Board games are a great way to keep kids entertained while also helping them develop important skills. There are many board games available that are both fun and educational for children between the ages of 5 and 7.
These games can help children develop their problem-solving, critical thinking, memory, and math skills. Some board games also help children develop social skills such as communication, cooperation, and taking turns.
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best board games for 5-7-year-olds, including a summary of the game, how long it takes to play, the benefits of playing the game, and who would like it.
Best Board Games For 5 To 7 Year Olds – Quick Comparison
| Rank | Name | # Players | Time | Complexity | Good For |
| #1 | Outfoxed | 2-4 | 20 mins | Very Easy | Best OverallLogical Deduction |
| #2 | Rhino Hero Super Battle | 2-4 | 20 mins | Very Easy | Dexterity |
| #3 | Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza | 2-8 | 10-30 mins | Very Easy | FunFamiliar Gameplay |
1. Best Overall: Outfoxed
“Outfoxed!” is a cooperative game designed for children, where players work together to catch the thieving fox. It’s a great game for 5-7-year-olds as it is simple to understand and easy to play.
The game is relatively simple to understand, and it can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually between 15 and 20 minutes. The game comes with a game board, a deck of clue cards, a suspect card, some detective pawns, and a fox pawn. The players have to work together to collect clues and figure out who the thieving fox is before it escapes.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills, as well as teamwork and communication skills. Children will also learn to take turns and share responsibilities.
Who would like it? Children who enjoy cooperative games, mystery-solving, and teamwork.
Pros
- Cooperative – It’s a cooperative game, which promotes teamwork and communication skills.
- Simple & easy – The game is simple and easy to understand, making it perfect for young children.
- Engaging – The game is challenging enough to keep children engaged, but not so difficult that they become frustrated.
Cons
- Not for older children – The game is not very challenging for older children, so it might not hold their interest for very long.
- Limited replayability – The game is not very replayable as the objective is always the same, and the game can become repetitive (though my children seem to play it 100 times, the same way they’ll watch the same movie over and over).
- Max of 4 players – The game is limited in the number of players, it’s designed for 2-4 players only.
2. Best Dexterity: Rhino Hero Super Battle
“Rhino Hero: Super Battle” is a dexterity game where players take turns stacking cards to build a skyscraper and try to advance their hero and fight other heroes along the way. It’s a great game for 5-7-year-olds as it is simple to understand, easy to play, and just pure silly fun.
The game can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually between 15 and 20 minutes.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop fine motor skills, focus, and hand-eye coordination. The game also teaches children about balance and stability.
Who would like it? Children who enjoy dexterity games have good coordination, and like problem-solving games would enjoy this game. It’s also great for families, as it is a game that can be played with children of different ages.
Pros
- Easy rules – The game is simple to understand and easy to play, making it perfect for young children.
- Right level – The game is challenging enough to keep children engaged while not being too frustrating, and will keep older children and even adults engaged too.
- Replayable – The game is replayable, as even though the game is the same each time, it’s just plain fun.
Cons
- Repetitive – The game can be a bit repetitive, as the objective is always the same
- Max 4 players – The game is limited in the number of players, it’s designed for 2-4 players only.
- Dexterity – The game could be too much of a challenge for children with poor coordination and may not hold their interest for very long.
3. Best Snap Alternative: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is a simple card game that’s a bit like advance snap, where you have to say certain words – “taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza” – and be the first to snap your hand down if what is said is the same as the picture on the card. The game is simple to understand, and it can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually around 10–15 minutes.
It’s a great game for 5-7-year-olds as it is easy to learn and play and helps children develop memory, focus, and hand-eye coordination. It also teaches children about matching and recognizing symbols and numbers.
Children who enjoy memory, matching, and simple card games would enjoy this game. It’s also great for families, as it is a game that can be played with children of different ages, though older children may soon grow tired of this game.
Pros
- Easy – The game has very simple rules, making it perfect for young children.
- Cute – The game has fantastic artwork that young children seem to love.
- Replayable – Ok, I don’t think it’s replayable, but young children love repetition. My 7-year-old daughter will happily play this repeatedly.
- Number of players – This game can play 2-8 players so is suitable for a larger group of children.
Cons
- Lacking strategy – snap isn’t your most strategic game, and neither is this. It’s a lot of fun, but it won’t really make you think.
- Fast-paced – My older son finds this game a bit stressful, he likes to sit and think through his games and doesn’t appreciate the fast-paced nature of a Snap-based game.
- Fighting – I find any faster-paced game sometimes results in my children fighting as they tend to go a little overboard.
4. Best City Building: Kingdomino
“Kingdomino” is a tile-laying game where players compete to build the best kingdom by placing domino-shaped tiles on a board. It’s a great game for 5-7-year-olds as it is easy to learn and play.
The game is relatively simple to understand, and it can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually between 15 and 20 minutes. Players take turns choosing domino-shaped tiles with different terrains and putting them on their own boards. The goal is to create the most valuable kingdom by connecting different terrains and getting the most points.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop spatial awareness and planning skills, as well as pattern recognition and strategy skills.
Who would like it? Children who enjoy tile-laying games, spatial awareness, and strategy games would enjoy this game. It’s also great for families, as it is a game that can be played with children of different ages.
Pros
- Easy – The game is simple to understand and easy to play, making it perfect for young children.
- All age ranges – The game is challenging enough to keep children engaged and encourages them to think strategically.
- Replayable – The game is replayable, as the outcome can change with different tile configurations and player choices.
Cons
- Lacks theme – The game can be a bit dry, as it is a strategy game and does not have much theme.
- Repetitive – The game can feel a bit repetitive for some players.
- Max 4 players – The game is limited in the number of players, it’s designed for 2-4 players only.
5. Best Card Game: Sleeping Queens
“Sleeping Queens” is a card game where players take turns playing action cards in order to wake up queens from a sleeping spell by playing action cards. The goal is to collect the most queens by the end of the game.
The game is simple to understand, and it can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually around 15-20 minutes.
It’s a great game for 5-7-year-olds as it is easy to play, quick to setup and get to the table, and still has some basic strategy that keeps kids thinking.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop memory, strategy, and math skills as they have to remember the cards played and plan ahead, it also teaches children about addition and subtraction.
Children who enjoy memory games, strategy games, and card games would enjoy this game. It’s also great for families, as it is a game that can be played with children of different ages and has just enough strategy to not get too repetitive.
Pros
- Simple – The game is simple to understand and easy to play, making it perfect for young children.
- Tactical – The game is challenging enough to help children learn strategy and think through the best actions they can take.
- Replayable – The game is replayable, as the outcome can change with different card configurations and player choices.
Cons
- Luck – there is some randomness to the game.
- Take that – it’s not too vicious, but does have a bit of a take that aspect to the game that some kids don’t cope well with.
- Light Strategically – this game does help kids learn to think through the logic of what is the best action, however, there’s not a whole lot of choices to make and usually there are one or two best choices each turn.
6. Most fun: Throw Throw Burrito
Throw Throw Burrito is a fast-paced, exciting game that is perfect for 5-7-year-olds. The game involves dodging, ducking, and throwing soft burritos at your opponents. You can also win points by collecting cards that match. The game is easy to understand and has simple rules that even young children can grasp quickly. It takes about 15 minutes to play and is perfect for families and friends to play together, as it can accommodate up to 6 players.
One of the benefits of playing Throw Throw Burrito is that it helps children develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and social skills. Children will have to dodge, duck, and throw the burritos quickly and accurately, which will improve their hand-eye coordination.
Pros
- Fun – this game is fast-paced and just lots of fun.
- Active – children get to be active during the game and move around.
- Up to 6 players – This game supports more kids than a lot of others that are only up to 4 players.
Cons
- Needs space – the game requires a decent amount of space to play, so it may not be the best option for smaller living spaces.
- Luck – the game relies heavily on luck.
- Fighting – I find any faster-paced game sometimes results in my children fighting as they tend to go a little overboard.
7. Best Legacy: Zombie Kidz Evolution
Zombie Kidz Evolution is a cooperative board game that is designed for children. The game is set in a very cute zombie-themed world where players must work together to fend off hordes of zombies and save the kids at the school. The game takes about 15 minutes to play, making it the perfect length for children with shorter attention spans. This is one of the more complicated games on this list, so it’s probably more suitable for those closer to the 7-year-old range.
This is a legacy game, which means that as you play, you’ll unlock stickers and open envelopes. It’s good for a child who can pay attention to the same game and story over and over again. Your kid will also want to be a fan of zombies (or at least tolerate them, I know the theme turns my daughter off) and like cooperative games.
One of the benefits of playing Zombie Kidz Evolution is that it helps children develop their problem-solving skills as they work together to find the best strategy to defeat the zombies. Additionally, it also teaches children the value of teamwork and communication.
This game is a bit more complicated than other games on this list, so it’s best for older children who are looking for a bit more of a challenge and are fans of the zombie theme.
Pros
- Replayability – the game is different each time you play and keeps evolving as you play
- Cooperative – encourages children to work together and communicate
- Challenging – provides a bit more of a challenge than other games on this list
Cons
- More complicated rules – it is more complicated than other games on this list (though still simple enough for 5-7-year-old children who are better with rules)
- Legacy – you only get to use the stickers and unlock the storyline once, though there are bonus missions to keep going after you unlock all the content
8. Best Flicking: Ice Cool
“Ice Cool” is a dexterity game that is perfect for 5-7-year-olds. The goal of the game is to collect fish as a penguin by flicking your penguin pawn through various doorways. The game includes colorful and durable game pieces, making it easy for young children to handle and play with. The game also includes simple rules that are easy for children to understand, and the game can be completed in around 20 to 30 minutes.
The benefits of playing “Ice Cool” include developing fine motor skills through flicking the penguin pawns as well as learning about strategy and planning as players try to collect the most fish. Children who enjoy dexterity games and have an interest in penguins will enjoy playing “Ice Cool”, as it is easy to understand and play, and it is a very tactile game.
Pros
- Super fun – it’s hard to describe how much fun flicking small penguins around actually is
- Cool design – the wobble penguins and 3D game inside the box is a really great design that looks cool and works really well
- Room for improvement – as your dexterity and skills in flicking penguins build up the way you try to flick the penguins around the board does become more strategic
Cons
- Luck element – you do draw cards, and this can cause you to get more points as opposed to purely being about your skills flicking penguins around the board
- Skill gap – me and my son struggled with this game, while my daughter had some sort of unnatural ability to flick penguins about. That does make for a frustrating game.
- Quick rounds – the rounds and game does go really quickly, and that can be a little unsatisfying.
9. My First Carcassone
This game is like its bigger brother Carcassonne, but the rules are easier and the artwork is brighter for younger players. Players take turns putting down tiles to make a medieval landscape and placing their pieces on the tiles to claim different areas like cities, roads, and fields. The game is relatively simple to understand and can be completed in a relatively short amount of time, usually around 20 to 30 minutes.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop spatial awareness and problem-solving skills. It also teaches children about strategy and planning ahead. It’s also an excellent way to introduce children to the classic Carcassonne game as well as modern board games.
Who would like it? Children who enjoy tile-laying games and strategy games would enjoy this game. It is, however, a competitive game with a little bit of take that, which does not work well with some children.
Pros
- Easy – the game has simple rules designed for young children to play.
- Strategic – the game encourages children to think strategically and plan ahead.
- Replayable – the outcome can change with different tile configurations and player choices making the game quite replayable.
- Perfect introduction – being a simplified version of a very popular board game makes it the perfect introduction to board gaming for children.
Cons
- Repetitive – The game can be a bit repetitive, as the gameplay is always the same and there’s not a whole lot of variety in the strategies you can take.
- Max 4 players – the game is limited in the number of players, it’s designed for 2-4 players only.
- Competitive – the game is competitive and has a bit of take-that that, which some young children can’t handle very well
10. Best Fighting: My First Castle Panic
“My First Castle Panic” is a simplified version of the popular board game “Castle Panic” made for younger players. It’s a great game for 5-7-year-old children as it is specifically redesigned for young children and has simple rules and gameplay.
In this game, players work together to defend a castle against an onslaught of very cute monsters by playing cards to move and attack them. The game is relatively simple to understand and can be completed in around 20 minutes.
The benefits of playing this game are that it helps children develop teamwork and cooperative skills and helps them learn to work through problematic situations.
Who would like it? Children who enjoy cooperative games and enjoy fighting and beating monsters. It’s also great for families, as it is a game that can be played with children of different ages, and it’s a great way to introduce children to the game and then work up to the bigger Castle Panic game.
Pros
- Simple – The rules of the game are designed with children in mind, so it’s very easy to teach and play..
- Cooperation – The game is cooperative so there are no individual winners or losers
- Introductory – it’s a great way to introduce children to the classic Castle Panic game that they can move up to when ready.
- Great artwork – the game is colorful and has very cute monsters to fight.
Cons
- Repetitive – The game can be a bit repetitive, as the objective is always the same.
- Stressful – one of my children found the constant barrage of monsters quite stressful to deal with in the game, the others thought it was fun.
- Not challenging – The game is not much of a challenge for older children and may not hold their interest for very long.
Honorable Mentions
These games didn’t quite make the top 10, but they are also some of my children’s favorites and are definitely worth checking out!
- Gulo Gulo – Gulo Gulo is a kid’s board game that centers around being Gulos (wolverines) trying to rescue baby Gulos. Players take on the role of the wolverine and must take colored eggs from a basket to move around the board while trying to not set off the Gulo alarm (which is a rod sticking out of the egg basket). The game is designed for children ages 5 and up and is a fun and engaging dexterity game with some strategy involved.
- Hey That’s My Fish – this is a popular board game where players take on the role of penguins trying to catch as many fish as possible. It’s a game that requires strategic thinking and planning as players must balance their desire to catch as many fish as possible with the need to preserve their penguins’ movement. It is a great game for children and families who enjoy strategy and spatial awareness games but can be pretty competitive and has a lot of take-that.
- Coconuts – Coconuts is a fun and fast-paced kid’s board game that is all about catching coconuts! Players take turns throwing coconuts from the monkey at the top of the board to the cups at the bottom. The goal is to catch as many coconuts as possible in your cups or to steal cups from your opponents. The player with the most coconuts at the end of the game wins!
Conclusion
Board games are a great way to keep kids entertained while also developing a variety of different skills.
For 5-7-year-olds, strategy games like Outfoxed and Kingdomino are great options to teach kids about planning and strategy. Dexterity games like Rhino Hero Super Battle and Throw Throw Burrito are also great options to help develop fine motor skills. Other fun games, like Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza, provide a lighthearted and enjoyable experience for kids.
Overall, there is a wide variety of board games available for 5-7-year-olds that can provide both fun and learning opportunities. It’s worth trying out different games to see which ones your child prefers, and having a selection for your children to choose from.
