For the past year, Elan Lee has been collaborating with his daughter to design a series of games meant to be enjoyed by both kids and adults. It's a resounding success.
I played “Outfoxed” with my 5 year old niece. It’s a collaborative detective game a little like Clue. She loved it - she kept wanting to play the “chicken detective” game
My 4yo is still struggling with playing any games with 'rules', but loves to play *with* games, especially my own heavier games like Wingspan, and finding new uses for all the pieces. HABA's range of childrens games are particularly good at engendering a sense of play, often including multiple rulesets, rather than just being about winning or losing.
Haba Games (https://www.habausa.com/collections/games) are great, also great at customer service (kids lose shit and they're happy to replace pieces/cards). They have games specifically geared towards different ages (a game for a 2 year old might not be as fun for a 4 year old, for example) and they present common gaming mechanics very simply and in a fun way.
Not a “kids game” per se, but my kid has loved playing Kingdomino with us for a couple years now (he’s 7), and it’s what I think of as an example of a perfect middle ground game for both kids and adults - simple rules that generate complex decision space, no reading required, small box that travels easily, and a game that usually takes no longer than 30 minutes.
My kiddo can legitimately beat me and my wife at it now (it’s been a great way for him to learn strategy and paying attention to other people’s turns/decisions!), and it’s never boring for adults to play because it doesn’t take long and the decisions you make are just as important as keep track of what others are doing. I can’t recommend it enough as a gateway game for kids that parents can enjoy just as much.
I second Kingdomino here. My 3yo can play it and just have fun making a kingdom, not worrying about score, and the 7yo gets the strategy and plays to win, even if they can't quite do the multiplication yet.
There’s actually a “kids” version of it called “Dragomino” where matching landscapes let’s you “draw” a dragon egg, and it’s either a broken egg or a baby dragon when you flip it over, and baby dragons give you points. So there’s a “randomness” element but more rare landscapes (such as volcano) have a higher proportion of dragons to broken eggs, so there’s some strategy, too. It’s great, games are over in 5-10 min, I’ve gifted it at least a half dozen times to kids’ birthday parties.
Cora’s Quest; similar set up, father and daughter designed a game together to create a better kids rpg board game. Even included fan submitted children art on the cards. Great family game
A lot of classic euros now have "my first" editions that can be a little hit or miss, but one of my kids (now 7) has quite enjoyed Catan Junior, and it's pretty fun to play from an adult perspective too!
The other quite likes playing the Exit series with me too. He can't solve all the puzzles, but it's a really fun game for them to help out with. Nowadays there are kids versions of a lot of these Exit games, but I still prefer getting the easier "adult" ones to play together.
Other games that have stood up to multiple play-throughs:
- Zombie Kidz (aka My First Legacy Game): This is a quick-paced co-op game that we've probably played 20+ times now, and we still haven't unlocked everything!
- Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters: Another co-op game with great components. If you or your kids love Ghostbusters, this is for you (there's even a Ghostbusters-skinned version, but I like the original)
- Megarun: A mixture of deck building and press your luck, with a bit of video game side-scrolling thrown in. Fast and pretty fun!
- Tiny Towns: This game scales great for kids and adults. Put cubes into Tetris-like shapes to construct buildings are earn the most points. A real gateway game, and you'll enjoy it when the kids aren't around too.
We really liked Zombie Kidz at first but honestly I felt like it suddenly got really hard after unlocking a few things, and that made us lose steam with it. Another really good “Jr” style game is “Ticket to Ride: My First Journey,” and it streamlines the big game about like you’d expect it to, and the art is fantastic.
Just a couple of weeks ago I played My Little Scythe (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/226320/my-little-scythe) with my daughter, she decided she wanted to try it, it's been on the shelf for a while waiting for her to get more interested in more complicated games.
It's a bit more involved in the setup and we had to go back to the rules a few times but she successfully won her first game without much help from me and just the other day she asked if we could play it again, it was pretty close to bedtime so we weren't able but she seemed to enjoy..
It's inspiring to see how Elan Lee approaches game design to create experiences that truly connect parents and kids. Traditional kids' games often rely heavily on luck, which can leave both children and adults feeling disengaged. Lee's collaboration with his daughter to focus on fun, strategy, and mastery is a refreshing approach. It highlights the importance of thoughtful game design—not just for entertainment but for fostering learning and bonding between generations. Similarly, games like astrike a great balance between strategy and fun, offering an enjoyable experience for players of all ages.
"It's inspiring to see Elan Lee take such a creative approach to making games that bridge the gap between parents and kids. I can relate to the frustration of playing traditional kids' games that rely too much on luck and leave both kids and adults feeling unfulfilled. Lee's collaboration with his daughter and the focus on fun, mastery, and strategy is a refreshing change. It makes me think of how important thoughtful game design is, not just for entertainment, but for fostering learning and bonding. For example, games like <a href="https://theminimilitiamodapk.com/mini-militia-double-gun-v5-3-7/">mini militia double gun</a> offer a unique balance of strategy and fun for all ages, making them enjoyable for both kids and adults alike."
This is so great I really appreciate it! I’m all for as much analog fun as possible. My daughter is 10 months old and playing with her is a blast, and I’m looking forward to playing games as a family such as these you mentioned, they sound so fun and share great lessons too.
I played “Outfoxed” with my 5 year old niece. It’s a collaborative detective game a little like Clue. She loved it - she kept wanting to play the “chicken detective” game
Yep, Outfoxed has captured our kids' attention for longer than any other board game.
Was about to suggest the same thing! My son loves it.
Can definitely second Outfoxed here, great game!
My 4yo is still struggling with playing any games with 'rules', but loves to play *with* games, especially my own heavier games like Wingspan, and finding new uses for all the pieces. HABA's range of childrens games are particularly good at engendering a sense of play, often including multiple rulesets, rather than just being about winning or losing.
Haba Games (https://www.habausa.com/collections/games) are great, also great at customer service (kids lose shit and they're happy to replace pieces/cards). They have games specifically geared towards different ages (a game for a 2 year old might not be as fun for a 4 year old, for example) and they present common gaming mechanics very simply and in a fun way.
Strongly recommend.
Not a “kids game” per se, but my kid has loved playing Kingdomino with us for a couple years now (he’s 7), and it’s what I think of as an example of a perfect middle ground game for both kids and adults - simple rules that generate complex decision space, no reading required, small box that travels easily, and a game that usually takes no longer than 30 minutes.
My kiddo can legitimately beat me and my wife at it now (it’s been a great way for him to learn strategy and paying attention to other people’s turns/decisions!), and it’s never boring for adults to play because it doesn’t take long and the decisions you make are just as important as keep track of what others are doing. I can’t recommend it enough as a gateway game for kids that parents can enjoy just as much.
I second Kingdomino here. My 3yo can play it and just have fun making a kingdom, not worrying about score, and the 7yo gets the strategy and plays to win, even if they can't quite do the multiplication yet.
There’s actually a “kids” version of it called “Dragomino” where matching landscapes let’s you “draw” a dragon egg, and it’s either a broken egg or a baby dragon when you flip it over, and baby dragons give you points. So there’s a “randomness” element but more rare landscapes (such as volcano) have a higher proportion of dragons to broken eggs, so there’s some strategy, too. It’s great, games are over in 5-10 min, I’ve gifted it at least a half dozen times to kids’ birthday parties.
I got Dragomino yesterday because of this comment and my 5 year old was instantly obsessed with it. We must have played it 6 times yesterday!
And my 3yo was able to play along with us just matching the landscapes and flipping over the shells, even if the strategy is still out of her reach.
Glad y'all are enjoying, its been a hit with every kid I've shown it to!
Cora’s Quest; similar set up, father and daughter designed a game together to create a better kids rpg board game. Even included fan submitted children art on the cards. Great family game
A lot of classic euros now have "my first" editions that can be a little hit or miss, but one of my kids (now 7) has quite enjoyed Catan Junior, and it's pretty fun to play from an adult perspective too!
The other quite likes playing the Exit series with me too. He can't solve all the puzzles, but it's a really fun game for them to help out with. Nowadays there are kids versions of a lot of these Exit games, but I still prefer getting the easier "adult" ones to play together.
Other games that have stood up to multiple play-throughs:
- Zombie Kidz (aka My First Legacy Game): This is a quick-paced co-op game that we've probably played 20+ times now, and we still haven't unlocked everything!
- Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters: Another co-op game with great components. If you or your kids love Ghostbusters, this is for you (there's even a Ghostbusters-skinned version, but I like the original)
- Megarun: A mixture of deck building and press your luck, with a bit of video game side-scrolling thrown in. Fast and pretty fun!
- Tiny Towns: This game scales great for kids and adults. Put cubes into Tetris-like shapes to construct buildings are earn the most points. A real gateway game, and you'll enjoy it when the kids aren't around too.
We really liked Zombie Kidz at first but honestly I felt like it suddenly got really hard after unlocking a few things, and that made us lose steam with it. Another really good “Jr” style game is “Ticket to Ride: My First Journey,” and it streamlines the big game about like you’d expect it to, and the art is fantastic.
Just a couple of weeks ago I played My Little Scythe (https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/226320/my-little-scythe) with my daughter, she decided she wanted to try it, it's been on the shelf for a while waiting for her to get more interested in more complicated games.
It's a bit more involved in the setup and we had to go back to the rules a few times but she successfully won her first game without much help from me and just the other day she asked if we could play it again, it was pretty close to bedtime so we weren't able but she seemed to enjoy..
I’ve had my eye on that one, how old is your daughter, if you don’t mind me asking?
She just turned 10 in June. It’s been on the shelf for about 2 years I think. Grandma bought it for her for Christmas.
It's inspiring to see how Elan Lee approaches game design to create experiences that truly connect parents and kids. Traditional kids' games often rely heavily on luck, which can leave both children and adults feeling disengaged. Lee's collaboration with his daughter to focus on fun, strategy, and mastery is a refreshing approach. It highlights the importance of thoughtful game design—not just for entertainment but for fostering learning and bonding between generations. Similarly, games like astrike a great balance between strategy and fun, offering an enjoyable experience for players of all ages.
https://minimilitia-apk.com/
"It's inspiring to see Elan Lee take such a creative approach to making games that bridge the gap between parents and kids. I can relate to the frustration of playing traditional kids' games that rely too much on luck and leave both kids and adults feeling unfulfilled. Lee's collaboration with his daughter and the focus on fun, mastery, and strategy is a refreshing change. It makes me think of how important thoughtful game design is, not just for entertainment, but for fostering learning and bonding. For example, games like <a href="https://theminimilitiamodapk.com/mini-militia-double-gun-v5-3-7/">mini militia double gun</a> offer a unique balance of strategy and fun for all ages, making them enjoyable for both kids and adults alike."
Do you get a $% of games sold from this article, because you should! They sound great.
I know Elan Lee's name mostly from his days designing ARGs like I Love Bees for Halo 2. I'd be sold based on that pedigree alone.
This is so great I really appreciate it! I’m all for as much analog fun as possible. My daughter is 10 months old and playing with her is a blast, and I’m looking forward to playing games as a family such as these you mentioned, they sound so fun and share great lessons too.