Are you looking to buy some new board games for Christmas or school breaks? Find out about my favorite card games and board games for 6 year olds. Keep scrolling for the list!
This post about the best board games for 6 year olds may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. All opinions remain my own.
As parents, we try to find more engaging indoor games and activities for our kids aside from any gadgets nearby. That’s why I’m always on the hunt for cool and fun card and board games for 6-year-olds.
Like many of you, I grew up without a lot of screen time. And by that, I mean I didn’t have my own computer or tablet (basically because those didn’t exist.)
We also didn’t have video games, and we were only allowed to watch a little TV, mostly after dinner.
So, my brother and I ended up playing hours of board games, especially on rainy days.
I figured I’d play board games with my kids as they got older. They are so great for learning how to take turns, follow rules, and how to play strategically.
But honestly, I don’t have the patience most days to try out new games with my kids. I want to know the board games that are actually worth buying and playing with my kids.
Thankfully, I have an awesome group of mom friends who all have 6-year-olds (like me) and who have tried out a bunch of different board games and card games this year.
I did some crowdsourcing, and we came up with our ultimate list of super cool card games and board games for 6-year-olds that you’ll actually want to play as a family.
Awesome Card Games for 6 Year Olds
Stack the Scoops
This is the game that I play the most with my 1st grader. It’s really easy to learn how to play, and it sneakily reinforces math skills.
And I love that it’s just as much fun playing with one other person as it is playing as a family. It can even be a fun game to hone math skills for younger kids.
Because it hardly takes up any room, it’s one of our favorite travel games to bring with us to play in hotel rooms or at the airport.
It’s an entire game about ice cream. What’s not to love? Plus, it was created by a kid!
Out of all the games we’ve played this year, it’s definitely one of the best games for 6 year olds!
Buy Stack the Scoops on Amazon
Blink: The World’s Fastest Game
While this is actually one of the most popular card games for 7-year-olds, a lot of 6-year-olds will have fun playing it.
A lot of my friends own this kid’s card game, and they say it’s a blast when they play it on their family game night!
It’s all about trying to match the shape, count, or color on your cards to either one of two discard piles. And you do this as quickly as possible because the whole goal is to run out of cards first.
Plus, it’s just for 2 players, so it’s an easy one to play with your child or have siblings play together.
Buy Blink on Amazon
Spot It!
If your family likes Blink, you’ll love Spot It! This is a family card game for 2-8 players and is more fun (and crazier) with more people.
Each card has several different images, and you need to match them as quickly as possible.
It’s a super fast-paced game that is perfect for traveling with kids!
What’s extra cool is there are tons of different versions of this fun game, like Finding Dory, Frozen 2, NFL, and Camping.
And there’s even a waterproof version to use at the pool, beach, or even bath time!
Buy Spot It! on Amazon
Uno
Who doesn’t love this classic game played by the whole family?
I remember playing Uno when I was in school. It was what a bunch of my classmates played at recess, and it was always so much fun!
While it’s technically geared for kids who are 7 years old and up, most 6 year olds are able to play with no problem.
And there are tons of versions of Uno, like Jurassic World, Mario Kart, Pixar, Harry Potter, Minecraft, and so much more!
Buy Uno on Amazon.
Set
Another mom friend recommended the game Set. It’s won a bunch of awards and has been around for years and years, but I’m guessing a lot of families have never heard of it.
What’s extra cool about this game is that kids (or adults) can play it by themselves for just as much fun.
Buy Set on Amazon
Miss Bernard is a Wild Card!
My 6 year old learned to read last year and one of his favorite book series is My Weird School (and all the subsequent series.)
I’ve never heard him laugh so hard while reading. So, when I saw this game, I knew it would be right up his alley.
Plus, it’s an educational card game that focuses on reading, math and strategic thinking skills. But, your kids will be having way too much fun to notice!
Buy Miss Bernard is a Wild Card! on Amazon
Go Fish
Ok, so I know you can totally play Go Fish with a regular set of playing cards.
But, I know my kids prefer the Go Fish playing cards because there are pictures of the fish on them. Kids are funny that way.
We have this set (and a few others) that are cool because my 4 year old can play with us and he just describes what the picture looks like.
Buy Go Fish on Amazon
Amazing Board Games for 6 Year Olds
Outfoxed
One of the trendiest things right now is finding a cooperative game for kids. These are games where players work together to win (instead of competing against each other.)
Outfoxed is one of the best cooperative board games for families. Everyone gets to play a detective and try to solve the mystery of who stole the pie!
It’s perfect for family game nights!
Buy Outfoxed on Amazon
Quirkle
My good friend swears Quirkle is one of their favorite board games for 6 year olds. She’s actually been playing it with her son since he was 5 years old.
The concept is pretty easy for kids to understand. Basically, you just line up tiles to match either the shape or color to form lines (like in Dominoes.)
It’s a great way to help kids learn strategic thinking and spaTial awareness.
And since the rules are pretty straightforward, it’s an easy game they can teach to friends, grandparents, or babysitters.
Buy Quirkle on Amazon
Blokus
This is a cool strategy board game for kids that another friend swears is one of the best board games for 6 year olds.
The pieces remind me a lot of Tetrus, but the game is very different.
Basically each player has a color and they need to place all their uniquely shaped pieces on the board. But, each piece must only touch the corner of one of the pieces that they have already placed.
The game ends when there are no more moves.
Buy Blokus on Amazon
Ticket to Ride: First Journey
For families who love traveling as much as mine does, this one of the best educational board games for kids that teaches about U.S. geography and famous attractions.
Kids get to pretend to be train engineers as they race across the United States. This is a fun
It’s the perfect way to travel without leaving your home!
Buy Ticket to Ride: First Journey on Amazon
Chinese Checkers
I had actually forgotten about Chinese Checkers until I bought a pack of games on Facebook Marketplace this summer, and it was one of the games included.
My brother and I used to play Chinese Checkers a lot. And when we got frustrated playing with each other, one of us would play it by ourselves.
While my 4 year old just likes to group the colors together or make a design, my 6 year old can actually play it with me.
But, he also likes to play against himself. I think that’s an awesome way to test out strategies and figure out creative ways to win.
Buy Chinese Checkers on Amazon
Sorry!
Sorry! is another classic board game for kids that is easy to understand and lots of fun to play.
There are a few updated versions, and each one has slightly different rules. So, if you played it when you were little, pick up the retro version for the original rules.
I think it’s one of the best board games for kindergarten students because it’s about recognizing numbers, counting, and beginning to learn about strategy.
But, I think we can all agree that the main reason kids love to play this game is getting to yell “Sorry!” in the most teasing way ever!
Buy Sorry! on Amazon
Chutes and Ladders
I know this game says it’s geared for preschoolers, but my 6 year old has a lot more fun playing it than my 4 year old.
It’s an awesome educational board game for kids who are learning more about how numbers work and number sense. It’s all about counting forward and backwards.
Since kids don’t need to worry about reading to play this game, they can focus just on the numbers and concentrate as they count.
They also have a Spider-Man version as well as the classic 70s version (which is what we have.)
Buy Chutes and Ladders on Amazon
Trouble
I bought this game for my kids this Spring after I realized how much time we were all going to spend at home together this year.
This is another classic board game that I remember playing with my cousins when I was little. All I really remembered, though, was pushing on the popper in the middle of the board game.
My kids get a huge kick out of popping the bubble, but they also really like playing the game. Mostly, they like getting to kick each other off the spots in their effort to win.
They also have Cars 3, Trolls World Tour, and Star Wars Mandalorian editions!
Buy Trouble on Amazon
Battleship
So, we own this game, but I haven’t gotten around to playing it with my kids. I never personally enjoyed playing it as a kid because I’m not into military things.
But my friends have been playing it with their boys and think it’s a lot of fun.
This one is a slight twist on the original Battleship game because it includes airplanes. Since we’re fans of anything that flies, I knew this was the one my kids would like the most.
But there’s also the classic version or Star Wars edition you can get.
Buy Battleship on Amazon
Gnomes at Night
Gnomes at Night is a top-rated cooperative board game for kids where they can help each other find stolen treasure.
In order to win, kids need to communicate clearly with each other and give specific instructions in order to solve the mystery.
What’s really cool is that it’s one of the few games that uses magnets to play. Kids can move their own magnets, but they can also move their partner’s magnets to help them find the stolen treasure.
Buy Gnomes at Night on Amazon
Dominoes
When I was in kindergarten and 1st grade, we always bought a Dominoes set to give at birthday parties. My mom liked that they were so versatile. You could play the game or use them as blocks.
The concept of the game is really easy. You just match up the numbers to create rows of tiles. They can go in any direction you want, they just need to connect with another tile that has the same number.
And you can also switch it up by playing Mexican Train or Chicken Foot.
Buy Dominoes on Amazon
Kingdomino
I hadn’t heard of this game until my friend mentioned it. While Kingdomino is geared for kids ages 8 and older, her 6 year old has no problem playing it.
This kids strategy game has a medieval theme. It’s similar to regular Dominoes in the way that you have to connect your piece to one that has the same pattern/terrain.
It sounds a little complicated at first, but it’s one of those games that “clicks” after playing it the first time.
What’s also cool about Kingdomino is that you can play it as a family, or you can play it with just adults. We love games that really grow with families.
Buy Kingdomino on Amazon
Guess Who
I don’t know about you, but my kids are some of the most unobservant people I’ve ever met. So, we bought Guess Who in the hopes that it would help them notice more details.
We played the classic version when we were kids, but I love how they’ve updated it to be a bit more inclusive.
The whole premise of the game is to ask each other questions to try to guess the other person’s character card. And you can flip down the characters as you narrow it down.
Buy Guess Who on Amazon