A good children's game needs to meet several criteria. First, it must be fun for adults to play -- few things in life are worse than having your children love a game you can't stand. Second, the components must be sturdy. Third, the game should be short. Finally, the rules must be easy to understand.
For this list, I didn't consider games that listed 9 or higher as the minimum recommended age. Remember that listed ages are just a guide -- often, games can be enjoyed by younger players.
Seven companies are represented here: Hasbro, Gamewright, SimplyFun, Cranium, Briarpatch, Educational Insights and Grape Games.
1. Battleship Command: Pirates of the Caribbean
For 2 players, ages 7 and up. Designed by Terry Miller Associates, published by Milton Bradley / Hasbro.
This is more than just a themed edition of Battleship. Pirates of the Caribbean Battleship Command features a multi-level battle grid and several new variations on gameplay, including special ship powers. Fans of Battleship should pick up this excellent two-player game -- even if you don't like the movie on which it's based.
This is more than just a themed edition of Battleship. Pirates of the Caribbean Battleship Command features a multi-level battle grid and several new variations on gameplay, including special ship powers. Fans of Battleship should pick up this excellent two-player game -- even if you don't like the movie on which it's based.
2. Rat-a-Tat Cat 10th Anniversary Edition
For 2 to 6 players, ages 6 and up. Designed by Monty Stambler and Ann Stambler, published by Gamewright.
The original Rat-a-Tat Cat, published in 1996, has won recognition from Games Magazine, Mensa, Dr. Toy, the Canadian Toy Testing Council, and others. Each player begins with four cards, with the goal being to end the round with the lowest score. High cards are rats and low cards are cats. Several special power cards are also included, and the 10th Anniversary Edition comes in a keepsake tin and adds a "Rat Scanner" decoder. This card game requires memory, basic math skills, and quick thinking.
The original Rat-a-Tat Cat, published in 1996, has won recognition from Games Magazine, Mensa, Dr. Toy, the Canadian Toy Testing Council, and others. Each player begins with four cards, with the goal being to end the round with the lowest score. High cards are rats and low cards are cats. Several special power cards are also included, and the 10th Anniversary Edition comes in a keepsake tin and adds a "Rat Scanner" decoder. This card game requires memory, basic math skills, and quick thinking.
3. Trivial Pursuit for Kids DVD
Image courtesy of Parker Brothers / Hasbro
For 2 to 6 players, ages 8 to 12. Designed by Rob Daviau; published by Parker Brothers / Hasbro.
A talk show for kids meets a trivia game for kids with Trivial Pursuit for Kids DVD. Four animated characters host the show -- Mitch (the dumb jock), Brad (the cool guy), Bobby (the 7-year-old), and Lewis (a worm, literally). The dialogue is as funny as many television cartoons, and the trivia questions are mixed in well. If your children prefer, they can watch the DVD without playing the game. This game, which is great fun, deserves a wide audience.
A talk show for kids meets a trivia game for kids with Trivial Pursuit for Kids DVD. Four animated characters host the show -- Mitch (the dumb jock), Brad (the cool guy), Bobby (the 7-year-old), and Lewis (a worm, literally). The dialogue is as funny as many television cartoons, and the trivia questions are mixed in well. If your children prefer, they can watch the DVD without playing the game. This game, which is great fun, deserves a wide audience.
4. Crazy Mixed Up Zoo Game
Image courtesy of SimplyFun
For 2 to 4 players, ages 4 and up. Designer not credited, published by SimplyFun.
This simple memory game is great for young children. It starts with a set of animal tiles being placed on the table. After studying the board, all of the players -- except the start player -- hide their eyes. The start player then flips two tiles, revealing the other sides -- which are different (but not too different). Players then look at the board again and try to guess which two tiles have been flipped. One of the best elements of Crazy Mixed Up Zoo Game is that it's easy to adjust the difficulty of the game.
This simple memory game is great for young children. It starts with a set of animal tiles being placed on the table. After studying the board, all of the players -- except the start player -- hide their eyes. The start player then flips two tiles, revealing the other sides -- which are different (but not too different). Players then look at the board again and try to guess which two tiles have been flipped. One of the best elements of Crazy Mixed Up Zoo Game is that it's easy to adjust the difficulty of the game.
5. Zooreka
Photo courtesy of Cranium
For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up. Designer not credited, published by Cranium.
This is a perfect example of a game that can be enjoyed by children younger than the recommendation. In Zooreka, players collecty resources which they then trade for zoo habitats. The first player to build a complete zoo (four habitats out of the 16 included with the game) is the winner. Zooreka is a fun game, but if your children want more of a challenge, track down a copy of 2002's O Zoo le Mio from Rio Grande Games (good for ages 10 and up).
This is a perfect example of a game that can be enjoyed by children younger than the recommendation. In Zooreka, players collecty resources which they then trade for zoo habitats. The first player to build a complete zoo (four habitats out of the 16 included with the game) is the winner. Zooreka is a fun game, but if your children want more of a challenge, track down a copy of 2002's O Zoo le Mio from Rio Grande Games (good for ages 10 and up).
6. Match of the Penguins
Image courtesy of Gamewright
For 2 to 7 players, ages 6 and up. Designed by Jacques Zeimet; published by Gamewright.
Originally published in Germany as Schicki Micki, Match of the Penguins was clearly rethemed and retitled to play on the wildly popular documentary March of the Penguins. The cards picture penguins which are very close in appearance; they all are sitting on a blanket under an umbrella wearing sunglasses, a lei, and a Hawaiian shirt. The cards are dealt one at a time, and once a player notices that two cards have an identical element (two purple shirts, for example), he calls it out and earns a point.
Originally published in Germany as Schicki Micki, Match of the Penguins was clearly rethemed and retitled to play on the wildly popular documentary March of the Penguins. The cards picture penguins which are very close in appearance; they all are sitting on a blanket under an umbrella wearing sunglasses, a lei, and a Hawaiian shirt. The cards are dealt one at a time, and once a player notices that two cards have an identical element (two purple shirts, for example), he calls it out and earns a point.
7. Spider-Man Web Slinger Travel Game
Image courtesy of Briarpatch
For 2 to 4 players, ages 6 and up. Designed by Vivienne Springer, published by Briarpatch
This card game uses partially clear cards as players try to help Spider-Man capture 10 villains like Doctor Octopus, Venom, Sandman and the Green Goblin. Each card has one-quarter of a color-coded web needed to capture the villains. Once four web cards are played on a villain, the player who placed the final one wins that villain. The player who captures the most villains wins. Spider-Man Web Slinger Travel Game rewards planning and good timing. In addition to the basic game, rules are included for a "speed game."
This card game uses partially clear cards as players try to help Spider-Man capture 10 villains like Doctor Octopus, Venom, Sandman and the Green Goblin. Each card has one-quarter of a color-coded web needed to capture the villains. Once four web cards are played on a villain, the player who placed the final one wins that villain. The player who captures the most villains wins. Spider-Man Web Slinger Travel Game rewards planning and good timing. In addition to the basic game, rules are included for a "speed game."
8. Rattled
For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up. Designer not credited, published by Educational Insights.This word game features a unique plastic gizmo that players shake to start each round. When the game piece is shaken and then placed on the table, a series of eight letters can be seen. The goal is to make the longest possible word from those letters. When one player thinks he has a great answer, he shouts it out and starts a 30-second timer. The other players have until the timer ends to find a better word. Rattled is a completely self-contained game, making it a great choice for traveling.
9. Sneaks
Photo courtesy of SimplyFun
For 2 to 8 players, ages 6 and up. Based on a public domain game, published by SimplyFun.
A great family game, Sneaks is based on the card game Spoons. Players start with four cards; the goal is to be the first to collect four of a kind. Players simultaneously choose one of the cards in their hand and pass it to the left. When a player collects four of a kind, he takes a plastic sneaker from the middle of the table. Once one sneaker is taken, everyone else must try to grab one as well -- but there's always one sneaker too few, so the last player to react won't be able to grab a sneaker.
A great family game, Sneaks is based on the card game Spoons. Players start with four cards; the goal is to be the first to collect four of a kind. Players simultaneously choose one of the cards in their hand and pass it to the left. When a player collects four of a kind, he takes a plastic sneaker from the middle of the table. Once one sneaker is taken, everyone else must try to grab one as well -- but there's always one sneaker too few, so the last player to react won't be able to grab a sneaker.
10. 'Bouta Face
For 2 to 4 players, ages 8 and up. Designer not credited, published by Grape Games.Both sides of the cards are used in this game. A total of 11 funny faces -- photos of humans -- are each duplicated 10 times. Each player begins with four cards, holding them so that they see one side and their opponents see the other. The goal is to play cards into "match rows" and then match them with the facedown side of cards in your opponents' rows. Success requires a good memory; children can compete evenly with adults in memory-based games. Rules for additional games are available at the Grape Games web site.
