Favorite preschooler board game?

[citymama]

I started a similar thread (http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=309974&highlight=haba+orchard)last holiday season and got some great replies.

DD is now 3.5 and really interested in board games, but has thus far shown no ability to really play any of the ones we own or have seen at friend's places. Maybe I'm expecting too much at this age. She is very bright, analytical and verbal, but does not want to actually play any of the games in a group or interactive format - she would rather invent some new use for them and self-direct her play.

So we have the beautiful eeBoo Life on Earth memory game - and she creates stories using the characters on the cards (which is lovely and creative) but will not under any circumstance want to play the matching game. Candyland - she loves pretending she is Princess Frostine and I'm Lolly (DH is the bad guy) but no way, no how, does she want to go in any sequence through the squares. Dominoes - she has all the characters on the dominoes squares play with each other or stacks them up to build things, but doesn't want me to "explain" how it's playd.

It is fun to see the creative things she comes up with for ways to "play" games, but I really think she would enjoy interactive board games, knowing her analytic side. Or am I a bad mommy, pushing her into a style of play that is antithetical to her self-directed play?

Anyway, assuming not, what's a good game to get her started on that might work with her style while getting her "into" board games? It should be:
a) not too complex to explain (she hates the idea of "rules," although she can understand and tell you about a lot of complex info like why snakes molt and the difference b/w amphibians and reptiles!)
b) not too competitive - the prospect of losing drives her nuts
c) not too scary - no monsters or scary things. she loves animals and girly-girl things, in that order.

I was thinking maybe the Haba Orchard Game (although $35 - gulp). Or Cranium Cariboo? She can identify all her letters and numbers. Feed the Kitty? Some other non-competitive games that won't be too advanced for her, and won't drive us to tears?

TIA for your suggestions and any advice about how to interest DD in interactive board games!

[SnuggleBuggles]

It sounds like she is enjoying the games. I think I would keep on encouraging this. But, it is fun to play the game for real together sometimes too. :)

Have you taken out a bulk of the cards in your memory game and tried only playing with like 4 pairs? It could be a good confidence booster.

Cariboo would be really good. It's quick, easy and fun. I think any Cranium game directed at that age would be good.

One of the I Spy games?

At that age we were all about CandyLand and Chutes and Ladders.

Beth

[BeachBum]

We love the games from Familypastimes.com (Max is our favorite so far, but we have several on our Christmas wish list) and we also like games from Blue Orange.
My DS is 4 and we have been using these games for about a year.

[fivi2]

My girls are a little older than your dd (not quite 4). Their first games were Candyland Castle and Go Away Monsters. Both extremely simple. These are the only games they will play "correctly". They can play these alone without my help. But, they are really really easy.

Their favorite game fight now is Cranium Cariboo. I can usually get one round out of them in the correct format, after that, they play a while with their own rules.

Most other games they play like your dd does. They love to create scenarios, use the pieces for other things, etc...

Hisss is one they enjoy (but don't follow the rules). I am interested in Froggy Boogie and Pengaloo, but don't own them yet. Elefun and Hullabaloo aren't real board games, but they enjoy them and play them mostly the right way.

Oh, and before you spend the money on Haba Orchard, do a few searches. I believe that Hi Ho Cherry-o (or whatever it is called) can be played in a way that is very similar. Of course, Haba's game is much nicer, but much more expensive.

boardgamegeek.com is a fun site that has some lists of kids' games for inspiration!

[kayte]

I would recommend Haba Orchard, Dwarfs and Dice (Selecta), and Schmetti Colorretti (Beleduc). The later have different ways to play, either competitive or corporative.

http://www.blueberryforest.com/fun_games/selecta-dwarves-and-dice-game.htm

http://familyfun.go.com/parties/holiday-seasonal/feature/ff1107-toy-schmetti-coloretti-2/

[wolverine2]

I started a similar thread (http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=309974&highlight=haba+orchard)last holiday season and got some great replies.
Candyland - she loves pretending she is Princess Frostine and I'm Lolly (DH is the bad guy) but no way, no how, does she want to go in any sequence through the squares.

Ha ha. We call this "candylando" when it's about driving to see the peanut brittle house- all about the road and driving. And I have an almost 5-year old. We had luck with Zingo (like bingo, but with pictures) and eventually Chutes and Ladders. But DS just isn't as into games as I thought he might be, so maybe later.

[ett]

Ravensburger's Snail's Pace Race is a great cooperative game.

Family Pastimes Harvest Time is exactly like Haba's Orchard but way cheaper.

Blue Orange Zimboos, CooCoo the Rocking Clown, and Bendomino's Junior are some other easy games.

What about a bingo type game like Zingo?

Cariboo is great too as PP's have suggested.

DS1 loves playing games but he has never liked Memory at all. I think it's just not that interesting for some kids.

[neeleymartin]

so glad you started this thread. we are looking for some beginner games too. thanks.

[Clarity]

We're looking at board games too. I don't care for Candyland - can't keep the gingerbread men from falling down - drives me crazy. And, I'm not sure dd1 gets the premise, but she is just 3. Nonetheless, I can't keep the men standing..the game has GOT.TO.GO!

I was going to buy her Cariboo and Haba's Orchard this holiday season. Both games get wonderful reviews for this age group. I've also introduced her to card games such as "Go Fish" and she's doing much better playing that than Candyland and it's helping reinforce numbers.

[vonfirmath]

so glad you started this thread. we are looking for some beginner games too. thanks.

My son is closer to your oldest's age (8/07) and the two "board games" he is really enjoying right now are Candyland Castle and Go Away, Monster

He also likes to play with the tiles on Rummikub but I know he isn't ready to anywhere close play the real game yet. (not even with the Rummikub for kids I just bought him)

I'm trying to get him interested in matching/memory type games too.

[Fairy]

DS got a great game last year when he turned 4, Kids on Stage. There is no winner. It's basically charades, and you do get to the end, but it's designed for everyone to get to the end with no winner.

Curious George game is awesome. Comes with masks! There is a winner,but who cares, just don't designate a winner.

Hi Ho Cherrio, but when you land on the bird, dog, or basket, come up with something fun to do, like sing a song.

Wanna try chess at this age? Just a thought.

Buy Dora memory game or something like that and use the cards like go fish instead of memory. Just keep going till all the cards are gone and the game is done. I also like testing DS to see if he can guess what color the card is that I'm holding. Dora Memory has purple backgrounds, pink ones, and red. I'll ask, which color is it, and it's astounding that out of 10, he will have more than 50% right answers most of the time. Luck? Who knows, but he LOVES guessing/deciding/sussing out what color it is.

Zingo is a great game.

Operation?

Mousetrap?

[fauve01]

DD loved (and still loves) many of the games already mentioned. I have not yet seen Hiss mentioned; DD loved it at that age. :-)

http://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-Hisss-Card-Colorful-Snake-Making/dp/B00005NQE8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1254807950&sr=8-1

edited to add Hullabaloo! like twister but with animals and shapes. :-) there is a dvd version and non-dvd version.
http://www.amazon.com/Cranium-16518-Hullabaloo/dp/B00008MIGQ/ref=pd_sim_t_31


Anne + DD 10-03

[jillmk]

My 3.5 year old twins love most of the games already mentioned:

Hullaballoo
Duck Duck Bruce (the favorite--rated 6 (or 5??) and up but they *love* it and often win!)
Orchard (or Hi ho cherrio)
Go Away Monster (a little young for them now??)
Hiss
Cranium Cariboo
Zingo
Memory (often with less tiles)
Cranium Duck Duck 1-2-3 (another one they love, but it is painful for adults to play...)

I'm sure there is more--I'll have to check at home.

Not favorites:
Candyland, Chutes & Ladders--they lose interest way too fast!

[Melaine]

My girls are almost 3 so a little younger. They have not successfully played Candyland or even Candyland Castle. With Candyland, they want their men to run freestyle all over the board and visit Gramma Nut over and over. With C. Castle, they just fight over who gets to control the castle. To the point that I bought a second castle at goodwill (hey it was like 50 cents). Still, no success.
However, they LOVE memory and play it with all 54 cards. Furthermore, if they are paying attention, they will beat me. The only rule that I tweaked was not to draw again when you get a match. I had a feeling that would cause conflict so we just each take a turn.

[egoldber]

With Sarah, we didn't have any luck with board games until she was 4. Her first favs were.....

Candyland
Hi Ho Cherry-o
Cranium Cariboo

We did play Memory type games before that, but definitely used a small set of cards.

[boolady]

DD will be three in a few weeks, so she's a bit younger, but hands down her favorite game has been the eBoo paper doll game with spinner. She loves it, and has permanently assigned girls to me, DH and her. She also loves Candyland Castle, memory, and is just startign to get into Chutes and Ladders.

[calv]

quickly scanned. sorry if the ladybug game has been mentioned! huge hit here!

[jacksmomtobe]

Here my daughter 3 and son 5 like playing Caribou, Snails Pace, and Zingo. They also like Candyland and Chutes and Ladders at Grandma's. DS is a little competitive so I think for him snails pace causes the least competition. We play until everyone finishes. In the rules it says that you can choose to have the first snail and last snail to both be the winners.