Best Popular Games Kids Love: Top 5 Picks for 2025
We tried all the popular games kids love! These picks keep everyone laughing, learning, and battling it out for snacks.
The 5 Best Board Games Inspired by Popular Games Kids Love
Looking for board games that’ll keep your kids happy and maybe even give you a break from screen time? We’ve hunted for the top ‘popular games kids’ and picked only those that are fun, easy to learn, and actually keep everyone at the table. Our picks had to survive the ultimate test—game night with our wild crew of kids and grown-ups. You’ll find options that work for mixed ages, don’t need a PhD to play, and get giggles going. Ready to find your new favorite family board game? Let’s go!
On this list:
5 Ticket to Ride: First Journey
When we played Ticket to Ride: First Journey, our group was full of laughter and the odd train sound effect (thanks, Mark). This version takes the original game and makes it perfect for kids, with easy rules and colorful pieces. If your kids like trains or adventures, this one is a winner. The game teaches them a bit of geography and planning, but they won’t notice—they’ll be too busy building their railroads and blocking their friends. The rounds go quick, so no one loses interest. We even caught a few adults getting competitive about those train routes! This is a fine pick for fans of popular games kids adore.
4 Outfoxed!
Outfoxed! had us channeling our inner Sherlock Holmes—well, if Sherlock wore pajamas and shouted, ‘It’s Mrs. Featherbottom!’ This cooperative mystery game is a blast for younger kids, and grown-ups secretly love it too. We moved around the board collecting clues and accusing suspects, while trying to catch the sneaky fox thief. It’s got enough deduction to keep things interesting, but is simple enough for young players not to get lost. Our group kept playing ‘just one more round.’ If you want popular games kids can play with the whole family, Outfoxed! delivers big time.
3 Kingdomino
Kingdomino teaches kids the fine art of stacking tiles and arguing about which land type is the best. In our playthrough, the competition got fierce—even grandma started making alliances. The rules are simple: pick your tiles, build your kingdom, and try to end up with the best patchwork of terrain. There’s a dash of strategy, so kids (and adults) feel clever, but nobody gets overwhelmed. It’s quick, colorful, and every game ends with someone saying, ‘Okay, let’s play again.’ This one fits right into the world of popular games kids can’t get enough of.
2 Qwirkle
Playing Qwirkle feels like Scrabble and Dominoes had a colorful baby. We spent half the game plotting our next move, and the other half admiring how pretty the board looked. The rules are as easy as matching colors and shapes, but there’s a sneaky amount of strategy if you want to flex your brain. Every age group in our gang enjoyed it, which isn’t something we say often. It’s a great way for kids to learn patterns and planning, and honestly, we all got a bit competitive trying to make the best Qwirkle. For popular games kids will keep asking for, Qwirkle is a sure bet.
1 Carcassonne: Junior
Carcassonne: Junior takes the classic game and makes it perfect for kids, and, well, adults who get lost easily. We had a blast laying down tiles and making sure our little figures (meeples, if you know the lingo) filled up the town. The best part is how everyone cheered when someone finished a road or a city. This version trims the rules, so kids get the fun of building and scoring without the math headaches. It’s fast, friendly, and has that ‘one more game?’ charm we love. Of all the popular games kids ask to play, this one topped our list by being easy, clever, and fun every time we brought it to the table.
