Best first board games etc for 4.5yo and 3yo?

[franch]

The three of us just had a great game of Tummy Ache but that's pretty much all we've got apart from Snap - what else should I get?

Snakes and Ladders! Goes down a storm with my two (5 and 4). They can be a little 'creative' with their interpretation of the rules, though.

Was just about to suggest snakes and ladders too, particularly a large board (easier for littler ones to move their counter along).

Hungry Hippo
Thomas Busy Trucks

Orchard Toys (who do Tummy Ache) have a whole range of games suited to this age group.

Agree with snakes and ladders, my 2 love ELC honey bee tree (sort of KErplunk), Thomas round the tracks game, Cinderellas glass slipper game, crunching crocodiles, manic martians, hooked (sort of fishing game)any sort of Beetletype game and Guess who? I have to say most of these have a limited appeal to any one over 10!

Dominoes are really good, although may be a little difficult for your younger one...?

yep, snakes and ladders. DS (3.5) obsessed with it. In a desperate bit to get him to play something else I bought travel Ludo (also very successful, particularly the glee at sending other people's counters back to base) and battleships while on holiday. Battleships very popular, but subject to a lot of cheating by peering over the partition thingie in the middle.

there is also a dreadful Orchard Toys one called "shopping basket" or similar, which I cannot stand but DS seems to like. But not on a par with snakes and ladders or ludo.

LOL dd loves the shopping game too! Another vote for orchard games here.

dd is obsessed by the shopping list one, we also have crazy chef.

pop to the shops, washing machine game, ludo

Right - am going to start with the Orchard shopping game (pop to the shops?), and a big snakes & ladders and ludo.

Thanks

Pop to the shops will be too hard for little ones at the moment I would think. You need to work out change, etc. The shopping list one is more fo 3/4 year old.

Just looked them up and worked that out! Thanks hula

Hungry Hippos (although not strictly a board game)

my first monopoly is good
manic martians
connect 4
snakes and ladders

I can highly recommend Captain Bones Gold - rules are v simple. You have to get round very small board without having your treasure pinched by large animated skeleton who pops out of a chest in a way that is v exciting for the little ones (if less stimulating for the adults). dd (4) loves it and has been playing since 3.5

We are a bit of a board games family so our two (5 and 2) have been playing for a while.
The ones they like at the moment are Pop-up Pirates (not strictly a board game but lots of fun), The Snail's Pace Race and one that DH and his sister played as children called Hats Off - probably not available as it came out of our loft!
The youngest LOVES Red Dog Blue Dog and Insy Winsy Spider (both Orchard games) and the bigger one will usually play too. Learning to take turns is 'interesting'

pop up pirates was the favourite in our house from about 2-6 years

don't get the toothfairy game.

Tis utter shite

• Guess Who is good
• ELC do a game with a hedgehog board and little wooden pieces that you put in as prickles, ds1 loved that. Really nice game, though the board isn't as nice now as the one we have.
• Snakes and ladders
• dominos (for the older one)
• Orchard Toys Train Game

Uno and junior top trumps would also be good for the older one

Getting enthused now - have added hungry hippos and manic martians

If they get into these I'll add pop up pirates

Many thanks - v helpful

And Guess Who!

(They're all coming up pretty cheap on ebay )

I think guess who is more of a game than manic martians and hungry hippos (which are just mad free for all's really). We picked up most of our games at car boot sales, 50p or £1 each.