Best 'proper' board games for 5 and 7 year old?

[BergamotMouse]

Im fed up of orchard toys games. Want something that's a bit more fun for us parents. We know nothing about board games!

We're enjoying uno at the moment but want to branch out from card games to a proper board.

Ones I'm wondering about are:
My first carcassonne
Catan junior
Ticket to ride (junior version)
Junior monopoly.

Interested in other recommendations too. We are happy to pair up with the kids and work together with them so an adult and a child on each team.

Thanks

Lots of good ideas. My two loved Exploding Kittens. Also, this is a genius game that should be far better known than it is: https://www.board-game.co.uk/product/coraquest/

Pm :)

Outfoxed
Ticket to ride London is good too.

I wouldn't bother with 'junior' versions. Board games are so expensive and often the Junior versions are only played a handful of times.

My DD enjoys:

Monopoly
Labyrinth
Dominoes
Dobble
Scrabble
Funny Bunny (highly recommend this - it's very entertaining)
Bananagrams

She is also 5 and needs quite a bit of help with the word games but has got the hang of all the others well and has beaten me (fair and square!) at Monopoly our last two games.

Too many monkeys is a card game but brilliant. Follow the Jack is a great first game with a normal pack of cards.
Rumikub is also great.
Our child of a similar ages plays catan and ticket to ride (as they have older siblings) so I think junior versions of those would be fab.

I think it depends on the child. My 8yo has enjoyed playing 'proper' games like chess, Carcassonne, Risk, Rummikub since he was 5. However, my 5yo doesn't have the patience for this kind of game and is still more on the Orchard Toys-type level.

Set (card game) was one which smells were surprisingly good at as they aren't looking for the same patterns that we do with normal card games. We often lost to the dc when they were 5 or 6.

And once the youngest hits 6 or so Labyrinth is great ( and on a board!).

Junior monopoly and double are winners. And bears and bees card game.

Smalls not smells 😀

www.johnlewis.com/wildcard-games-who-knows-where-global-location-guessing-board-game/p1391384

My DD aged 6 has really enjoyed junior monopoly :)

Agree you don't need the 'Junior' versions ... my DS loved Monopoly from a young age ... still does at 22. Rummikub, Mexican Train, Ludo, Uno. Teach them card games like Whist, Rummy etc.

I’ve not read all the suggestions but two firm favourites with my 7 yr old are

I SAW IT FIRST which is brill because I feel you can play against the kids and really try and on occasion they can beat you.

LABYRINTH this one has passed me by as a kid and we discovered it playing the kids in the next tent in holiday. Takes a bit of getting into but once you have it’s a great strategy game (we have the Pokémon edition)

Outfoxed
Quirkle

Carcassonne
Enchanted Forest
Sleeping Queens
Dragonwood
Rhino Hero Super Battle
Minecraft Heroes of the Village

That's about the right age to start playing chess.

Oh wow! What a lot of messages.

I do kind of agree about not getting junior versions but don't want to put them off with anything too difficult.

I will have a look at all the suggestions listed.

My just turned seven year old doesn’t have a hugely great concentration span but can play (and even win, with generous parents but a not so generous big brother) ticket to ride and we’ve played my first Carcassonne a few times. He can also join in with forbidden island. Qwirkle is ok depending on his mood.

Oh and they’re the perfect age for outfoxxed (but it’s a collaborative game where you always win which is dull). And rhino hero has been a recent hit.

Ooooh! Forbidden Island is a good shout, although it's a little bit old for OP's younger DC just yet. But co-operative games are a great way to encourage people to learn boardgames.

Game of life

Hi @BergamotMouse thanks for posting! I can see you've had loads of great suggestions but thought I'd pop in a link to our page for the best family board games according to Mumsnet users in case it's still of interest. Hope it's helpful, please feel free to let us know if you've any feedback

I agree go for the full version of Carcassonne.

Labyrinth
Dobble
Uno. (the flip version is my favourite)
We had a lovely fun little card game called loot letter than they could manage at that age. You might be able to get it on eBay. Really quick round so good for short attention spans.
They might be able to play yahtzee with help or there are versions where you collect things rather than dealing with numbers.
King of Tokyo is brilliant - it's a push your luck game (like yahtzee) but a bit more interesting. This was our absolute favourite along with Carcassonne.