Board games are not just about rolling dice and moving pieces; they’re immersive experiences that captivate young minds, fostering social skills, critical thinking, and a love for learning. In this list, we present the 30 best board games for kids ages 8 and above—a treasure trove of entertainment that transcends mere playtime. Not only will the kids have a blast but so will the adults. That’s a win-win!
Best Board Games For 8 Year Olds & Up
We have weekly game nights at our house and invite friends. It’s a great opportunity to enjoy many of the benefits of playing board games as well as some much needed screen-free time. Here are many of our favorites.
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Not included is the card game Magic the Gathering and the role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons. These are both more involved games that take some extra time to learn and play but are favorites.
Ages: These games should work well for a variety of ages 8+ with plenty of enjoyment for teens and adults. Most of these games would generally be played with an adult.
A few notes about Settlers of Catan: While this is a fantastic game, it can be a bit long and frustrating for young and old! It’s better with at least 4 players. Think of it as a twist on Monopoly.
Ticket To Ride
Ticket to Ride: A thrilling railway adventure that enhances strategic thinking and geography skills as players connect train routes across the country.
Carcassone
Carcassone: Foster spatial awareness and tactical planning by laying tiles to build medieval landscapes, castles, and roads in this classic tile-laying game. Bonus: There’s many expansion sets you can add for more strategy!
Forbidden Island
Forbidden Island: Promotes teamwork as players collaborate to retrieve valuable artifacts from a sinking island, encouraging communication and problem-solving. Bonus: If you enjoy this, there are other versions, like Forbidden Desert. I first bought this when my son was 8!
Museum Suspects
Museum Suspects: If you have outgrown Outfoxed, try this one! You never get the same setup twice, so kids must think and weigh what they know so far and pay attention to what others are doing. Great for building memory and reasoning skills.
Tsuro
Tsuro: Easy to learn and quick to play, Tsuro teaches kids about pathfinding and decision-making as they navigate their dragon tokens along interconnected paths.
Bears and Bees
Bears and Bees: An engaging dexterity game that enhances fine motor skills as players use tweezers to remove bees from a honeycomb without disturbing the slumbering bear. If you like this style of game, the same company, Grandpa Beck’s has more of them!
Dungeons and Dragons: Adventure Begins
Dungeons and Dragons: Adventure Begins: An accessible introduction to the world of Dungeons and Dragons, fostering creativity and teamwork as players embark on quests, battle monsters, and explore dungeons. Note: This is a great introduction to the concept of playing DnD!
Dungeon Mayhem
Dungeon Mayhem: A fast-paced, family-friendly card game set in the D&D universe, allowing kids to choose a character and engage in epic battles using unique abilities and spells.
Kingdomino
Kingdomino: Combining tile placement and kingdom building, Kingdomino helps kids develop spatial reasoning and strategic planning as they create their own colorful dominos.
Dixit
Dixit: Unleash creativity and imagination with this storytelling and deduction game where players use surreal and whimsical cards to inspire captivating narratives.
Boop
Boop: A charming memory and matching game featuring adorable monsters, Boop enhances cognitive skills while providing a fun and engaging experience.
Munchkin
Munchkin: Introduce kids to the world of dungeon-crawling and monster-slaying humorously, with this fast-paced card game full of whimsical characters and clever strategy.
Trekking the National Parks
Trekking the National Parks: Learn about U.S. national parks in this educational and strategic game that combines geography, planning, and resource management.
Sleeping Queens
Sleeping Queens: A whimsical and entertaining card game that helps kids practice math skills as they wake queens, collect kings, and use magical powers to win.
Sushi Go!
Sushi Go!: Develop quick decision-making skills and learn about set collection as players draft adorable sushi cards to create the most delectable meal.
Castle Panic
Castle Panic: Collaborative tower defense fun where players work together to defend their castle against approaching monsters, promoting teamwork and strategic planning.
Splendor
Splendor: Cultivate economic and strategic thinking as players collect gemstones, purchase development cards, and strive to build the most prestigious merchant empire.
Azul
Azul: Encouraging pattern recognition and strategic planning, Azul challenges players to create beautiful tile mosaics while competing for the highest score.
The Quacks of Quedlinburg
The Quacks of Quedlinburg: A potion-brewing race where players experiment with ingredients, fostering risk-taking and strategic thinking in a delightful push-your-luck game.
Karak
Karak: Journey through the desert, collecting resources and trading goods in this family-friendly game that combines resource management and strategic planning.
Isle of Cats
Isle of Cats: Combine Tetris-like tile placement with cat adoption in this delightful game that encourages spatial awareness and strategic thinking.
Pandemic Hot Zone
Pandemic Hot Zone: Introduce cooperative play and critical decision-making with this streamlined version of the popular Pandemic series, focusing on global disease containment.
Sheriff of Nottingham
Sheriff of Nottingham: Encouraging bluffing and negotiation, players take on the roles of medieval merchants trying to smuggle goods past the watchful sheriff. (14+)
5-Minute Dungeon
5-Minute Dungeon: A fast-paced and chaotic cooperative game that challenges players to work together to defeat bosses within a time limit, promoting quick thinking and collaboration.
Karuba
Karuba: A tile-laying adventure game that introduces kids to pathfinding and planning as they guide explorers through the jungle to discover treasures.
Wingspan
Wingspan: Explore the world of birdwatching in this visually stunning game that combines strategy and resource management, teaching kids about different bird species and habitats. (14+)
Patchwork
Patchwork: Introduce kids to quilting in this two-player game that promotes spatial awareness and strategic planning as players compete to create the most aesthetically pleasing quilt.
Century Golem Edition
Century Golem Edition: Embark on a journey to collect and trade valuable crystals in this visually appealing and accessible resource management game.
Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure
Clank! A Deck-Building Adventure: Blend strategy and risk-taking as players delve into a dungeon, collect artifacts, and try to escape before the dragon catches them in this deck-building game.
The Quest for El Dorado
The Quest for El Dorado: A deck-building race through the jungle, encouraging players to manage resources and strategically build their decks to reach the legendary city of gold.
Dice Forge
Dice Forge: Introduce the concept of customizable dice and strategic decision-making as players forge their own dice to gain resources and achieve victory.
Key to the Kingdom
Key to the Kingdom: A fantasy adventure game where players explore a mysterious kingdom, face challenges, discover secrets, and foster imagination and strategic thinking.
There are so many more games that didn’t even make it to this list for you to find along your board game adventures!
More Fun Board Game Ideas
- Spooky Halloween Board Games
- Board Games For Toddlers
- Board Games For 4 Year Olds
- Kindergarten/First Grade Board Games
- Board Game Accessories
- Fall Board Games
- Printable Board Games For Kids
- Screen Free Coding Games
- LEGO Tower Game
- Bingo Games
Printable Board Game Pack
20+ printable board games for kids! Perfect for Pre-K, K, 1st, or whatever age and ability work for your needs.
Includes seasons, holidays, animals, space, reptiles, and more fun themes! Whenever a new game is made, it will be added, and a new link will be emailed to you.
Each game has instructions, a DIY die or spinner, and needed tokens. You will want to add a few game pieces/household items from your stash. Laminate for long-lasting use or place in a page protector.
