Game Recommendations: Family - Young Elementary

 I'm back with another game recommendation list! 

Here's a list of some of our favorite games for young elementary school students (I'll say grade 1-3). Stanley finished first grade and started second grade this year (6 turned 7) and these recommendations are based on him.

It can be a weird age for games because they are really outgrowing some of the younger games, but aren't quite competitive enough to only be playing more strategic games. We love lightweight strategy games (see last list) and although most of them have simple enough mechanics that he can play along just fine, he loses almost every time only playing with adults - and really that's not any fun!  

Here are some of his favorites that are solid family games that are interesting enough for adults (in my opinion - obviously everyone's game preferences will vary). 

1. Dragonwood. 

This is probably hands down his favorite game. And while I would never choose it on my own, I really never mind when he does. It's a fun themed dice game and while there is definitely an element of luck, I love that it offers a lot of room for simple strategy. It's a really great family game!
*And the amount of simple addition and probability included makes it more effective than a math worksheet! 

2. Dinosaur Tea Party. 

This is probably in competition for his favorite (and definitely one of my top favorites on this list). It is a super fun deduction game. I love that there is no down time, and you always have to pay attention to what the other guesses/answers are. There are some fun quirks that keep it fun and interesting. The artwork, the dinosaur's names and the theme just take it over the top. Another super solid family game!
*This one really flexes those deductive reasoning/logic/problem solving muscles 

3. Guess Who.

Do we really need another deduction game on this list? Well I guess we do. This one is the perfect 2 player game for kids. If you are only going to pick one, I would definitely recommend Dinosaur Tea Party first, but classic Guess Who is still worth noting - mostly because it's really easy to find at thrift stores!
*Another information processing/logic game!

4. Mastermind.

Another classic game. This one is so quick, it's the current leader for game plays with Stanley this year (at 38). Also, it one was 0ne of my favorites as a child as well! The first couple times we played I had to summarize everything a few times to help him process the information appropriately so he could think through before making his next move. But he caught and now he's quick. 
*And yet another deductive reasoning game. I spy a theme here. 

5. Sleeping Queens. 

It's a quickie and you already know how I feel about those. Sleeping Queens is a pretty great game of luck, memory and press your luck. There is also a fun little math element thrown in the mix. 

6. Forbidden Island.

I said it once, i'll say it again. Everyone needs a good cooperative game in the mix. This is definitely Stanley's favorite coop game. Cooperative games are great because it invites discussion on strategy and therefore helps the younger ones understand why and how there can be multiple "good moves" to make and what to think about to make the best one. 
*5 Stars for learning to be part of a team and thinking through decisions.

 7. Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters 

Another cooperative game. I think his favorite part are the little ghost figures that always end up on his fingers when we play this game. I like that this one has additional rules and cards to add in when you get the hang of it or just want to face a deeper challenge. I love the idea of "levels" built into a game that you can pick depending on who you are playing with. This one can get quite challenging!
*Another great teamwork game!

8. Camp.

This one is on this list because Stanley LOVED it at the beginning of the year and still chooses it fairly often, but full disclosure, I often want to hide it from him. It's just fine. It's an animal/outdoor trivia (which he loves anyway because he thinks he's the smartest), but what brings it over the top for him is the little decoder card used to reveal the right answer. It just brings lots of excitement when you're 6&7. 
*Aside from the science facts, reading the cards is also great reading practice! The decoder brings enough excitement for them to want to read all the cards to everyone. 

9. Trekking the National Parks. 

I very reluctantly didn't include this one on my list of favorites. I love all the trekking games - I even backed Trekking the World on Kickstarter. I think it may be the themes that really do it for me, though. They are simple, fun, family games.
*The gameboard is a (distorted) US Map. So this is basically better than geography class. We love that kind of covert learning.

10. Battle Sheep.

Haha this one definitely looks like a kids game, but I would be lying if I said I haven't played it with just adults before (haha shall we blame the pandemic shut down?) It's simple enough but has a surprising amount of strategy! It gives me a slight checkers vibe, but has much more to it. 

The next 2 were on my favorites list but still deserve to be on this one as well. 

11. Ubongo.

A Tetris-style speed puzzle game. As I mentioned on my last list, Stanley has legitimately beat me on some of the puzzles. 

12. Double Ditto.

Our family loves word games like Buzzword, Scattergories, Anomia, 5 Second Rule, etc. But those can be difficult with a wider range of ages - Double Ditto is one that is fun for all and it really evens the playing field. 
 

And while we're talking about games that are great for a wide range of ages, i'll add in a bonus:

13. Telestrations. 

This is a really fun mash-up of Pictionary and Telephone. We have the party pack so up to 12 people can play at a time! It really bridges the gap across generations. A really great family game that will get everyone laughing! 

And while I can never leave my lists at 10, here are some honorable mentions. 

Sushi Go
Zeus on the Loose 
Rory's Story Cubes
Tenzi
Qwirkle
Cauldron Quest
Labyrinth 
Kingdomino (I think he will enjoy this one, I just haven't played it with him yet).