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Original poster

Games that are hit with 4 year olds?

22 replies

JonahAndTheSnail · 19/12/2022 23:43

Any recommendations? We're spending Christmas with DNiece this year at MIL's house and in the past BIL has been reluctant to let her unpack and play with certain gifts like lego on birthdays due to mess. Is there a little card game or similar that may be fun for us to try?

OP posts:
Smileatthesmallthings · 20/12/2022 00:03

How 'old' is she for 4? At 4.5 my DS was playing uno, nearer 5 we got Dobble but that took a bit longer to get into.

Orchard toys make good games so if she's not really played much I'd go for some of those. I saw some Christmas themed ones in Aldi the other day. We got a present match one for DS at almost 4 and it has a very similar game play to uno so was a good introduction. Snakes and ladders has always gone down well here too.

JW13 · 20/12/2022 00:04

Dobble is a hit (you can also get differeng versions like animals/numbers/characters).

HopRockers · 20/12/2022 00:10

Orchard by Haba is the best but it's a board game so may be too big

Animal upon animal by Haba is a stacking game & takes less space

Mine all loved Sleeping Queens card game from that age too - they can play with their number cards in the open so others can do the addition for them.

A nice copy of Snap would probably fit the bill too.

BirdWatch · 20/12/2022 00:16

Hi Ho Cherry-O is a board game she is the right age for.

iamamincepie · 20/12/2022 00:31

Grabolo.

converseandjeans · 20/12/2022 00:31

Orchard Toys games
Connect 4
UNO
Monopoly (child version)

VintageVest · 20/12/2022 00:37

Sneaky snacky squirrel
Shopping list (Orchard games)
Snakes and ladders
Mr Pop
Pop up pirate
Twister

TerraNostra · 20/12/2022 00:40

I agree with UNO. We just all played with our cards on the table and visible to the other players when DS first started. We helped him now and again. When he was 5 we started hiding our cards. He still can’t hold them in a fan but he usually lays them out on the carpet (we play on the coffee table) and we don’t look. He would regularly beat us.

unlimiteddilutingjuice · 20/12/2022 00:40

Ten Frame Towers is good

MsJuniper · 20/12/2022 00:42

UNO, Dobble, Ladybirds are all great hits with my 4yo and very compact. Or any matching pairs type games.

TerraNostra · 20/12/2022 00:47

I’d avoid the ubiquitous matching/memory games if I were you. The ones where you turn all the cards upside down, turn over 2 at a time, keep them if they match, turn back over if they don’t. They are usually just tie ins to TV programmes or books. Fun once then very boring.

Mousetrap is always a hit but needs a lot of set up.

Avoid Hungry Hippos, I had fond memories from childhood but it’s over so quickly and no skill needed at all.

Top Trumps can work if they can read numbers and recognise simple words, you can help them with the longer words and they quickly get to know the cards.

TerraNostra · 20/12/2022 00:48

Oops cross post @MsJuniper ! Afraid I disagree with you on matching pairs.

desperatehousewife2 · 20/12/2022 05:00

We got Dobble last Christmas which my DD who will turn 5 in February loves. She also loves Frustration, Outfoxed and Junior Monopoly and has been playing those since before she turned 4. This year she and her sister will get Junior Cleudo, qwirkle and Cobra Paw but I’m not sure yet whether she’s going to enjoy these

OrpingtonWings · 20/12/2022 06:33

Follow the Jack is a good first game with a normal pack of cards. You can google the rules. “Too many monkeys” is a great card game too - need to buy the “too many monkeys” pack of cards.

OrpingtonWings · 20/12/2022 06:34

Kersplat is still a firm favourite in our house even though kids are a little older now - but it is a board game rather than a card game.

anerki101 · 20/12/2022 06:37

TerraNostra · 20/12/2022 00:47

I’d avoid the ubiquitous matching/memory games if I were you. The ones where you turn all the cards upside down, turn over 2 at a time, keep them if they match, turn back over if they don’t. They are usually just tie ins to TV programmes or books. Fun once then very boring.

Mousetrap is always a hit but needs a lot of set up.

Avoid Hungry Hippos, I had fond memories from childhood but it’s over so quickly and no skill needed at all.

Top Trumps can work if they can read numbers and recognise simple words, you can help them with the longer words and they quickly get to know the cards.

My 4 yo adores Hungry Hippos! We have to play it about ten times in a row so lasts a while. Though he always cheats 🤣

TerraNostra · 20/12/2022 10:41

anerki101 · 20/12/2022 06:37

My 4 yo adores Hungry Hippos! We have to play it about ten times in a row so lasts a while. Though he always cheats 🤣

Show quote history

How do you cheat at HH? Maybe I’m playing it wrongly!

emmathedilemma · 20/12/2022 10:46

Another vote for Dobble, it's a good one to have for travel / waiting for meals in restaurants etc as it's very compact so easy to take places.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 20/12/2022 10:53

Jenga! My DS was already excellent at this when he was 4, and also liked to build impressive structures with the bricks, and set them up like dominoes. Good for all ages.

yoshiblue · 20/12/2022 16:44

Orchard Pop to the Shops (I have only just managed to prise it off my 9 yo!!!)
Junior Monopoly
Bunny Hop (Ravensburger)
And Uno - the GOAT of games!

nilsmousehammer · 20/12/2022 16:57

Orchard Pigs in Pants gets lots of giggles
Pop up pirate
In the last couple of years B&M have had a marble version of snakes and ladders that has gone down a bomb
Marble runs continue to be the winner every time.

DuchessOfDisco · 20/12/2022 17:19

My 6year olds favourite card game is a simple pairs game. It was only a cheap stocking filler when he was 3 and yet it is his most requested game to play

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