Seeking Board Games for Preschoolers? (No, It's Not Hi Ho Cherry-O)

My husband and I love board games! Naturally, we thought it would be a good family bonding activity with our little girl also and started to look into games that she could play.

We started with the typical Snakes and Ladders. It's easy and has a lot of variations (Mickey Mouse, Princess, etc.) at the toy store so it's easy to find a set that your child will appreciate. The game teaches kids the basics of counting, taking turns, and winning/losing graciously.

The next step was a bit harder. We wanted something more challenging, but still apt for our preschooler's level. I chanced upon Monopoly Junior Party at the toy store and this proved to be the answer for us (at least, for now). Instead of properties, players buy parties that cost 1-5 money. The denomination of the money is all 1's. With uber-simplified game rules, cupcake tokens, and a party box in place of railroads - this game is just right for preschoolers. It taught my daughter to count faster and further ingrained the concepts of taking turns. The chance cards encouraged her to read and already she's starting to show interest in the original version of the Monopoly game.

Dominoes was another sure hit with our little girl. We got it when she just turned 3. At the time, she was more interested in building houses with it. We tried again now that she's about to turn four. She finally understands the concept of the game and it's become one of our favorite (and fun!) family activities. There are a lot of versions available, we bought the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse one that features the faces of the characters (instead of just the dots). There is a Do-It-Yourself Dora version available online at the NickJr website.