Family board game for 4yo and 8yo

[AnotherSofaDay]

Dds will be 8 and 4.5 at Christmas. I’m keen to find some games that we can all enjoy playing together.
Any suggestions?

I'm told Carcassonne is supposed to be good. They do a kids version.

My 8 and 4yo play eye found it, buckaroo, kerplunk well.

Do they play any games at the moment? 4 is quite young to sit and play a board game so I would go for short games like Dobble or cooperative games like Outfoxed.

Frustration is a simple game a 4yr old could grasp.
Pop up pirate also?

Grabolo
Dobble

I love Labyrinth, I used to play it in the 90s. Bought an old box off Ebay. They sell it new in stores too. It's so fun I still love it in my 30s! It might be a bit too old for your younger one but I bet your eldest will love it and the younger one could play in a couple years.

Ravensburger Labyrinth Game

Labyrinth

Rhino Hero

The Halloween Ticket to Ride is quite good but not very Christmasy!

Carcassonne is good, but possibly a bit tricky for 4 year olds -play in teams and don't do farmers to make it easier (the junior one is ok, but no better than ok) -If you are into Starwars the star wars themed one is actually really good and easier for younger players to "get".

Sushi go is lovely.

I would get something for holding cards for your 4 year old if any of the games involve cards: amzn.eu/d/aktAJkb

This. Labyrinth is the best game of games for all ages. Honestly

Carcassone is a brilliant board game but definitely not suitable for a 4yo. Even an 8yo would probably sruggle with the rules.

There is a junior version My First Carcassone but even that would be too much for a 4yo.

Orchard toys do great games. My DD's liked Party Party Party.

Collaborative games as great. Rather than the kids play each other and one ends up crying they work together. We have beat the ogre but there are loads out there.

Labyrinth!

i agree Labyrinth is the best - we still have my old set.
We do play games together already, mostly orchard games shopping list/giraffes is scarfs type things.
I’m probably being a bit too optimistic in looking forward to things we can all enjoy together, but forward planning and all that.

kerplunk/buckeroo are good shouts and I’ll look at some of the other suggestions

cooperative games are a good idea too, we already having losing dramas

Any more ideas much welcomed, even if just to be parked for another year

Hungry hippos

Junior monopoly is excellent - manageable for younger dc and quite playable as an adult too.

Snakes and ladders is a classic. There’s only luck rather than strategy so the 8 year old has no advantage. And it isn’t endless (give ludo a swerve unless you have a weighted dice and a talent for sleight of hand)

Pop up pirate is along the same lines as buckaroo. A tip is to play it with the objective of setting it off, rather than trying not to, which makes the tension easier to bear.

I’d actually recommend waiting a little longer with the cooperative games if the older dc isn’t very patient with the younger one.

Yes we liked labyrinth. We had to play that the youngest could set their cards out and pick which one to get next bit the older ones had to just go for the top card. Evened things out.

Agree carcassonne is good, the youngest might be a touch young but would still enjoy it I think.

Rhino hero is fun. It is awkward isn't it, you want to include the youngest but you also would rather like your own eyes out than play another orchard toys game. Kingdomino might work?

We did a lot of team work playing things like ticket to ride. Or we played entire gates of catan where dd would merrily collect a herd of sheep while the rest of us actually played. But I think that approach has a lot going for it. They get used to playing haha and at some point the strategy kicks in and they actually play. Like with carcassonne at first they are just putting the pieces together like a puzzle but then they realise what's going on.

When you say Labyrinth, do you mean a junior version?

Mousetrap

We liked Cadoo when ours were that age.

I think proper Labyrinth would be too hard for most 4yos. There is junior version.

Sorry! Is good fun.

Junior Monopoly!!

My almost 4yr old is currently obsessed with ludo, likes snakes and ladders and connect 4 too.

Pairs matching. I haven't been able to beat DD2 since she was about 5, it is her superpower!

Uno Jr, double and dino dump all card games were favourites with my 2 when that age.

Agree!

Ravensburger The Upside Down Challenge Game

My 4.5 year old can play junior Carcassonne and is actually pretty good 🤣 She also loves junior Monopoly, Dobble (especially the themed ones) snake & ladders, Uno junior and ludo.