Family board games

[NerosFiddle]

I'm looking for a board game, or a game in general that I can play with the whole family. Dc will be 3 and 4 years old at Christmas and there will also be adults. Tia.

For DC of those ages, something simple like Coppit or good old Snakes and Ladders might be good? The 3D version of Snake and Ladders was a big hit with us - can't tell you how many times we played it, well worth the £5.99 price tag!

https://www.smythstoys.com/uk/en-gb/toys/games-puzzles-and-books/board-games/preschool-board-games/3d-snakes-and-ladders/p/110022

At that age my DC absolutely adored to play any of the Orchard Games offerings like 'Pop to the Shops', '3 Little Pigs' or 'Bus Stop'.
https://www.orchardtoys.com/buy/pop-to-the-shops-board-game_26.htm

They are big gangly teenagers now and still love a family board game night, albeit with slightly more sophisticated games these days!

@ChequerBoard thank you. The 3D snakes and ladders looks like a good bet.

Junior Monopoly

“Kersplat” is a great game - is like “frustration” (another good game) but with playdoh. When you start playing you think it will take a while but the board quickly gets filled with “kersplat-ted playdoh” so it speeds up and finishes quickly.
We also enjoy playing the card game “follow the jack” - rules can be found on google and just play with a normal pack of cards. Works for all ages in our household. We are strict through - the kids have to play the full rules like everyone else. A few tears in the first few games but they quickly learn turn taking and to celebrate others wins etc.
Oh also “Too many monkeys” card game. You have to buy the actual cards rather than play with a normal pack. Ours could give that game a go from 2 years old.

Dobble is good and you can adapt how hard it is (by giving more cards to adults) so works as a game for kids and adults. Id probably go with Dobble Kids at that age.

Enchanted Forest and Junior Labyrinth work ok too as long as the dc have slightly different rules (basically we let young dc try their moves out or check their trees before committing to them).

Dragomino is an excellent game, as is Tumble Tree. Both have been a huge hit in our house (DC ages 4 and 8) and we’ve not had tears over either yet (which is a winner in my book) and are playable by adults without losing the will to live!

Junior Labyrinth was a hit here for DS when he turned 6. DD (3) also likes it, though she has no idea about the rules, she just moves the maze around).

Junior Castle Panic is also good. It's cooperative, so you have to work as a team, which is good with little ones as you can help them with the rules.

If you're looking for xmassy kind of games normally in most shops there will be something like

Tin can alley style knock down target with fake snowballs

Pin the carrot on the snow man

You could have teams who have 1 minute to turn someone into a snowman - wrap them up in loo roll, stick on a hat and scarf

Frustration is good and enjoyed by all ages. Zingo is really good too, a picture bingo game my dd still loves it and shes 7 now

Busy town eye spy is a great game for this age.

My first carcassone is a great game for children and adults alike.
My 4 year old got it last year and loved it. We played it when they went to bed too

Thanks for all your help. Im looking at them all. Some I think will be too complicated for them, but they'll be good in a couple of years time.

I second the Orchard games. Favourites here were (and still are) Pop to the Shops, Catch and Count and Crazy Chefs.

Junior Monopoly is excellent, as is Junior Game of Life (with help reading the cards).

I'm not a fan of 3D Snakes and Ladders. It's already a classic game. We got a really nice wooden set on Amazon for £13. It's sturdy and built to last.
www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0026XRBF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dfQuFbG9H32RA?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Reading this thread with interest as we enjoy board games. DS2 also loves card games, so this summer has been fun teaching him things like Black Jack, Rummy, 21s.

Taco cat got cheese pizza - hilarious game and lots of fun
My little scythe
Labyrinth

we didn't get much use out of many of the junior games - we had junior monopoly, labyrinth and bus stop (orchard toys). Of them all junior monopoly was the best.

DS got Frustration when he was 4 and that was a huge hit (once he didn't get so upset about people knocking him off the board.

The absolute star of the bunch was Ticket to Ride Europe First Journey i.e. junior version. It's a shorter faster version of the adults - takes about 15 mins - DS could play it at about 4.5 and soon started beating us regularly!

3 and 4 year olds won't be able to play half of these suggestions.

The orchard shopping trolley game - yes
Labyrinth- no

Rapidough (a bit like pictionary: making pictures out of playdough, but you might have to make some simpler rules/cards).

Dobble and Snap also possibilities?

Oh and Jenga, Pop up Pirate and Hungry Hippoes!

We have pop up pirate for our 4 year old and he loves it, games such as snap are good and he’s been playing since he was about 3. Also stuff like matching games, he’s got a Peppa pig one which is good. We were looking at buckeroo for Xmas and hungry hippos (although reviews all seem to mention the games broke easily), I’ve also seen one with a crocodile and you have to push his teeth down without him shutting his mouth? Can’t remember what it’s called. Also looking at games like kerplunk but it does involve marbles. Not sure if your youngest can be trusted to not eat them.

Agree with PP I think some of these games are very advanced for 3/4 year olds. I doubt mine would play monopoly!

Oh yeh buckeroo is great!

Also maybe this one www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07T1WB4F8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_OEivFb49ACNJV?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

If it's kids and adults could you have teams? We play santorini in teams as otherwise adults will get bored of all kids games.

Mine are 5 now but at 5 they loved Jenna, dobble, childrens charades, snakes and ladders and junior monopoly. Some if these might be a bit old for the 3 year old or you might need to team up.

We've also got this really silly game called would you rather which has 2 equally bizarre statements and you have to pick which you'd prefer. We all find that quite fun!

Othello- might not seem an obvious one for little kids, but mine started playing it about that age, and still love it now going into high school.

Orchard toys games are great for those ages. Shopping list, pizza pizza.

Also look at HABA games. They have some great ones. We have animal upon animal and the unicorn one. They’re usually on amazon.