Best board games for 3.5 and 5 year old

[Crazyoldmaurice]

We have a lot of orchard games already. My daughters are really enjoying shark bite, kerplunk and the vintage 90's crocodile dentists with pliers from my childhood.

What games do your children like to play? We have some Xmas money to spend, but there's so many of them I was wondering what others would recommend for similar ages?

Hungry hippos was a fav of mine and I just bought for a 4yr old

snakes and ladders
operation
sneaky snacky squirrel
dominoes (with numbers)

Sorry was very popular with my 4 year old recently.

Pop up pirate, Twister (with help as to right/left hand), Guess Who (probably more for the older one just now).

There's also a brand called Chimp n Zee who I think are discontinued but we've managed to get loads of their games second hand on eBay. The kids absolutely love them, they are sturdy, good quality with simple rules and 3D boards.

Mine really love Don't Wake Dad but the quality of the cards (thin paper, half lost already) puts me off fully recommending it.

Pop up pirate
Peppa Pig Puddle Game
Hungry Hippos
Disney Dash
We have lots of Orchard games but we’ve played them to death

Yes to Pop-Up Pirates
Snap Dragon (Drumond Park games- if you google it, the old card game of the same name comes up).
Candyland
Barbecue Party game
Greedy Granny

Lots of 'cause and effect' games.

Monster Bingo by Orchard Toys was my children’s favourite.

Race to the treasure. It's a cooperative board game so you work as a team.

I would say don't underestimate them. Mine loved proper dominoes from age 3. Even my eldest who has learning difficulties had no trouble with the dots by three.
They also liked draughts, matching pairs, Monopoly, Buy it Right, Trivial Pursuit and simple cards games like pontoon, rummy and whist. The five year old might like to learn chess.

They got a game from Smyths where small balloons are hidden under a box and you have to hammer nails in trying not to burst them . It’s given lots of fun.

Ours still play Loopin’ Louie. Just a game of timing but doesn’t last very long!

my son loved the monkey flip game, pop up pirate, connect 4 and junior scrabble

We have just bought who's who's and a dinosaur buckaroo for our just turned 3 year old, he's loves them

Mine loved Little Orchard and Fish Stix

We got pop up pirates for Christmas and we have to play 'up pop pirates' with my 3 and 6 year old at least 8 times a day. My 3 year old likes shopping list, matching penguins and hungry hippos too.

Ludo

We got super Mario monopoly, my 4 year old loves it! Is a tone down version of the original monopoly

Haba orchard game with the crow.

Mine are 3 and 5, and like the orchard games shopping game, rocket game, dino bingo.

They also like dominos, hungry hippos, room on the broom dragon chase game, snakes and ladders, and the 5 yr old sat through game of life recently!

Banana blast (similar to pop up pirate)
Also a new one for us this Christmas but absolutely loved - Kersplatt!
You basically build 4 play dough figures each, and then have to go round the board (determined by what card you turn over) trying to squash each others characters. So much fun, lots of laughs

Mine are nearly 3 and 6. They both like Dobble, Headbanz and Donk a Dino. The little one needs some help but likes joining in. The 6 year old also likes some adult games like Carcassonne, Risk and Rummikub.

Oh Super Mario Monopoly is going on my DS birthday list!

I look after children aged 7,5 and 3 and they love playing frustration (ludo) and uno. We have the standard uno, rather than the junior version and the three year old can play no problem - she can recognise the colours and numbers, she can't hold the cards in her hand but otherwise she's a ruthless player, who often wins without any allowances being made for her age!!!

Oh yes another vote for dobble!
Just a word of warning, I bought Super Mario monopoly and it was beyond me, never mind the dc!
We attempted it once and it's never been out of the box since