10 kids games that kids love! Not behind a screen for a while, but playing a nice game. These children's games are perfect for that! This top 10 was compiled by Geert and Marieke (The Games Friends and ex-teachers) and Hans ( game reviewer and father of 2 children).
1. Beavering
From 6 years
In Beverbende, tactics and memory go hand in hand. You have 4 penalty cards face down in front of you, but you can only look at two of them. On your turn, you draw a card and take an action with it. This way you can exchange the card for one of your face-down cards or even influence the cards of the other players. If you have the fewest penalties, you win the round. Beverbende is ideally suited for families with children. Can also be combined with Beaver Clan.
2. Zombie Kidz Evolution
From 7 years
In Zombie Kids, Zombies want to take over your school. Gather your friends for this cooperative game and devise the best strategy together to protect your school. The more you play the game, the more the game evolves. Complete special missions and track your progress with stickers. Open evolution envelopes that change the game. Give your heroes superpowers or mutate the zombies.
3. Smooth Spirits
From 6 years
The house ghost has found an old camera in the cellar of the castle. In doing so, he has put everything on record that he likes to make disappear when haunting… and also himself of course. Unfortunately, the enchanted camera takes many photos in the wrong color. Sometimes the green bottle is white, sometimes blue. When he looks at the photos, he becomes so confused that he no longer knows what to conjure up. Can you help him and name the right object or even make it disappear for him?
4. Ticket to Ride Ghost Town
From 6 years
Ticket to Ride: Ghost Train takes the gameplay of the Ticket to Ride series and adapts it for a younger audience. Generally, players collect float cards, claim routes on the map and try to connect locations such as the Mad Professor's Lab, the Gingerbread House and the Derelict Barn shown on their tickets.
5. Kroko Loko
From 4 years
Kroko Loko is always very hungry. He doesn't care what kind of animal it is, as long as he gets to eat. And the more he eats, the taller he gets! You can feed Kroko Loko by remembering where the correct animal cards are. Who makes the longest crocodile? Kroko Loko is a super fun animal memo game with which young children playfully learn to recognize animals, play together and remember them.
6. Draftosaurus
From 8 years
Your goal in Draftosaurus is to ensure that the dino park attracts the most visitors. To do this, you'll need to set up dino meeples and place them in cages with some placement restrictions. Each turn one of the players rolls a die and this adds a restriction to which boxes each other player can add their dinosaur to. Draftosaurus is a fast and light drafting game where you don't pass a hand of cards to the next player (after choosing one), but a hand full of dinosaurs!
7. First Orchard
From 2 years
First Orchard is a great game from HABA that is specially designed for young children. The game encourages cooperation and helps children develop their motor skills and color recognition. In the game, players must work together to pick ripe fruits before the crows steal them. Players move around the game board with a color die and try to collect the fruits. The game is easy to understand and has no winners or losers, making it perfect for young children to enjoy fun and teamwork.
8. Museum Suspects
From 8 years
Museum Suspects is an intriguing game that takes players on an exciting adventure in an art museum. As detectives, they must solve a mysterious theft by collecting clues and interrogating suspects. The game combines deduction, strategy and memory to unmask the perpetrator. Players must hone their observation skills and make smart decisions to uncover the truth.
9. Dragomino
From 5 years
Dragomino is an enchanting game that takes young adventurers to a magical island full of cute dragons. Players explore the island and try to find and collect dragon eggs. Using strategic choices and a touch of luck, players must hatch their eggs and earn the most points. The beautiful tiles with colorful dragons and the simple game mechanism make Dragomino accessible to children from five years old. The game provides both fun and learning opportunities, as children develop their counting, matching and decision-making skills. Dive into the world of Dragomino and discover the magic of dragons!
10. The Quacks of Kakelenburg Junior
From 6 years
Who will win the big grab race? Kakelenburg is famous for its quack market. But did you know that a big race is held on the day before the market? With your mount you compete against the other players to reach the finish line as quickly as possible! You have to grab food for that. The animals love sugar beets and can therefore run faster. But if you give them dream herb, they become sleepy and sluggish.
Just like with the original Kwakzalvers from Kakelenburg, you have to scrounge for the best ingredients with this junior variant. At certain points in the game you can buy extra food tokens, which you add to your grab bag. Each token has its own effect, which gives all kinds of surprises during the race.
BONUS child's play: Concept Kids
From 4 years
Concept Kids Animals is a fantastic game that introduces children to the world of animals and their characteristics in a playful way. Using colorful illustrations and icons, players must give clues and guess which animal they mean. The game encourages children to use their powers of observation and creativity as they communicate and collaborate.