Lil’ CB has been really into board games lately, and now that he’s 4, he’s able to play many different board games, so we’re not just exiled to Candy Land anymore. (Thank goodness!) Board games are such a wonderful way to teach and encourage social skills: turn taking, paying attention, gracious winning and losing, etc. An added bonus is that most board games for young children also include learning components, so they are a great way to promote early skills like counting, letter recognition, and matching. Here are some of our current favorite board games that have gotten lots of good play through this brutal winter!

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Let’s Go Fishin’:This game was a staple in my house and in many of my friends’ houses growing up. It’s fun, silly, and easy to play — sometimes, Lil’ CB will just play it by himself, which is just fine by me! This is a great way to practice hand-eye coordination, not to mention patience!

Spot it Jr: This is a fast-paced game that helps develop visual perception, attention, and fine motor skills. Basically, you have to find something on your card that is also on the center card. The game is organized so that any two cards will have at least one match. The first “spot” a match gets the center card. It’s easy and fun! There also other versions with letters of the alphabet and one for slightly older kids.

Alphabet Bingo: This is a watered down version of Bingo, using a 4×2 board with letters of the alphabet. A great way to practice quick letter recognition. There are also other versions available with numbers and colors/shapes.

Sequence for Kids: Once upon a time, before we had kids, Mr. Cowboy and I loved game nights with our friends. Sequence was always a favorite and while we might not have grown-up game nights as often anymore, we are able to have rousing rounds of Sequence for Kids with Lil’ CB! The game is a bit like Connect Four (another fun game!), but you are dealt cards that indicate where you can lay your chips. It’s a fun way for kids to learn strategy!

Zingo: This game is like speed Bingo, or, like the box says, “Bingo with a Zing!” The little contraption will show 2 Zingo cards at a time, and if you have a matching picture on your board, you need to grab it place it on your board before your opponent does. It’s fast-paced and easy and a great way to practice attention skills and matching. This game also comes in different versions — I’m planning to get the numbers one next!

I Never Forget a Face: There are all sorts of Memory-type games available on the market, but this is one of my favorites, because the cards feature drawings of children from all around the world. The pictures are beautiful and a wonderful way to explore multiculturalism and diversity with your child. Of course, it also boosts all important memory skills!

Trouble: I looooooved this game as a kid, so it’s fun reliving those childhood moments with my own child. Unless I’ve totally blocked it from my memory, the current version of Trouble seems to have some new elements that allow for things like warp traveling. We haven’t played with those elements yet because there’s already enough for Lil’ CB to pay attention to in the classic version! This game is great for number recognition and one-to-one correspondence while counting up to 6.

Gobblet Gobbers: This game is tic-tac-toe with a twist! There are 3 different sizes of “gobblers,” so you can eat an opponent’s piece and take its place, making the game one of higher strategy that just plain old tic-tac-toe.

Hungry Hungry Hippos: This is probably the silliest game ever, but I loved it as kid and Lil’ CB loves it now. This is another one he’ll sometimes play by himself during his rest time. The game is over in less than 2 minutes, probably, but it makes multiple games a cinch and counting out your marbles at the end is a great way to practice one-to-one correspondence while counting objects.

What are some of your favorite board games for kids?