games for kids

The 5 Best Board Games for Children

Andrea Cannon — Thu, 14 Jun 2018 08:00:27 +0000

Board games are an enjoyable, affordable way to pass the time with your family. Games can also be educational for children, teaching them critical thinking, reading, and even money skills.

What are board games for children?

Board games for kids are usually easier to play than adult games. They include a board and several game pieces to play with, along with rules on how to win the game. They are classic fun and can keep your child away from their electronics for hours.

Top 5 board games for children

HedBanz

HedBanz is a fast-paced game that the whole family can take part in. Players ask yes or no questions to figure out the character displayed on their headband. The game has a simple premise and encourages creative critical thinking skills. It includes 74 cards, 24 chips, six headbands, a timer, and rule sheet. Part of Amazon's Summer Toy List, the award-winning educational game is also an Amazon's Choice item, an Amazon best-seller, and a "Best Rated" item. It has more than 1,500 five-star reviews on Amazon and is recommended by Consumer Search and Heavy.com.

Currently $12.99 on Amazon

Hasbro Connect 4

Amazon's #1 best-seller in board games, Hasbro Connect 4 is designed for two players. The goal is to connect four discs in a row. The game of strategy can be played quickly and learned easily. It includes the vertical board, 21 red discs, 21 yellow discs, and instructions. It has more than 2,300 five-star reviews on Amazon and is recommended by NYMag and Heavy.com. It is also one of the "Most Wished For," "Best Rated," and top "Gift Ideas" on Amazon.

Currently $8.77 on Amazon

Hasbro Candy Land the World of Sweets

Hasbro Candy Land the World of Sweets is an oldie, but a goodie. There is no reading or strategy involved, so it's ideal even for preschool-aged children. It includes a game board, four gingerbread pawns, 22 cards, and instructions. The colorful game board features a rainbow path that players race to finish first. It can help teach children color recognition and matching. The Amazon's Choice item is an Amazon best-seller, has more than 900 five-star reviews on Amazon, and is recommended by Heavy.com.

Currently $12.99 on Amazon

Hasbro Monopoly Junior

Hasbro Monopoly Junior has a kid-friendly vibe, with fun properties like an ice cream parlor and skate park. It also has single dollar bills and easy rules for simple gameplay. The property trading game can help kids learn the value of money and property. It includes a game board, four tokens, 20 Chance cards, 48 Sold signs, 90 bank notes, four character cards, and a die. There are a number of different Monopoly editions available now, so getting your kids hooked on the game from a young age can be a great way to keep them interested in the game as they grow up. It has over 900 five-star reviews on Amazon and is recommended by Ranker.

Currently $13.59 on Amazon

Hasbro Scrabble Junior

Hasbro Scrabble Junior is an educational word game with colorful picture clues and letter matching. It's great for kids just learning to read. The best part is once you flip the game board, there is an advanced level on the opposite side, where players can create their own words, so your child can continue to be challenged as they age. The crossword game includes a two-sided game board, 105 letter tiles, four character tokens, and a game guide.

Currently $13.97 on Amazon

And those are our recommendations for the best board games for children. As always, be sure to check Wise Bread's Buying Calendar to learn when and how to buy just about anything!

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This article is from Andrea Cannon of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Holiday Gifts: 6 Fun Games That Teach Money and Finance

Emily Guy Birken — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 10:00:06 +0000

When I was growing up, some of my favorite holiday gifts were the board games my parents gave to me and my sister. Not only did receiving a board game ensure that we would be spending time together as a family, but I also loved how new games could teach me different ways of looking at the world, and managing money in particular.

Consider gifting these board games to your kids to get them interested in investing, saving, and spending wisely. (See also: How to Use the Holidays to Teach Kids About Money)

1. Acquire

For 2-6 players, ages 12 and up

Acquire is based on the idea of creating a super city, wherein each player tries to invest strategically in various businesses, including entertainment, food, fashion, marketing, and other major industries. Throughout gameplay, the various "venture capitalists" compete to build the city and try to own the majority shares in the most lucrative businesses. You make money by forming, merging, expanding, and acquiring businesses, and by buying stock at the right time — which makes this game an excellent introduction to how investing works. Whoever has the most money at the end of the game wins.

2. Allowance

For 2-4 players, ages 5-11

As players make their way around the Allowance board, they can earn money by doing chores, starting their own businesses, earning interest on their savings accounts, and of course, by collecting their allowance each time they go "home." On the other hand, players can also spend money at the mall, at garage sales, or simply by losing it out of their pockets. The first player to save up $20 wins the game. Allowance comes with realistic looking play money, and helps teach young children everything from how to make change and count out money to how to save their pennies. (See also: 6 Fun Games That Teach Your Kids About Money)

3. Black Gold

For 2-5 players, ages 13 and up

Imagine you are trying to make your fortune in the oil fields of Texas in 1922. That's the basis for the oil prospecting game Black Gold, where between two and five prospectors compete by exploring the terrain for oil wells, surveying the possible sites, and building derricks. You can earn money by transporting your oil to one of three companies and earning the right to sell at auction. Game play includes bidding, bluffing, and strategizing — which can help your kids learn good negotiation skills while they try to glean the most wealth from their oil wells.

4. Pit

For 3-8 players, ages 7 and up

This game, which was first introduced all the way back in 1904, helps to recreate the now (mostly) defunct open-outcry trading one used to find on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Pit is a card game wherein each player attempts to corner the market in a particular commodity. The winner of any particular hand is the first one to collect all of one commodity, and points are awarded based on the value of the cornered commodity. The overall winner is the first player to score 500 points. Not only will this game give you a chance to shout and wave your arms a la Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy in Trading Places, but it will help you to better understand exactly how commodities traders do their jobs — even if it's mostly handled by computers these days.

5. Stockpile

For 2-5 players, ages 13 and up

Helping your kids understand how the stock market works can be an uphill battle, until you break out this board game. With Stockpile, each player is a stock market investor. The game helps make it clear that everyone knows a little something about the stock market, but no one knows everything. That means each player receives one piece of insider information, but there are plenty of unknowns facing each investor as well. You must consider multiple factors when buying or selling a stock, just as you would in real-world trading. Whoever has the most money at the end of the game wins, but everyone will certainly learn important investment strategy skills from this game.

6. Tin Goose

For 3-5 players, ages 10 and up

In Tin Goose, it's the early days of commercial airlines, and each player is attempting to build a large, profitable airline. You are helped by the fact that planes are becoming safer and more fuel efficient over time. But even as your planes get better, you will also face more and more disastrous potential setbacks such as crashes, worker strikes, and spikes in oil prices. This game will help teach how to balance the emotions of greed and fear while strategizing how to build your business in competition with others.

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This article is from Emily Guy Birken of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Fun Ways to Celebrate Valentine's Day With Kids

Parenting Squad — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 13:36:12 +0000

Before you have children, Valentine's Day is usually a holiday that's all about romance. Once babies come into the picture, though, things tend to change. You might not be able to celebrate with an evening out on the town, or want to spend money on flowers, champagne, and fancy chocolates.

Even if you do have romantic plans for Valentine's Day, you'll probably want to celebrate with your children too. Kids love holidays and traditions, and there are lots of fun ways to make Valentine's Day special.

Decorate Your House

You decorate your home for Halloween and Christmas, why not Valentine's Day? Head to your local dollar store for some inexpensive decorations like balloons and streamers, and then let your kids hang them up. You can decorate with items like flowers, ribbons, and tablecloths too.

It's also fun to make your own decorations. Use pink, red, and white construction paper to make paper chains (like the red and green ones that are so popular at Christmas), and then hang them from the ceiling. Or let your children create some heart-themed artwork and hang it on your walls.

Make Handmade Valentine's

You can always buy Valentine's Day cards, but if you've got the time, most kids enjoy making their own. One easy way is to cut a heart out of construction paper and then glue a white paper doilie on top. Let your children decorate these with markers, glitter, stickers, and candy hearts.

You can also find lots of ideas for handmade cards online. Mail these cards to friends and family, or deliver some to a local nursing home and teach your kids how to make Valentine's Day special for someone else.

Get Crafty

If you enjoy making crafts, you don't have to stop with handmade cards. For young children, download printable coloring pages. For older children, visit websites like Kaboose and Family Fun to find pictures and descriptions of lots of great craft ideas. If you're looking for harder projects, visit the Martha Stewart website, where you can learn how to make embellished candy boxes or your own heart-shaped soap.

Play Games

Many games that are childhood favorites can be modified to include a Valentine's Day theme. For example, it's easy to find free printable templates for games like Valentine's Bingo or Tic-Tac-Toe. Make the games even more fun by using those cute little candy hearts in place of chips.

It can also be fun to create your own Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt by writing clues on paper hearts that lead to a special gift or treat. If you're short on time and looking for something super-easy, let your kids play some of the many Valentine's computer games that are available online.

Head to the Kitchen

Valentine's Day makes a great excuse to indulge in some delicious treats, and cooking and baking provide all kinds of valuable lessons in many aspects of math and reading. Even little children can pour and dump, and older kids can learn to read recipes and measure ingredients. Make some heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorate them with pink frosting and sprinkles. If you prefer chocolate, try making chocolate-covered strawberries or easy homemade truffles.

And if you're looking for a healthier option, now might be the time to see if your kids will eat this Red Beet and White Bean Hummus. It's hot pink — which makes it perfect for the occasion!

Host a Party

Once you've got the house decorated, the games planned, and the treats prepared, why not host a Valentine's Day party? Invite a few friends or just the stuffed animals. Plan to play some of the games and make some of the crafts listed above, and then serve treats with heart-themed plates, cups, and napkins. Use heart-shaped cookie cutters to make heart-shaped tea sandwiches, and don't forget to mix up a sparkling pink punch.

Start a Tradition

Family traditions provide children with a sense of security and belonging, and are fun and rewarding for the entire family. A tradition can be as simple as having breakfast together and serving heart-shaped pancakes on Valentine's Day morning, or setting aside a special time during the day each year to share the things you love about each other.

Learn Something

Holidays almost always provide a teachable moment, and Valentine's Day is no exception. Explore the legend of St. Valentine and the history of Valentine's Day by reading books from your local library or bookstore. You can also take the opportunity to encourage reading by choosing a few of the many great Valentine's Day books available and reading them with your kids.

Talk About Hearts

Did you know that February is National Heart Month? Take the opportunity and use Valentine's Day to teach your children about the real human heart. The Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation has many fun and educational links on the Kid's Corner of their website where kids can learn what their heart looks like and how to take care of it.

Depending upon the ages of your children, you could also talk to them about heart disease, and consider setting a good example by donating some of your own time or money to an organization like the American Heart Association.

Tell Your Children You Love Them

This one seems like a no-brainer, right? But sometimes it's easy to assume that our children know that we love them and forget to say the actual words. Even if you tell them every day, tell them again. They're three simple words, but children can never hear them enough. And cards and hearts and candy aside, isn't love what Valentine's Day is really all about?

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When you have children, Valentine's Day isn't always about flowers and romance, but it can still be fun.

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This is post by Alyssa Chirco from our sister blog, Parenting Squad. Visit Parenting Squad for more parenting tips and news:

This article is from Parenting Squad of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

10 Economy-Based Games That Make You Think

Tim Lemke — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:00:25 +0000

Remember the days when Monopoly ruled the world of board games? For decades, it stood alone as a game that incorporated fun with lessons on business and the economy.

Board games have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years, led by a new crop of games based on economics, resource trading, and business savvy. Some of the following games have become iconic in the gaming world, but there are others you may not have heard of — but you should definitely bring to your next game night.

1. Catan

Originally known as Settlers of Catan, this is game has been credited with kick-starting a new wave of board-game enthusiasm. The idea is to collect and trade resources (grains, wool, wood, ore, bricks) in order to build roads, settlements, and cities. There are multiple ways to win, and thus multiple different potential strategies as players select starting points and decide what resources to pursue. (See also: The 5 Best Board Games for Adults)

2. Ticket to Ride

A popular game for people of all ages, Ticket to Ride involves laying down railroads on predetermined routes and collecting points, while also blocking opponents from building routes of their own. Sometimes you win by having the most routes. Sometimes you win by having the longest.

This differs from many of the "resource collection" games, but still involves some business strategy. Most notably, players may find they need to "pivot" their railroad building strategy based on opponent actions and the way the board is shaping up.

3. Age of Steam

This is like Ticket to Ride on steroids. In Age of Steam, you have many challenges, chief among them to build the most powerful locomotives and largest train network. But you also must strive to transport the most profitable shipments, keep creditors at bay, and get the highest return on investment. There's also an element of city building. And there are dozens of expansion packs to this game.

4. Power Grid

In this game, you represent a company that owns a power grid, and it's your job to supply electricity to the city. You'll bid against other players for power plants and resources. A player wins when they electrify a certain numbers of cities. Power Grid has spawned countless international versions, spinoffs, and expansion packs.

5. Viticulture

Do you like wine? Then you'll enjoy Viticulture, in which players inherit Tuscan vineyards and compete for the goal of making their enterprise the most successful. You start off with a small plot of land and three workers, and then go through a process of adding employees, assigning tasks, and expanding your operation. This game is so much fun, you don't need to drink actual wine while playing (though it doesn't hurt, either).

6. Terra Mystica

The premise behind Terra Mystica is you represent people living in one of 14 factions, and you can only grow your land by competing with opponents to "terraform" nearby lands. (In other words, you work to make neighboring lands resemble yours.) Players must collect and deploy resources strategically to construct buildings and earn money. This game also employs some interesting economic concepts, such as the notion that competitors can strengthen you while also keeping you in check.

7. Gaia Project

Gaia Project came out in 2017, but it already has received very solid reviews. It's a follow-up to Terra Mystica, and similar in that involves working to make neighboring planets more like your own so that you can expand your civilization. Many gamers like Gaia Project more than Terra Mystica, because the setup board can change, thus giving you a new gameplay experience each time you play.

8. Agricola

In Agricola, you start off as a farmer. You have a house. You have a wife. You spend your time plowing fields, collecting wood, purchasing animals, and expanding your farm. The player with the most profitable farms wins.

This game won the 2008 Golden Geek Board Game of the Year award, and it's still a highly rated game more than a decade later. The designer of this game, Uwe Rosenberg, created a follow-up game called Le Havre, in which players amass fortunes buy constructing ships and buildings. (See also: 8 Amazing Board Games You Can DIY)

9. Scythe

The idea behind Scythe is to build a big economic engine and take control of "Europa." It's the 1920s in a fictional city-state known as "The Factory." Players conquer territory, gain and use resources, build a population, and deploy "mechs" to assert their influence. This is a game that's big on strategy and light on luck. A digital version of the game is due out in 2018.

10. Through the Ages: A Story of Civilization

At its core, Through the Ages is an economy-based game, but in many ways this is a game involving the construction of a whole world. There's resource collecting and management, but also selecting of leaders, the discovery and use of technology, military, culture, and science. There are hundreds of cards and a maddening array of rules, but it's become one of the most beloved games released in the last two decades.

This article is from Tim Lemke of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

An Inexpensive Diversion

Julie Rains — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:03:58 +0000

My digital era middle-school-aged son has adopted the use of a low-tech, low-cost entertainment device. I have put much effort into convincing him to balance his love of technology with quieter pursuits that don’t require electricity, batteries, or cash, so when he took a break from making Youtube videos (produced using hypercam to record computer-screen action, then edited via PowerPoint), I was pleased. He loves the versatility of his newfound toy; I love the price tag.

His turnaround came after a week at Boy Scout camp, where electronics are banned and card games are taught. Shortly after coming home, he begged for a deck of cards. I couldn’t find any at the house, so I went to the dollar store, where I purchased a pack for, oddly, 50 cents plus tax. (I paid using change).

Then, he told me that cards are superior to the typical board game because you could play lots of different games and weren’t tied down to one in particular.

My scout taught our family his favorite game from camp, “Mao,” beginning with the rule that you can’t tell the rules, which the observant person will find is in violation of the rules. For more on Mao, see this Party Games website or Wikipedia’s article on Mao.

My older son had a similar, though less dramatic, experience after several days at a youth retreat in the mountains. He spends less time tinkering with the computer and more time reading so playing cards didn’t make quite the impression on him. Still, he enjoyed playing El Presidente and then teaching us (my husband, his younger brother, a friend, and me) the card game on an overnight hiking trip.

Here’s his version of the game:

Equipment: full deck of cards
Number of players: at least 3, better with 4-7
Setup: all cards are dealt, as evenly as possible; everyone sits in a circle or somehow close enough to pick up and put down cards with ease, but not see others’ cards; the person who has the 4 of clubs starts the game
Object: to get rid of all your cards and be named El Presidente
Rules:
- 3 is the highest value card, then 2, Ace, King, Queen, Jack, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, and 4.
- Each game usually involves multiple rounds; the person who starts the game or wins the most recent round, decides whether cards should be placed in singles, doubles, or triples (that is, if one 7 is placed at first, then that round is singles; two 7’s, doubles; three 7’s, triples); when the round is over, then the deck is cleared and a new round starts.
- If all 4 of the same face-value cards (such as all of the Queens) are used in a round, then the deck is cleared.
- If two cards with the same face value are played in sequence (such as a 5, followed by a 5), then the next player is skipped (this “skip” still counts as a turn).
- Game Play: after the first card is placed, then the next player (clockwise or counterclockwise depending on what the dealer decides) must place a higher value card of any suit or pass on the turn; a round is over and the deck is cleared when someone plays the highest value card (a 3 in this version); if a card can’t be topped and all players have had a turn (either skipped or passed) – the person who has placed the last card down wins the round.
- Order of winners: the first person who gets rid of all his/her cards is declared El Presidente and the second person is Vice Presidente; the last person is Bum 2 and second to last person is Bum 1; all others are Middle Men.
- For the next session, Bum 2 must give El Presidente his/her two best cards in exchange for any two cards; Bum 1 must give Vice President his/her best card in exchange for any one card. El Presidente starts the next round.

Rules for this card game or any others can vary depending on the inclinations of the players. The ability to make a game more or less complicated is yet another advantage of cards.

A deck, with all its cards tucked away in a small box, is easy to transport in a backpack or duffle bag, providing ready entertainment at home, on camping trips, at off-the-grid lodges, and in airport waiting areas. Though I played cards some as a kid, I don’t think I recognized the value of a full deck as a highly portable, flexible, and inexpensive diversion, until now.

This article is from Julie Rains of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: