Save me more disappointments - board games for 4yr old

[SkyLarkDescending]

I would love some suggestions for board games/turn taking games for my DC, 4yr old.

I bought pop up pirate recently as I never got to play it as a child and always wished I had it. Well it was most definitely a disappointment - both DC and me got bored very quickly. I'm looking at more classics like mouse trap and operation - all games I had and loved but I'm not sure. I don't want to commit if they are going to get shoved in the cupboard in January!

I have DC, 2.5yr old also so bonus points for anything that is suitable for both of them.

Please give me your suggestions!

Guess Who is enjoyed by both the 4YO and us because she’s just hilarious when playing it. It’s the having to tap down the ones that DONT have blonde hair etc, she gets in a right pickle. Or asks pointless questions. Or just tells me about her person “Mummy, I’ve got a blonde man”. It’s a right giggle though!

MouseTrap - 3 hours to set up, 1 minute to play. Don't bother!

Ds has a peppa pig muddy puddles board game that I got from a car boot that he absolutely adores
We’re also a big fan of the orchard games, all the ones we’ve tried are very good! His favourite is the football snakes and ladders, and the shopping list game.
Hungry hippos and buckaroo are also ok but not a favourite!

Connect 4 and guess who definitely.
Not a board game but Dobble is great and I think DS started playing that around 3.
I bought Junior Cluedo last Christmas as love the original but it’s rubbish, only played once.

@2020isnotbehaving

Cheating at connect 4… not blocking them when they have 3 in row and look surprised when they win

You're a better parent than me. I play to win!

https://www.argos.co.uk/product/7033252?istCompanyId=a74d8886-5df9-4baa-b776-166b3bf9111c&istFeedId=c290d9a9-b5d6-423c-841d-2a559621874c&istItemId=ixwlipxtt&istBid=t&&cmpid=GS001&$ja=tsid:59157%7Cacid:629-618-1342%7Ccid:9560115724%7Cagid:101739079607%7Ctid:pla-1143808890679%7Ccrid:422913087093%7Cnw:g%7Crnd:9670197455654176950%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:%7Cmt:%7Cloc:1007204&utmmsource=Google&utmmedium=cpc&utmmcampaign=9560115724&utmterm=7033252&utmmcontent=shopping&utmcustom1=101739079607&utmmcustom2=629-618-1342&GPDP=true&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8eOLBhC1ARIsAOzx5cEXQphpYBni83fLY1WprPEMgC9pJPYwVkVtb5j0aYm55wDFu6RNIAaAm-yEALww_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This is really really good. Cheap, compact and various games of different difficulty and types for the easily bored. We've had it for 3 years and it's still the first thing DD goes for if she goes to pick a game.

Hoot Owl Hoot is a lovely cooperative game that your youngest could help with too.

The Orchard games are great - Tummy Ache, Three Little Pigs and Shopping List are favourites here.

Junior Monopoly is very good.

Most popular from age 3 to now (6) have been
Feed the Woozle
And
Pizza pizza
Both involve some gross out humour but they are fun.

I Found it- we have the disney version. Its a big board and all players have to find as many objects e.g dogs as they can before the timer runs out.

Tumbling monkeys (like Kerplunk). Pelmanism (yy to Orchard games). Snakes and ladders.

Orchard games definitely. All the classics are too much for 4yos. Wait til they are an older 5. Honestly you will save yourself a lot of woe and tears.

We have a game called Dont Drop the Penguin (I think). Its a frame holding little plastic "ice cubes" that all fit together and make a platform for the penguin to stand on. Players take turns to pick axe a block of ice, trying to avoid dropping the penguin.

Perfect for the age of your children, and actually quite tense when the penguin is precariously balanced on an ice block which is about to go at any moment.

Orchard games for that age. There's a big range of them

Hungry hippos is incredibly loud. I made the mistake of buying it for DD when DS was born as she'd been asking for it for about a year. Stupidity

I'm going to add to the Funny Bunny suggestions. Really simple. No dice just cards. Bit of mild peril as your bunny may end up falling down a hole or being pushed off when the carrot turns. Not good for emotional kids who can't cope with that peril though. I have one child who loves it and one who can't bear it for that reason.

Max the cat is an amazing game. It's a cooperative game so you all can work together. And it can involve strategy so will grow with the child. I find it fun to try and win.

myriadonline.co.uk/max-deluxe-version-p-41335

My SD loves Funny Bunny :)

PS. Funny Bunny suitable for both I'd say

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz. Don't drop Chase is the Paw Patrol version of Don't drop the pengiun and is incredibly popular here. Just right for a 4yo.

WHOT is a great card game - like a simpler version of UNO although I think it predated Uno.

If you go for Kerplunk or Mouse Trap I suggest trying to find them vintage on ebay. The new ones fall over the moment you breathe on them!

4 is a little young for a lot of games but DGS loves snappy sharks, a cheaper version of hungry hippos. I've bought both Inky's fortune where you have to wiggle gems from the octopus

We had a civilised afternoon last weekend where my 5yo and 2yo played this really nicely with me. My little one isn’t the best with shopping list but found this one more accessible: www.orchardtoys.com/buy/llamas-in-pyjamas-mini-game_372.htm

The 5yo loves junior monopoly but can’t play it with the younger one around.

I have a 5year old and a just-turned-3 year old. Popular games here:

• Soggy Doggy - both absolutely love that.
• Hungry Hippos - both love it and 3yo has been playing it easily since last Christmas.
• Fishing Game (think thats what it's called - magnetic fish turning round and you have to catch them with a little fishing rod) Again both children have been able to play that properly for a while now.
• Don't Drop ... we have the Chase (from Paw Patrol) one but there are other variations depending on interests.
• Top Trumps Match board game. We have the Mario one and both play it together all the time!
• Dominoes. We have Peppa Pig ones and both like them.
• Snakes and Ladders, 5yo loves it but 3yo doesn't really play properly yet but we let him have a counter and just move it around willy-nilly while we play properly. Also let him do all the dice rolling.
• Lots of the Orchard Games. Any of the matching/memory/lotto ones are good for both ages. Also Bus Stop (similar to snakes & ladders - just let little one just drive the bus around and do the spinning).

My 5yo has only just started to get the hang of Guess Who. And Connect 4 is banned because it always ends in an argument in our house (so I've not even dared attempt Monopoly!)

Stinky Pig is a brilliant game - it doesnt have a board but it involves taking turns and points

Players sit in a circle and pass a pig around - the pig sings a (slightly creepy) tune. Who ever is holding the pig when it farts has to take a counter. Roll the dice to decide which way the pig goes next. Sometimes you roll a bonus which means you pass your counter to someone else.

The loser is the one with the most counters at the end.

Bata-waf by Djeco is a card game that has been a big hit with my kids and is fun to play as an adult. It’s simple to play and doesn’t require children to be able to read. It’s ages 3-6 but my 7 year old still enjoys playing.
Bata-waf

Yam’s Junior (also by Djeco) is a lovely Yahtzee style dice game matching animals that we enjoy playing and also as a bonus doesn’t take up too much space in the games cupboard!
Yam’s Junior

I have found games from Smart Games to be fabulous. They are mostly single player games, but there are also some family games. With the single player games I sit with my daughter and talk to her and discuss while she plays. I also enjoy playing the games myself! The quality of the playing pieces is excellent and the problem solving elements make the games very engaging. They have lots of different games but Little Red Riding Hood is one that we’ve particularly enjoyed.