Can you suggest a good first board game for a 4.5 year old

[HuevosRancheros]

Should probably be ashamed to admit this, but I have never played a board game with my 4.5 year old DD.

Think she is ready now.... good enough concentration span, can count, loves trying to read (though only just starting).

I can only think of Snakes and Ladders, but am sure the market must have expanded a bit in the 30 or so years since I first got a board game (there was Ludo on the back of the board, possibly the most boring game in the world!)

So, any suggestions? And preferably something that grownups might enjoy too (or at least be prepared play for an hour or so! )

Oh, and 2 year old DS will be around, so something he could do too, or at least won't destroy, would be great!

have you looked in early learning centre? they used to have great games. a bus stop game we used to play, lasted for years.

Any of the orchard games are pretty good. My ds1 (3.5) has been into games for about a year so we have lots. Some of them are quite basic - heads shoulders knees and toes is a good action one which your 2yo could play with some help. Pop to the shops would be good for your 4.5yo - and isn't too mind numbing.

Here's a link

Hungry hippo's is noisy but fun!!!

My almost 5yo wouldn't sit still for an hour but some of the games she likes:

Pop to the shops
Shopping list
Hungry hippos
pairs
Farm dominios
Sum Swamp

Games I've bought her for birthday next week and Christmas:

Pop up pirate
Zingo
Tummy ache
A game where you wear a headband and collect the right coloured bugs.

Good games for your 2yr to grow into:

Flowerpot game
Ladybird game
Whatever the weather

Look at Orchard Toys for inspiration

X post with everyone!

Orchard toys do a lot of board games for that age but I find them a bit boring for adults to be honest.

If you just want games, try gamewright games- they do card based games and I find them a bit more fun to play along. Take the Cake is a particular favourite in this house.

This is the absolute best board game I have ever come accross for kids from around 2-6 years old:

www.funkymoose.co.uk/toys-games-creative-play/games/the-orchard-game-by-haba

no reading needed and only simple counting, and it's a co-operative game (players against the raven) so no strops about winning, yet it does teach some of the board game skills of turn taking and following (very simple) rules. We live in Germany where every family with young children probably has this game and certainly every Kindergarten. Kids of 3+ can easily play it together without needing an adult, once they've played it a few times so know how it works. It looks expensive but that's probably because of all the wooden fruit.... Ours has been played with regularly and lasted a good 4 years so far, with only a couple of wooden fruit having gone missing (but its no problem to play with a few missing). I recommend it as a first board game, its a classic (if not so widely known in the UK)!

Look for HABA games - it's a German brand, but instructions come usually in 3 languages - German, English and French. My daughter loves the 'Little Orchard' game by Haba, and 'Animal upon Animal'.

Also, we're thinking of getting her "The Children of Carcassonne" this year - we like playing the adult version which is a bit too complicated for her, but the kid's version is said to be a good introduction.

:o widowwadman

Greedy Gorillas
Tummy Ache
Spotty Dogs or Ladybirds (both essentially the same)
Shopping List
Bus Stop
Pop to the Shops (a little more complex than those above)

All by Orchard Toys

Also Snails Pace Race by Ravensburger
Pop Up Pirate

Snakes and Ladders still immensely popular in our house too.

Brilliant, thank you all :)
I shall have a look online later

We have had some of the Orchard jigsaws, and am impressed with quality

You know, we stayed all traditional and started DD off with snakes & ladders at about that age. It was a huge hit, and we've followed it with connect 4. Real traditionalists in our house I think

This year, I'm trying to get my hands on a game called "Sorry" that I used to play with my grandad.

Nothing wrong with the old fashioned games...

(that said, this thread has given me a few things to check out...)

Gosh, I remember 'Sorry', but don't actually remember much about it....
Don't think DD would get Connect 4 yet, but maybe I will get my old Snakes and Ladders out!

She also liked 'playing' (but not really getting the concept of) Guess Who :)

Still remember getting The Game of Life one Christmas. It lasted all afternoon

Sorry!

oh that picture brings me back... I wonder what happened to my Grandad's old one.

Re Connect 4... DD is 5 and it did take a while to help her get the idea, and even now it's a bit hit and miss. She likes making patterns with the counters though!

My two didn't really get Connect 4 till aged about 6, same with noughts and crosses.

How could I have forgotten Guess Who? We've got the travel version, it has been the most used game ever in our house.

Mine also like Coppit, ours is very old, from a charity shop, not sure if it's still available.

We play Snakes and Ladders with two dice (they have to add up the numbers). Good for learning and makes it go a bit faster.

womanintheattic - if you lost a piece of a HABA game email their customer service (there's a contact form on the website) - my daughter lost her Animal upon Animal dice and we got a free replacement in the post within a few days. They're really really nice!

Guess Who, connect 4, Ludo and a slightly more exciting 3d snakes and ladders are all hits with DS1 who is 4.10.

Uno was also a surprise success, but caused a few strops...

Oh really! Thanks Widowwadman that's useful! I keep thinking they'll turn up somewhere, after all the game has never actually left the house... but so far they haven't so that's worth doing!

DD adored Frustration at that age (still does, she is 6 now).

Pictureka is a great game for little kids as well as adults, my two also like junior scrabble and junior monopoly.

Junior monopoly is great, and much better than the original (IMO )

I've bought it for my niece who has just turned 5. It's £7.50 in argos and amazon at the moment.

My two love bingo type games too, the picture ones are great for younger children. They especially loved Wild World Lotto by Orchard

Guess who, but get the electronic one.