The Best Award Winning Games for Kids for Each Age

A brand new game makes an excellent gift. Why? Because it can be shared with others, played again and again and offers a brain-boosting experience every time it comes out of the closet! However, a 3-year-old will enjoy a different game from a 7-year-old and from an 11-year-old. So what is the best game for every age?

Based on our extensive experience as a family of board game nerds, I've collected a list of what I think are some of the best award-winning games for kids and sorted them by age. Of course it is not a hard and fast guide, but you are sure to find a great new game to give to your child!

(Note this post contains affiliate links that earn commission from qualifying purchases. All opinions mine.)

Best Game for 2-Year-Olds

Two-year-olds are working on taking turns and following instructions. Game rules need to be simple and allow for a lot of self-expression!

Monkey Around

Find it: Monkey Around

Toddlers need to move and Monkey Around is the game for them. Simple actions like drawing a card, performing an action and placing the card on an oversized tree game board give kids an easy introduction to the concept of game play. Plus they will love the included beanbag banana. Tossing and catching it will help them develop coordination and gross motor skills. Be sure to check out our other recommendations for games that get kids moving!

Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award, the PAL Award, and the Parents' Choice Silver Award

Best Game for 3-Year-Olds

Preschoolers need games that are easy to learn but challenge their growing brains and help them develop thinking skills. Keep playing movement games like Roll and Play (above) but try out some more advanced games, too.

I Never Forget a Face Memory Game

Find it: I Never Forget a Face Memory Game | Dinosaur Memory Game

Memory is a classic game that is perfect for honing a 3-year-old's patience, memory and visual perception skills! Classic games stick around because they offer a universally enjoyable and satisfying experience I adore this version of Memory by eeBoo. The sturdy cards feature faces from all around the world, and kids will love to talk about what they see, building global awareness. However, there are other themed memory games so pick the one best suited for your child.

Awards: Oppenheim Gold Award

Best Game for 4-Year-Olds

4-year-olds can sit still for longer so board games can be integrated into family game night. Cooperative games give preschoolers the scaffolding they need to follow more advanced game instructions.

Hoot Owl Hoot

Find it: Hoot Owl Hoot Cooperative Game

Hoot Owl Hoot is one of our absolute favorite cooperative games and a terrific game for 4 year olds. Cooperative games teach kids the benefits of working together. Kids learn problem solving, simple strategy, taking turns and all around good sportsmanship. Unlike Candyland, which depends solely on the luck of the draw, Hoot Owl Hoot requires strategic thinking and basic logic, making it much more fun for the grown-ups who play with their kids!

Awards: Disney FamilyFun Toy of the Year Award, Dr. Toy 100 Best Children's Products Award, Major Fun Award

Best Game for 5-Year-Olds

Choose a game for your 5-year-old that they can make their own by experimenting with various rules, giving them a sense of control.

Rivers, Roads and Rails

Find it: Rivers, Roads and Rails Game

This game requires kids to use their visual perception skills to match cards together and create pathways of an ever changing network of rivers, roads and rails. It's like a puzzle and board game in one! The game can be played either competitively or cooperatively for endless variety and to suit the temperament of each child.

Awards: Parent's Choice Gold Award, Creative Toy Award

Best Game for 6-Year-Olds

Hooray for 6-year-olds who can play longer games during family game night than their preschool counterparts.

Quirkle

Find it: Qwirkle (Classic) | Qwirkle Cubes

Quirkle is one of those rare games that a 6-year-old and an adult equally enjoy and find challenging. Players put their strategy, problem solving, and visual discrimination skills to the test while they work to create sequences of colors and shapes. It's the perfect game for family game night.

Awards: Major Fun Award, Mensa Select Award, National Parenting Center's Seal of Approval, Parents' Choice Gold Award, Spiel des Jahres Award

Best Game for 7-Year-Olds

7-year-olds can now play games with their peers as well as during family game night. Find a card game with a theme that matches their interest, like dragons or fairy tales.

Card Games

Find it: Sleeping Queens | Sleeping Queens 2 | Dragonwood

I couldn't decide between these two favorite card games so I'm leaving it up to you to choose which one best suits your 7-year-old! Both games have been well loved at our house. Both are easy to learn and require a combination of strategy and luck to win. Family members of all ages will want to join in the fun.

Awards: Parent's Choice, Family Fun | Oppenheim Platinum, Mensa Select, Major Fun, Parent's Choice Silver and more!

Best Game for-8-Year Olds

As they get older, kids can start to use more complex logic and thinking skills when playing games.

Logic Puzzles

Find it: Domino Maze | Invasion of the Cow Snatchers

You all know we adore single player logic puzzles, and 8-years-old is the perfect time to get your child hooked on these types of games because they can play them for hours, working through all of the challenging levels. Best of all, because each game has levels ranging from basic to expert, logic games like Domino Maze and Invasion of the Cow Snatchers grow with your child, so they are an excellent investment! Choose a puzzle that challenges your child to use critical thinking skills to build creative domino mazes that boosts fine motor skills as well as logical reasoning!

Awards: Parent's Choice, Purdue University Engineering Gift Guide!

Best Game for 9-Year-Olds

Kids on the edge of tween-dom want to prove their smarts. Give them games that put multiple skills to the test!

Quarto

Find it: Quarto Strategy Game

I only recently discovered this marvelous game, although it has been around for decades. This unique and challenging abstract strategy game will entice your 9-year-old and engage their deductive reasoning and spatial perception skills. The superior construction of the game makes it an excellent gift!

Awards: Toy Award, Spiel des Jahres-Game of the Year, Mensa Select, Parent’s Choice Gold, Best Bet of the Toy Testing Council and more!

Best Game for 10-Year-Olds

10-year-olds are transferring from pretend play to role playing. World building games trap into their imagination. Also check out our list of the Best Games for 10-15 Year Olds.

Settlers of Catan

Find it: Settlers of Catan | Expansion packs

This European style board game requires a different type of strategic thinking from the other games on this list. Players act as settlers in an attempt to acquire land and buildings by hoarding resources and trading with others. Game play lasts longer than typical family games but 10 year olds love this type of game that mixes strategy with role play and will love playing it with their friends.

Awards: Spiel des Jahres Game of the Year, GamesCom Vegas Game of the Century and more.

Best Game for 11-Year-Olds and Up

Tweens want to find ways to assert their independence and what better way than to find a game that seems a tiny bit subversive?

Exploding Kittens

Find it: Exploding Kittens | Expansion Packs

Older tweens and teens love games that make them laugh hysterically and maybe have a little bit of–gross-out humor–shall we say? Exploding Kittens fits the bill exactly. Honestly it is so fun. There's also a wonderful randomness to the game that keeps players on their toes, and keeps the laughs coming! Another subversive game my son loves is Bears Vs. Babies, on our list of the best games for 10-15 year olds.

Awards: One of the biggest Kickstarter campaign of all-time. (Okay, not an award but you get the idea.)