# Suggestions for board games for elementary school kids. A challenge for doperdom. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 2, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146 "2006-06-02T14:53:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/1 "2006-06-02T14:53:21Z")
The last two weeks of school are so useless, really. But they have obligations to fulfill before they are released back to the custody of their parents. Our school has their Field Day today, where they have outdoor games to run the kids amok. For next year, as a suggestion, I have a thought of **Board Game Day.** Let’s say 4th graders with 4 homerooms. Each classroom will be designated to learn and play one board game. Scrabble, Monopoly…whatever. Teacher takes 15-20 minutes breaking down the rules of the game and so on and then the kids break off into groups to play for an hour or so. Then the classrooms switch (After a break to get their ya-ya’s out) and they get to learn and play another game. My Reasoning is that children will learn the value of face to face games ( which many have not learned at all or have little exposure too in this day and age of video games.) and many of the board games - with proper letters home , can be borrowed or donated by families. Also, it just may get kids interested in a whole new level of stimuli. (I’m old school, what can I say?) So, that said: I need age appropriate suggestions for games ( popular and obscure). Off the top of my head… **Kindergarten ( age 5-6)** Checkers Candy land shudders tic tac toe rock paper scissors you would be amazed on how many kids do not know this awesome game. operation or as we call it _Kill the Patient_ Connect Four **First Grade: ages 6-7** Checkers Connect Four Kerplunk Tip It Ants in the Pants Uncle Wiggley **Second Grade 7-8** All of the above games Sequence Pass the Bomb Pente My new favoritist game **Third Grade: 8-9** All of the above Chess Monopoly Battleship Twister ( all ages really) othello cards **Fourth Grade** All of the above Plus? (Fifth and up are another school. 5 & 6 is middle school and 7&8 are intermediate. 9-12 are high school. ( I think. I went to a private school. tra la tra la.) Suggestions for other ages and grades are welcome too, as I am going to email the school principal with my suggestion, as well as the superintendent. Ok, I’ve done the hard part. The rest is up to you dopers to use the power of your great childhood memories, bonger days of college and your amazing slacker skills to Save Children From The Last Week of School Utter Boredom, Show The Whippersnappers Old School Stuff and possibly save the world as we know it. 🙂 Are you up to the challenge? ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/2 "2006-06-02T15:05:42Z")
Clue Game of Life Scrabble Sorry Parchesi Chinese Checkers Mousetrap Yahtzee That’s all I got… ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/3 "2006-06-02T15:08:21Z")
[Set](http://www.setgame.com/set/) is a fantastic game for any age from 6 (with a smaller deck) to 106. It’s one of the only truly interesting and challenging games for everyone. (It’s also one of those sneaky [edumacational](http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html) things in disguise.) If you insist on board game use, try [Triology](http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html), which is sort of a Set/Bridge hybrid for ages 8 and up. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/4 "2006-06-02T15:13:41Z")
There is a game called Hi-Ho Cherry-O for little ones that teaches counting (much like candyland does, if I recall correctly). You put cherries in a basket. That’s it. All I got. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/5 "2006-06-02T15:20:46Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [Set](http://www.setgame.com/set/) is a fantastic game for any age from 6 (with a smaller deck) to 106. It’s one of the only truly interesting and challenging games for everyone. (It’s also one of those sneaky [edumacational](http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html) things in disguise.) If you insist on board game use, try [Triology](http://www.setgame.com/set/index.html), which is sort of a Set/Bridge hybrid for ages 8 and up. Eudmacational…_gasp_ ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/6 "2006-06-02T15:21:24Z")
The best game I ever discovered playing with my kids was [UNO](http://thehouseofcards.com/retail/uno.html) the card game. It didn’t take long before the kids were playing quite sophisticated strategy. I really enjoyed having a game that I could play flat out and still lose. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/7 "2006-06-02T15:22:06Z")
I’ll add on. \*\*Uno \*\* ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/8 "2006-06-02T15:24:37Z")
It’s never too early to start them on poker. Hold 'em, Omaha, Razz, 7-Stud, when they win the WSOP in 20 years they’ll thank you for it. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/9 "2006-06-02T15:28:59Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > It’s never too early to start them on poker. Hold 'em, Omaha, Razz, 7-Stud, when they win the WSOP in 20 years they’ll thank you for it. And they can learn by watching Poker with the Stars. Gambling is always an educational experience. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/10 "2006-06-02T15:45:39Z")
> [@Shirley Ujest](#): > > And they can learn by watching Poker with the Stars. Gambling is always an educational experience. Heck - teach 'em some handicapping! Handicapping thoroughbreds is a skill you can use for LIFE! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![BurnMeUp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@BurnMeUp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BurnMeUp)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/11 "2006-06-02T16:24:21Z")
scattergories apples to apples pictionary jr (or make your own using a whiteboard and write your own “cards” on 3X5 index cards kadoo (a kid’s version of cranium) Skipbo taboo ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/12 "2006-06-02T16:29:24Z")
I love your idea. I grew up in a family that didn’t play games together. As an adult, I’ve rediscovered the joy of sitting around a table, playing games and chatting for hours. With only an hour or so of playtime, and with lots of kids, I’d probably avoid the Monopoly/Risk kind of games. They just take to long to learn and to long to play. Suggestions: Some form of Dominos. Almost any age. Backgammon Young kids: Old maid, go fish, war. All you need is a deck of cards. Starting about age 6 - look into a game called Apples to Apples (JR version of younger kids). Each player gets a handful of object cards. Someone places one down, and everyone else has to pick one from their hand that is most alike. Say the starter is a red apple. You might get an orange, or a red balloon, or a ball (because it’s round). Snorta - Kind of a cross between a memory game, and spoons. Better yet, you get to make animal noices. (My favorite game was all adults, 30-70, sitting around a kitchen table making animal noises at each other.) ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/13 "2006-06-02T16:32:44Z")
I think I would skip Twister. I would have hated to have to twist myself up with some of the kids in school. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/14 "2006-06-02T17:29:09Z")
Dots & Boxes is a game that can be quite sophisticated. There are other pencil & paper games that can be challenging & interesting. I’ll just paste some links: [http://www.google.com/search?q=pencil+and+paper+games&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official](http://www.google.com/search?q=pencil+and+paper+games&start=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official) [http://orion.math.iastate.edu/danwell/MathNight/ppg.html#pipelayer](http://orion.math.iastate.edu/danwell/MathNight/ppg.html#pipelayer) > **[Board Games](https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/board-games-4162951)** > > Check out the rules and how-tos of modern and classic board games, such as Monopoly and Scrabble, that you can enjoy with the entire family. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/15 "2006-06-02T17:33:16Z")
We used to run Game night for the GATE group for our school district. My wife used to be a toy reviewer, so we had lots and lots of games. We did it by setting up tables with a game on it, and having high school kids (my daughter and her friends) to help the kids learn the games. 15 minutes to learn rules is way too long - I suspect they’d lose focus long before then, so concentrate on games that they know or are easy to learn. One class of game not on your list that they loved is mechanical games. Loopin’ Louie involves a kid trying to grab money or chickens or something by flying a plane on an arm around the center of the board. Not exactly educational, but they loved it. These games have also been used by a elementary school teacher friend of ours, so all kids seem to like them. ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/16 "2006-06-02T19:02:34Z")
[www.boardgamegeek.com](http://www.boardgamegeek.com) all the way! It is a fabulous resource, they have a whole forum related to gaming suggestions. They have thousands of games in their database. Introducing the kids to games outside the norm is your chance! Take it! Woohoo! More boardgamers! Look into Apples To Apples, Ticket to Ride and Through The Desert spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/17 "2006-06-02T19:34:48Z")
Blockus: [http://www.childrenstoybox.com/Blockus\_Game.htm](http://www.childrenstoybox.com/Blockus_Game.htm) It would really work for all ages. The first time I played it, we were all about 24-27 year olds, but I’ve seen 5 year olds really get quite good at it! Bohnanza is also a fun card game, where the kids could really let out some energy too, since it’s a vocal card-trading game: [http://www.riograndegames.com/games/rio155.html](http://www.riograndegames.com/games/rio155.html) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/18 "2006-06-02T19:50:15Z")
Cat Craddle with a string. They learn coperation and it involves learning moves and hand dexterity. It’s a great game for the car school cabin , or just about anywhere you have time on your hands. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/19 "2006-06-02T22:21:59Z")
Mannnn, you guys are awesome! That snort game and Loopin’ louie (I’ve never heard of either.) are now on my Ebay watch list. jf, those pencil and paper games are awesome. I’d forgotten how much fun dots was. Thanks! I love this place! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146/20 "2006-06-02T22:26:03Z")
Any other mechanical games out there that I should know of please let me know. Another really fun game and nearly brainless to play is [Derby Days](http://www.boardgamegeek.com/game/4976) it would probably help if you were a horse crazy girl. It is out of print right now. I found mine at a garage sale and it is always a fun, quick, exciting game of which horse will finish the race first. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/suggestions-for-board-games-for-elementary-school-kids-a-challenge-for-doperdom/359146.md?page=2)