Turn Them Into Little Gamers with These Game Ideas for Younger Kids
Last week we kicked off our gift guides to provide ideas to check some names off your holiday shopping list. We started off with a list of card games followed by a guide to puzzles as gifts then wrapped up the week with suggestions for family games. These guides included a variety of suggestions for all ages but the vast majority were for gift recipients who were receiving gifts from you and not from Santa. Let’s be honest here though. When you have little kids, the shopping list is twice as long. That means there’s EXTRA room on the list for games hence THIS list of game ideas for little kids. it’s a great supplement to our list of junior themed board games.
Whether your youngster is a fan of silly, educational, dexterity, trendy or whatever, we think there’s something here for them. Some of these are included in our Mega Giveaway so not only can you pick up a game to check off your list, you can enter to win some! If you want to learn more about some of the games listed here, see if the listing includes our 
logo. If it does, it means we’re written about it in more detail on a previous occasion. Click through the logo to see detailed photos and read more about the game including basic instructions, difficult level and theme.
Click Clack Lumberjack
Mayday Games
It’s as easy as falling off a log! Maybe. Grab your ax and take a whack at the tree, but you only want to take off the bark! Click Clack Lumberjack 2.0 is a dexterity game for 2-7 players where you take turns trying to knock the bark off the tree without taking the whole tree down.
MemoArrr!
Stronghold Games
Memo…Arrr! You flipped the wrong card!
To play MemoArrr!, players need the power of recollection and the luck of Pirates. Only then can they make their escape from the island of Captain Goldfish, their pockets lined with rubies,before the lava swallows them up!
Advanced rules enable players to use the special powers of the animals, which are triggered when a connected location is revealed, making MemoArrr! exciting for the young and for experienced gamers!
Eric Carle Around the Farm
Briarpatch
Baby animals need your help! Based on Eric Carle’s best-selling book, players spend a fun-filled day Around the Farm helping baby animals find their way home. Player spin the spinner and search for baby animal cards that match their parent cards. Children learn the difference between baby and adult animals, and practice their memory skills as they turn over cards to find matches. The first player to bring all his or her babes home wins!
Tumball
Megableu USA
The Nerve-Wracking Bead-Stacking Game! To win Tumball, carefully place all your white beads on top of the suspended colorful balls using the wand. With every bead you add, the colorful balls become more unstable. If you push your luck too far or make one false move… TUMBALL! You must add the fallen beads to your collection. Get rid of all your beads to win!
Mary Engelbreit Loonacy
Looney Labs
Known for her spirited, witty, and whimsical calendar and greeting card illustrations, Mary Engelbreit’s artwork now brightens the cards of our latest version of Loonacy! This version features some of Mary Engelbreit’s most beloved works in a fast-paced matching game that’s fun for all ages. When Mary Engelbreit and Looney Labs join forces, the result is truly magical!
Jungle Runners
Tactic Games
Jungle Runners, the exciting new, original family board game, where players have a team of animals that they have to navigate through the jungle themed board of obstacles and challenges to get their entire team to finish the journey.
Knowing the strengths and weaknesses of your animals is the key when different animals can use short cuts. Meanwhile, obstacles like the falling tree, spinning turtles, or the crocodile’s tail could slow your team down. Every roll of the dice matches an animal and a move that determines how the team tries to stick together.
Pimple Pete
Spin Master
Combining a little “yuck” factor with a lot of fun factor, Pimple Pete is the pressure-packed, pimple popping game perfect for some gross-out fun on family game night. Pimple Pete’s face is covered with pimples and he needs your help “popping” them.
Rooster Race
RoosterFin
Help your roosters gather corn in this high low game of fowl fun! Rooster Race™ is a fun simple card game that suits all ages, from kids, teens, college students, parents, and grandparents. If you can count to 15, you can play Rooster Race™. The object of the game is to make educated guesses; to predict if the value of the top card in your card stack is higher or lower than the last card played by your opponent. If you have ever played war or blackjack, Rooster Race™ will be your next card game favorite for family game night!
2017 Seal of Excellence Award by Creative Child Magazine
I Spy – Dig in
Briarpatch
The Great Game of Frantic Finding! Are you ready to play? Then dive right in and dig away. Race the clock, it’s not so hard! Dig out 6 objects, place on your card. When each player has gone ALL IN, match one more for the win! I SPY Dig In is the great game of frantic finding! Kids practice literacy, coordination, and social skills as they race to match the images on their cards with objects from the bowl.
Pikmi Pops Lollipop Chase
Pressman Toy
Pikmi Pops are sweet scented and full of surprises! The special lollipop container opens to reveal a scented plush with surprises. Its a great addition to any collection!
Help the Pikmi Pops fill their Pikmi trees with lots of lollipops! To earn a lollipop, you may need to dance, sing, or even tell a story. Some special places on the board will unlock surprises! Be the first player to collect four different lollipops to fill your Pikmi tree and win!
Kitty Bitty
Blue Orange Games
It’s nap time for the itty bitty kitties, but they just want to play! Each turn, roll the dice, look for the mommy cat matching their colors, and lift one eye to see what’s underneath. If she doesn’t catch you, your kitten advances one yarn ball closer to the basket and you get to go again. If she spots you, it’s the next players turn. The first kitten back to the basket wins!
Pop Rocket
Goliath Games
Get ready for fun that is out-of-this-world with Pop Rocket! Pull the string on the Rocket to start the countdown, and roll the die. Move your color star catchers to where you think the little stars will land, but keep an eye on that Rocket because it’s only a few seconds until BLAST OFF! Watch the stars explode into the sky and land in your star catchers. Be the first one to collect enough stars to fill your constellation to win!
The Floor is Lava
Endless Games
Everyone has played a version of this game as a child, most likely jumping all over the furniture in their living room trying to stay off the dangerous floor. The Floor is Lava is a brand-new game where players must imagine the floor is molten hot lava, while spinning for their color and jumping along foam game pieces in order to reach safety. The Floor is Lava is a family game incorporating physical activity, imagination and pure fun! Remember, DON’T TOUCH THE FLOOR!
Chomp-Itz Crocodile Dinner
Identity Games
Chomp-Itz® Crocodile Dinner is the crazy action game where putting on your Game Face gets a whole new meaning. Put on the crocodile mask and get ready for a feeding frenzy. As soon as you see the fish flying locate your fish and pick them up with your crocodile snout. As always, go for the gold! The first person to collect all of their fish and the gold fish wins!
Evil Eye
Megableu USA
When the electronic candle is yellow, blow out the candles as many times as you can to score points – but don’t get caught! Hide quickly, because if the Evil Eye sees you, your candle will turn red. You will not score any points until the candle turns yellow again. If your candle blinks when the coffin pops open, you have won! Look in the coffin to see the winner’s score!
Eric Carle Animal Rummy
Briarpatch
The classic Rummy card game featuring animals from The World of Eric Carle. Our World of Eric Carle card game series features favorite characters combined with key learning concepts.
Coconuts
Mayday Games
Long ago the Monkey King left his peaceful kingdom in the care of his children while he took a great journey. The journey took him far and wide and he finally returned to find his children fighting and his beautiful kingdom in chaos. The wise old king sighed and gathered his children. “I have seen much, and learned that successful rulers keep one eye on the present, and the other on the future. I have decided that the first Monkey to collect supplies for the winter will replace me as ruler.” Shoot your coconuts straight and true to collect them in the basket, but beware the monkey magic that might monkey with you.
Yeti, Set, Go!
Play Monster
Yeti, Set, Go! is a follow-up to PlayMonster’s Toy of the Year award-winning game, Yeti in My Spaghetti®, taking the mythical yeti theme to a whole new level! In the fast-paced all-play game players help four different Yetis – with four unique personalities – kick meatballs up a snowy mountain, trying to be the first to get theirs on the ledges.
We hope you’re able to make some headway with your shopping list with our various gift guides this holiday season. If you still have a lot to go, don’t worry… so do we. We have several more lists lined up to give you more gift ideas of toys, stocking stuffers, games for older kids and adults, party games and more. Stay tuned!
Thank you for these great game gift ideas. I can certainly use this when choosing a gift for my 8 year old grandson.
My grandkids play lots of games all the time. We are a family of gamers. They play a game called Zits. All these games look like silly fun! I wonder if the game Pimple Pete is like it. I usually put toothpaste, toothbrushes, socks, gum, candy, and a couple of bucks in their stockings. If I put some card games or something similar, they just might freak! As long as they still get their couple of bucks 🙂
This is a great list! I’ve been looking for some games for the little ones to play during inside recess.
I think you just helped me win Christmas with my nieces and nephews!!
I don’t have any kids so it’s so hard for me to figure out what to get them that they are actually going to use.
This list is a huge help!
I think the game the floor is lava is great. Great for the imagination and safer than jumping on furniture.
These games look so fun for kids! They will love them!
Great list
Some of these would be great for our son! The Eric Carle Around the Farm looks like a lot of fun!
These are games that are suited for younger kids. I don’t know what it is with my younger grandkids, but if they are not getting wet or messy then that game is boring! So the Pimple Pete game is a winner for them!
Do these games that SAHM are reviewing have one that is like Pie in the Face? Like I said the messier, the better!
Hanamikoji. Incredible mechanics.
The floor is lava sounds great. Get everyone moving!
They all look like so much fun!
I’ll have to keep these in mind in a couple years when I actually have little ones….
I really think my grandkids can relate to the Evil Eye! I don’t know if that’s what you would call it when their parents give it to them, but I think they can spot the resemblance
Maybe they can give it back when playing this game
That’s why these games are so good because I could use some help with my dexterity..
Would like each and every one!
I love Loonacy and am very excited about the Mary Engelbreit version.
The Floor is Lava looks like a fun game with a physical challenge as well.