skills to manipulate objects. These activities help children practice and improve their hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and overall motor control.
Whether it’s rolling dice, spinning a spinner, or moving game pieces, these actions require precise hand movements and hand-eye coordination, which are crucial skills for young children to develop. By playing games, children are given opportunities to practice these skills in a fun and engaging way.
Learning rules
Playing games also provides young children with opportunities to learn and understand rules. Games often have specific rules that need to be followed in order to play, and children learn how to listen, interpret, and follow these rules. This not only helps them develop their ability to listen and follow instructions but also teaches them important concepts such as taking turns, waiting for others, and following a sequence of steps.
Understanding and following rules is an important life skill that children need to learn from a young age. By playing games, they can gain experience in understanding rules, which can be applied to other areas of their lives, such as in school, sports, or other group activities.
Fostering social skills
Another significant benefit of playing games with young children is that it helps foster their social skills. Games often involve interaction with others, whether it’s playing with peers, siblings, or caregivers. In these social interactions, children learn how to take turns, share, cooperate, and communicate effectively.
Playing games with others allows children to develop their social skills such as empathy, patience, and good sportsmanship. They learn to celebrate others’ successes, deal with disappointment, and resolve conflicts in a respectful manner. These social skills are crucial for building positive relationships and navigating social situations throughout their lives.
Importance of cooperative games in the Montessori approach
In the Montessori approach to education, there is a strong emphasis on peace education and fostering a sense of community. Cooperative games align with these principles and are highly valued in Montessori classrooms and homes.
Promoting peace
Cooperative games promote a sense of peace and harmony among children. Unlike competitive games where there is a clear winner and loser, cooperative games focus on collaboration and teamwork. In these games, all players work together towards a common goal, and there is no individual winner or loser.
By playing cooperative games, children learn the value of working together, supporting each other, and solving problems as a team. This cultivates a sense of unity, empathy, and respect for others, which are essential for creating a peaceful and inclusive environment.
Encouraging teamwork
Cooperative games provide an excellent platform for children to develop their teamwork skills. These games require players to collaborate, communicate, and make decisions together. They learn to share ideas, listen to others’ perspectives, and contribute their own thoughts and opinions.
Through teamwork, children learn the importance of collective effort and how collaboration can lead to success. They discover the power of working together towards a common goal and experience the satisfaction of achieving something as a team. These lessons in teamwork are transferable skills that children can apply in various areas of their lives, both inside and outside the classroom.
Favorite board games for toddlers and preschoolers (Cooperative)
When it comes to choosing board games for toddlers and preschoolers, there are many excellent options available. Here are some favorite cooperative games that are highly recommended for young children:
Monkey Around
Monkey Around is a fun and interactive game designed specifically for toddlers. It involves drawing a monkey card with an action on it, and players either perform the action together or individually. The goal is to go through all the cards, promoting physical activity and building gross motor skills.
Get Up for Pup
Get Up for Pup is another engaging game for young children. Players spin a spinner to determine the action they need to take while feeding little bones to puppy cards. This game encourages physical movement and hand-eye coordination while promoting empathy and caregiving behavior towards animals.
Acorn Soup
Acorn Soup is a delightful game that introduces young children to the world of cooking. Players use a pot, a wooden spoon, and recipe cards to make different combinations of ingredients. By following the recipe cards, children learn about sequencing, counting, and measuring while developing their fine motor skills.
Friends and Neighbors
Friends and Neighbors is a cooperative game that focuses on emotions and empathy. Players work together to help characters overcome their problems by matching a specific object to each character’s needs. This game promotes emotional awareness, empathy, and social interactions among players.
Hoot Owl Hoot
Hoot Owl Hoot is a cooperative game that involves strategic thinking and problem-solving. The goal is to help owls reach their nest before the sun comes up. Players work together to move the owls to the matching colors on the board, emphasizing teamwork and critical thinking.
Count Your Chickens
Count Your Chickens is a counting and color recognition game suitable for young children. Players work together to collect all the chicks before the fox reaches the farm. This game promotes math skills, teamwork, and teaches children the concept of counting and numeracy.
Snug as a Bug in a Rug
Snug as a Bug in a Rug is a game that focuses on visual discrimination and problem-solving. Players work together to find matching bugs based on their attributes before the stinkbugs take over. This game encourages observation skills, critical thinking, and cooperation.
These cooperative games provide young children with engaging and educational experiences while fostering important skills such as teamwork, empathy, problem-solving, and motor development.
Favorite board games for toddlers and preschoolers (Traditional)
While cooperative games are highly valued in the Montessori approach, there is still room for traditional games in a child’s playtime. Traditional games, which typically involve competition and winners, can teach children valuable life skills when approached with the right mindset.
Here are some favorite traditional board games that are loved by toddlers and preschoolers:
Melissa and Doug Catch and Count Fishing Game
The Melissa and Doug Catch and Count Fishing Game is a classic fishing game where players use magnetic fishing rods to catch and count different colorful fish. This game helps develop hand-eye coordination, counting skills, and color recognition.
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel is a fast-paced game that involves using squirrel-shaped tweezers to pick up and sort acorns. Players take turns spinning the spinner and collecting acorns while practicing fine motor skills, color recognition, and strategic thinking.
Shelby Snack Shack
Shelby Snack Shack is a game where players race to collect bones for their hungry dog. It involves spinning a spinner and making decisions to find the bones, teaching young children about counting, decision-making, and risk assessment.
Sequence for Kids
Sequence for Kids is an adaptation of the classic game Sequence, designed specifically for young children. It involves matching animals on the game board with cards in their hands. This game promotes strategy, matching skills, and critical thinking.
Sleeping Queens
Sleeping Queens is a whimsical card game that requires collecting queens to wake up the sleeping queens from their slumber. Players use special powers and strategy to wake up the most queens, developing memory skills, strategy, and concentration.
Found It
Found It is a search-and-find card game where players race against the clock to find specific objects in a large deck of cards. It helps develop visual discrimination, observation skills, and concentration while adding an element of excitement to gameplay.
These traditional games offer opportunities for fun, competition, and individual success while promoting skills such as hand-eye coordination, counting, strategy, and memory.
Other recommended games for young children
In addition to board games, there are various other types of games that young children can enjoy. Here are some other recommended games that provide unique learning and play experiences:
Memory and matching games
Memory and matching games help children develop their memory skills, visual discrimination, and concentration. These games involve flipping over cards and trying to find matching pairs. They can be played with specially designed matching card sets or even homemade cards with pictures or letters.
Transforming bingo into a cooperative game
Bingo can be transformed into a cooperative game by changing the approach to playing. Instead of competing against each other, players can focus on working together to fill the entire bingo card or complete specific patterns. This cooperative twist fosters collaboration and teamwork.
Classic card games
Classic card games like Go Fish, Old Maid, and Crazy Eights are not only entertaining but also provide opportunities for children to practice counting, matching, turn-taking, and good sportsmanship. These games help develop math skills, memory, and social interactions.
Chess and checkers (with practice)
For preschoolers who show an interest in more strategic games, introducing games like chess and checkers can be beneficial. While these games require some practice and understanding of rules, they can help develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning skills.
Physical games (ring toss, cornhole, bowling for kids, jumbo Jenga)
Physical games such as ring toss, cornhole, bowling for kids, or jumbo Jenga provide opportunities for outdoor play and gross motor development. These games improve hand-eye coordination, balance, and spatial awareness while offering fun and engaging physical activity.
Amazon storefront link
For easy access to the mentioned board games and other recommended games, you can visit our Amazon storefront. This storefront provides a convenient way to explore and purchase the games mentioned in this article, ensuring that you have access to high-quality and recommended options for playing with your young children.
In conclusion, playing games with young children offers numerous benefits for their development and learning. Cooperative games, in particular, align with the Montessori approach to education, promoting peace, teamwork, and social skills. Both cooperative and traditional games have their own unique advantages and can be enjoyed by children as part of their playtime. Additionally, there are various other games, such as memory games, transformed bingo, classic card games, chess and checkers, and physical games, that offer additional learning and play opportunities for young children. By incorporating games into their daily routines, caregivers can provide children with engaging and educational experiences that contribute to their overall development and well-being.