Boardgame suggestions for 4 years and up please!

[marialuisa]

DD's birthday is fast approaching and as "Guess Who" was such a hit at christmas we'd like to buy her a couple more board games. We have the traditional games such as Snakes and Ladders, Ludo etc. but were wondering if there were any other hits with this age group? She has a couple of Orchard Toys games which are lovely to look at and very worthy but not exactly fun!

Have seen something called Cariboo in ELC, anyone played it?

Twister?
Hungry hippos?
not heard of Cariboo sorry

Hi, not played Cariboo, but I think it is by cranium, and can not recommend their stuff enough, I have seen reviews of it on amazon, and think it was popular. We got Cadoo for christmas but think it may be a bit old for her. I know you said you had orchard toys games, some of them aren't that much fun, but we do have 'Dirty Washing' and 'Around the Houses' which my dd adored from age of 4 and will still play now.

I will check their cupboard later and see if there are any others. Good luck and have fun!

Here's teh review from Amazon

Fun: Educational: Durability: Cranium Cariboo, January 6, 2005
Reviewer: A toy enthusiast from London United Kingdom A great game for pre-schoolers. My 3 year old has enjoyed playing Cariboo over and over again and loves the treasure chest opening when he has found all the 6 balls. For young children an adult or older sibling is needed to set up and help play. The 2 sets of cards make it more interesting for older children too - up to 5 yrs.

Tumbling monkeys is very popular with my 3 and 4 year olds. also Buckaroo. and that fishing game where you catch fish with a magnetic line. Mousetrap as well.
none of these are very educational but they have kept my girls happy for hours over the christmas holidays.

Ladybirds and Tummy Ache are both firm favourites with DS

he also loves Pairs and Snap (you can get card packs from ELC

Pop-Up Dragon is also a good one

oh, and Beetle (a Chad valley version of Beetle drive).

Buckaroo, that's what I was thinking of - I couldn't remember it's name!! also do a winnie the pooh/tigger version of this

My 5yo (was 5 in October) loves Junior Monopoly. She put this on her Christmas List after playing it in Reception. When I go into help in the Reception, JM is the one thing that everyone wants to play - these are 4/5year olds.

HTH

My 5yr old loves frustration, he plays it with his big sister. Loves the pop dice and the fact that the counters fit into holes so they dont slide off.

Tummy ache was a fave with ds. Dd loved 'floundering'. Now they're both into chess

Favourites include Guess who, Hungry frogs (Chad valley version of Hungry Hippos), Kerplunk, Spotty Dogs and Mousetrap. Connect 4 might be a good one too.

Big Bad Wolf - my 5 year old loves this but it is an Orchard toys one...

kids charades - also good.

the only trouble with Buckaroo is if your child has a lisp - mine verge between calling it bugger-you and fuckaroo!

Thanks for the suggestions! It could just be that well meaning friends have given her the more worthy Orchard Toys games, we have Cock-a-doodle-moo, Insy-Winsy spider and bus Stop. First 2 are a bit young now.

Don't need to be educational, just fun! i have fond memories of a truly rubbish game called "Build a better burger" which I think she would enjoy.

Ds,age6, got a game called crocodile dentist for xmas. When i opened it i thought it was too young for him,but he and dd,age5, love it! All you do is press down the crocs teeth, and one of them makes his mouth snap shut! Have to admit, even i like it! Makes my two ROFL!!!

Fennel my DS (he's only 3) just calls it "the donkey game" so we don't have that problem.

Cousins kids are 4 and 6. They got junior pass the bomb at Christmas and loved it. What about Connect 4? Kerplunk?

Another vote for Junior Monopoly - a real favourite in this house. It also introduces the concepts of Monopoly, so is a little step towards the adult game.

Personally I have a very low tolerance for the 'fun/exciting' games like Hungry Hippos and Operation

Not a board game as such, but Connect4 is great too.

I'm just going to pop upstairs and see what else is popular.

Btw Junior Cluedo is complete rubbish - so avoid that one!

No inspiration from upstairs! DSs still both love Snakes&Ladders and Frustration - but you have those already.

Ones for the future:- ds2 started playing Battleships at 4.5, and (number) Yahtzee.

"sorry" is good, will last ages but not too hard
"Candyland" very popular in states and needs no reading/numbers but my older ones still quite enjoy it
There are some new girly games that dd (5)loves, one is called something like "fairy charms" where you have to collect trinkets to put on a little charm bracelet, the other is "spinning wishes" both disney princess range by mb games.
"mousetrap"-drives me mad but kids love it!
"whatever next" have to do forfeits like elephant noises,jump like kangaroo etc-kids love that

We got Cranium Cariboo for Xmas and my two DD's love it - aged 2 and nearly 5. They play it differently and it may be quite easy for some 5 year olds but mine likes the fact she doesnt find it too difficult. It's basically a treasure hunt. I would recommend it.HTH

Cheers everyone. Looks as if connect4 and junior monopoly are the way forward!

Roisin-DH holds similar views on "fun" games, aparently Guess Who is developing her reasoning/logic and is therefore acceptable!

Oh definitely! Guess Who is a highly intellectual game

At least now mine are old enough to play things on their own ... I don't object to them playing noisy excitable games, as long as they don't expect me to play! And preferably if they do it out of earshot!

Downfall is great ("I survived") Good fun and involves having to be stategic a bit.