We’re sharing the best board games for three year olds! Updated for 2024.
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Three is a big age for many kids! They are getting more and more independent, increasing their vocabulary, and learning to manage their emotions. Structured activities like board games are also something that many are beginning to take an interest in.
What to look for in Board Games for Three Year Olds
- Simple Rules: Rules should be uncomplicated and straightforward allowing children to confidently follow them on their own without much or any adult interference. Many games can be modified to allow a three year old to play, but when you are selecting a game “for” a three year old, you want to find one that will not overwhelm them so they can learn and grow.
- Short Play Times: You want to select games with shorter play times to align with a kids’ natural attention span. As a general rule, your child’s attention equals about 2-3 minutes for every year they are. So look to play a game for around 10 minutes. The more you play together, the longer their attention spans will become!
- Engaging Themes: It’s always great to choose a theme players are excited about, no matter their age. During this early state, kids tend to gravitate towards familiar themes grounded in the every day over fantasy. Themes set around family life, animals, shapes, colors, or favorite characters can all make a game more engaging.
- Quality Components: Choosing a quality, well made game will help it see your child (and any siblings too) through their younger years while holding up to the sometimes rough play that kids can engage in.
- Educational Value: Games provide a great opportunity to learn some of the important educational elements kids are working on at this age like colors, number, shapes, critical thinking, and simple mathematics. Learning through play is a powerful tool in your child’s education journey.
A Quick Note on Age Recommendations:
Age recommendations are just that: recommendations.
Three is merely a suggested starting age. Many of these games can and will be enjoyed by kids older than three or perhaps even younger than three as well. These are all great options for siblings to play together!
Because of the variability in ages, abilities, and interests, there can be a lot of overlap in game compatibility for children. We recommend you check out the age posts for at least one year younger and one year older than your children’s current age.
While these games are intended for three year olds (meaning that they are games three year olds should be able to play without modifications) It is also not a cause for alarm if your three year old is not ready for these games yet. If you try one and they don’t seem interested or it’s a touch too challenging, give them some time and try again in a few weeks or months. Kids grow quickly and they’ll be playing before you know it!
Best Board Games for Three Year Olds
Critter Cruise
We love this clever memory game themed around Noah’s Ark. Memory games are a great way to help kids exercise their critical thinking skills. As a cooperative game, it helps kids work together and think through their decisions — this also enables younger and older kids to play well together while learning from each other.
Sequence for Kids
One of our all time favorite kids games, Sequence for kids is perfect to introduce to your three year olds! They’ll begin by learning how to play cards to place tokens on matching spaces and progress to learning how to strategically choose which spaces to go for that allow them to get four in a row. It’s a game you’ll play for years with them!
Hurry Up Chicken Butt
I love a game that lets preschoolers get up and moving! Players will perform different activities as quick as they can before the timer runs out. It’s great for getting kids into a better mood, acting silly, and can be customized based on your family’s needs.
Quest Kids Matching Adventure
This is a great option for families with multiple kids looking for a game that they can all play together. Quest Kids Matching Adventure is a fun spin on a classic memory game where the difficulty is scaleable — make the game simpler for your younger players and more challenging for older! This gives the game many years of life for a family.
Alphabet Go Fish
Three is the perfect time to begin introducing letters. Make sure you have a card holder for kids who may struggle to hold the cards in their hand, or have everyone play with their cards face up on the table.
Garden Getaway
I love this small box game! Everyone has a secret animal they are trying to help escape the garden first. Nice and quick which is just what you want for this age. Plus it has two ways to play so you can enjoy a simple game and then add in a bit more of a challenge when you’re ready. The simple game is perfect to introduce to three year olds!
(This game will release May 2024)
Clack!
Clack is a great way to work on observation and processing skills. Similar to spot it, kids will try to quickly identify discs that have a specific object pictured on the front. When you hover a disc on top of another, they magnetize and “Clack” together in a very satisfying way that all kids love. I like starting this game around age three because you can slow it down, eliminating the race aspect, and work on the process of rolling dice and finding matches while also getting to enjoy the sensory element of the game.
Bluey Keepy Uppy
This combines a good mix of game + toy. Kids will try to keep the balloon in the air by timing their hits just right so the balloon doesn’t knock their tokens down. It’s a fun hand-eye coordination challenge that also helps kids work on their eye tracking — an important skill to develop for reading!
The Color Monster
I love that you can pair this game with it’s corresponding picture book for a fun birthday gift! This is a cooperative game where you’ll help the monster recognize his different emotions and understand why he’s feeling that way.
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