Board games are a fun pastime for the entire family. When your child reaches around 7 years old, they really start to understand and enjoy these types of activities. You’ll find plenty of different kinds of board games, from card games to educational games to interactive games, so how do you know which one to get for your little one?
I’ve gathered the best games for 7-year-olds, with a variety of choices and styles, making it easy to find one that your child will love.
Why it’s great: If you’re looking to duke it out with your little one, Battleship is the perfect two-player game. It teaches strategy and critical thinking, and it’s simple enough for kids to understand. Your child will have to learn to play fair and take turns, both good skills to improve. This game has been around for a long time, and this is a new twist on the classic version. It’s very similar, but it also adds in planes for a little variety. It even comes with two cases – one for each player – making it easy to take along on a trip.
Keep in mind: It can be challenging to fit all the pieces into the cases and close the lid as there’s no set spot for the planes.
Good for: It can be challenging to fit all the pieces into the cases and close the lid as there’s no set spot for the planes.
Why it’s great: If you have a larger family, this game allows six players to get involved. Clue Junior is designed for young players and makes it easy for kids as young as five to play. It also changes up the mystery, so you’re not exposing your child to murder and death. The Avengers theme gets little kids even more excited to play. In this game, players will have to figure out who Loki tricked, what he stole, and when he escaped, putting a new twist on this classic game.
Keep in mind: This one is slightly more complicated than the regular Clue Junior, but once you learn the rules, it’s no longer a problem.
Good for: Families who need a game that supports 6 players.
Why it’s great: This game is great for kids who have mastered some of the easier games on the list. It takes planning, strategy, critical thinking, and more to win this game. Players will have to take turns putting down maze pieces that will help them find their treasures and work their way out of the labyrinth. It’s fairly easy for kids to learn, and it has mythical creatures, like dragons, a genie, ghosts, and more, to keep your little one interested and involved.
Keep in mind: This takes about 20-30 minutes to play, so it’s not a quick game.
Good for: Kids who are ready for a more challenging game.
Why it’s great: This game is just as fun and entertaining for adults as it is for kids, making it a great choice to get the whole family involved. It was invented by a 7-year-old boy, who made it easy to learn for other kids his age. It supports 2-4 players and only takes about 10-15 minutes to play. Your child will learn strategy as they try to end the game with the most valuable taco or burrito, and they’ll have to use basic math skills to do it. For more variety, you can also buy the expansion pack for the game.
Keep in mind: This is a very competitive game where you have to be a little mean to your opponents, so it’s best for kids who are good sports.
Good for: Parents that want a game that will be fun for them too.
Why it’s great: Hedbanz is another game that’s been around for a long time. It can support up to 6 players, and it’s very easy for kids to learn how to play. Each player has a headband with a card they can’t see. The other players give clues by asking questions about the card, and the headband wearer has to guess what it is. It’s funny and entertaining, and your little one will learn how to phrase questions. It’s a great choice for kids, and the free companion apps make it even more of a blast.
Keep in mind: The headbands aren’t the most comfortable. Fortunately, the game is pretty fast-paced, so you don’t have to wear them long.
Good for: Kids who struggle to learn all the rules to games.
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Why it’s great: Exploding kittens is a hilarious game for the whole family. The illustrations are really well done and will make you and your child laugh out loud. This card game is all about strategy, but there’s also a little bit of luck involved. You’ll need to use your cards to help you avoid the exploding kittens. There are a few expansion packs and different versions, but make sure to check the age requirements, as there are adult versions with more mature cards. It’s super quick and easy to learn and doesn’t take long to play.
Keep in mind: Only plays 2-5 players, but you can buy expansion packs that will increase the number of players.
Good for: Families who want a game that’s filled with laughter.
Why it’s great: Catan is a super popular game among adults, so the Catan Junior version is the perfect choice for kids. In this game, your child gets to play a swashbuckling pirate and try to collect resources, purchase property, and amass their fortune by building their network. Four players can join, and it will take strategy and a little bit of luck to win this game. Your child will learn valuable skills about timing, saving, strategy, and more.
Keep in mind: This one is a little more complicated and takes about 30 minutes to play, so make sure your child has a longer attention span.
Good for: Kids who are ready for longer, more involved games.
The Battleship With Planes is our overall top recommendation. It's the highest quality product we have found with the most affordable price making it the best value on our list..
Board games offer a huge range of benefits. Most importantly, they make it easy to spend quality time with your kids. They also promote social skills, critical thinking, problem-solving, educational skills, and more. There are so many reasons to play games with your child, and each game offers a little something different.
There are tons of educational board games for kids. All board games will teach your child some skills, but if you want them to learn something specific, like math or reading, you can find plenty that will improve your child’s education. When you look at the rules for the game, it should be fairly obvious what kinds of skills or concepts your child will learn while playing.
The first thing you need to consider is their age and maturity. What kind of game is suitable for their age and skill level? You don’t want something too difficult, as that will discourage your child and make them not want to play. Figure out what kinds of games interest your child. Do they like problem-solving games? Competitive games? Strategy games? Likely, it will take some trial and error to find one that your child loves to play.
Just playing a board game is not going to help your child learn to be a good sport, but it does give you the right environment to teach them ethics and improve this skill. There are basically two types of board games – cooperative and competitive. The first will help your child learn to collaborate with others, and the latter will help teach them how to play fair – as long as you’re working with them.
When you’re playing a competitive game, you don’t want to let your child win all the time, and you want to encourage them to be a good sport when they lose. Explain that playing the game is about having fun, and you can’t win all the time.
It’s impossible to pick one game as the best family board game. There are so many, and it really depends on each individual and the types of games you all like to play. A good family game should allow all members to play and should be easy enough for even the youngest member. Try to choose one that challenges the youngest member and is fun for older kids and adults to play, too.
Getting a new board game for your 7-year-old can help them learn how to interact with others, as well as a plethora of other skills. Finding one that sparks your child’s interest while also helping them improve in whatever area you think is best can really create a fun learning environment.
This list contains different styles of board games, making it easy to find one that will spark your child’s interest.
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