Getting a cooperative board game for your child is a terrific idea, especially in today’s time, when social mingling is getting rare. These days, kids are so engrossed in screens that they often don’t feel the need to communicate.
But all-round development of a child is not possible if they aren’t adept at communication and cooperation. These are essential qualities that every parent should help their child to harness.
Cooperative board games are much like regular board games. Here children come together as a group and play to reach an outcome where they all win or lose.
Are you still wondering— What are the advantages of cooperative board games?
Below are a few reasons for you to get a cooperative board game for your child:
- Emotional development
- Better communication
- Creates a sense of community
- Develops self-esteem
- Augments social skills
- Helps in parent-child bonding
But how would you know which cooperative board is the best for your child?
Here are two of the most crucial factors. You, as a parent, must check these before purchasing a cooperative board game:
- Number of Players: The main aim of a cooperative board game is to increase social interaction. It engages kids and enables them to talk to other members of their group. Hence, the more players a game can include, the better. While purchasing, look for games that can accommodate at least four players.
- Easy of Playing: Playing a cooperative board game includes several kids. Each kid’s mental faculty and grasping capability will differ from the other. So, choose a game that is moderately easy for all to grasp. If you choose a complex game, a few kids might feel left out.
Several other crucial factors decide whether a cooperative board game is good or bad for your child and their friends. To peruse, scroll down to check out our Buying Guide.
In this article, we have listed ten of the best cooperative board games for kids in 2020. These games have educational value, will not hog up much time, develops cooperation, coordination, and communication in kids.
To get to know which games we think are best, check out our review section below.
Best Cooperative Board Games
| Cooperative Board Game | Suitable Age | Number of Players | Time Required | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spin Master Games Dungeon | 8 years and up | 2 to 5 | 5 minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Wonder Forge Richard Scarry's Busytown | 3 years and up | 2 to 4 | NA | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| ThinkFun Zingo Bingo | 4 years and up | 2 to 6 | 15+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Gamewright Outfoxed! | 5 years and up | 2 to 4 | 20+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Peaceable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot | 4 to 8 years | 2 to 4 | 15+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Peaceable Kingdom Race to the Treasure | 5 years and up | 2 to 4 | 20+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Endless Games The Floor is Lava | 5 years and up | 2 to 6 | 25+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Buffalo Games Silly Street | 4 years and up | 2 to 4 | 15+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Family Pastimes Max | 4 to 7 years | 2 to 8 | 20+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Fireside Games My First Castle Panic | 4 years and above | 1 to 4 | 20+ minutes | CHECK ON AMAZON |
10 Best Cooperative Board Games Reviews
1. Spin Master Games 5 Minute Dungeon
It is a chaotic and cooperative game that offers immense thrill and fun. In this game, kids join forces with each other to defeat all five dungeons and share the glory of victory.
It is a thrilling, fast-paced, and well-laid teamplay game. The box includes 250 cards, five boss mats, and five double-sided hero mats.
It is suitable for kids of 8 years or up as it requires following a set of rules that little ones will find tough to comprehend. The instructions are easy, but it will take a while for your child to learn them.
You can set a timer and let your kid enjoy this game with a bunch of their friends. Or you can sit as a family and share some bonding time over the board.
The Box Contains:
- 5 double-sided hero mats
- 5 boss mats
- 250 cards.
Features:
- Each round requires 5 minutes
- Suitable for kids who are 8 years or older
- Has rooms for 2 to 5 players
Pros:
- Fast-paced
- Cooperative play augments social skills
- Very thrilling board game
- People of all ages will find it interesting
Cons:
- It takes a little while to get the instructions
2. Wonder Forge Richard Scarry’s Busytown
It is a fun cooperative board game that teams the kids up to work against the island piggies. It requires kids to search for objects on the board and circle it with a magnifying glass after finding it.
The quest is to reach the Picnic Island before the piggies get there and hog down all the food. On your quest, you get several cards that lead to treasures as well.
The board game drives you through activity-filled cities, farms, and other places where you can collect things. You can help each other in cooperative play to strengthen the bond.
As a cooperative board game, it is the second-best, according to us. While testing, we liked all the features of it saving one. The board is a tad big (6 ft). An adult will have to help the kids with setting up the board and other items before they can start playing.
The box includes the following items:
- 4 movers
- 10 magnifying glasses
- 1 ferry tile
- 1 spinner
- 30 goldbug cards
- 6 food tiles
- 1 sand timer
- Instructions
Features:
- Suitable for kids above 3 years
- 2 to 4 players can join in this game
- Length of the board is 6 feet
Pros:
- Has replay value
- Cooperative game strengthens social bonding
- The game has a well-laid design
- Enhances object recognition skills
Cons:
- The 6 ft long board game is tough for kids to handle on their own
- Requires a large` space
3. ThinkFun Zingo Bingo
Zingo is an award-winning activity-based game that is recommended by several educators around the world. It is one of the finest board games for kids to exist in the market.
Zingo can be played both as a combative or cooperative game. It depends on how you play it.
To play Zingo as a cooperative board game for kids, hand out a double-sided card to each player. Set a timer and fix a number that all kids combined have to beat.
This way, children will help each other while sharing the joy of learning new spellings. The game is also terrific for quick thinking. The cooperative way of playing this board game further enhances this factor.
Box Includes:
- One zinger
- 72 spelling tiles
- 6 double-sided cards
Features:
- Best for children aged 4 years and above
- The game has rooms for 6 players
- Required playtime is 15 to 20 minutes
Pros:
- Helps in quick thinking
- Enhances reading skills
- Strengthens bonding
- Helps with spellings
Cons:
- The little tiles can cause a choking hazard for kids
4. Gamewright Outfoxed!
Outfoxed is an elaborate game with a bunch of rules that focus on finding one fox figure who has made mischief.
The crux of the background story is, Mrs. Plumpert’s pot pie is missing. And one of the foxes took it. What entails is a chase that the kids undertake while eliminating fox cards to reach the fox who has done it.
The board has a trail. While searching for the fox, if any of the players reach the end of the trail, the team loses. If kids find the fox before that, all win.
Although the game has a bunch of rules, there are clear and elaborate instructions regarding them. If you follow them right, then the game is pretty easy to understand.
Content of the box:
- The Outfoxed board
- 12 clue makers
- 16 suspect cards
- 16 corresponding thief cards
- 3 dices
- 4 pawns
- 1 fox figure
- 1 evidence scanner
- Instructions
Features:
- Suitable for kids above 5 years
- Game time is 20+ minutes
- 2 to 4 kids can play it at a time
- Cooperative board game for kids
Pros:
- Helps in critical thinking
- Elaborate gameplay is interesting
- Has instructions both in English and Spanish
Cons:
- The rules of this game are not simple
5. Peaceable Kingdom Hoot Owl Hoot
‘Hoot owl Hoot’ is a charming board game that is perfect for all kids. In this game, the objective of the group is to lodge all the owls into the nest before the sun token reaches its peak point.
Players are given three cards each at a time. These cards can be sun cards or color cards. If a kid draws a color card, then they move an owl token forward to the next slot of the same color. If a kid draws a sun card, then they must move the sun token a place ahead.
Kids as a team decide which owl token to move so that they all win. It strengthens the bonding between kids, teaches them to cooperate with other members, and develops social skills.
It is one of the best cooperative board games for kids because of its simplicity and fun factor.
The Box Includes:
- One cooperative board game
- 14 sun cards
- 36 color cards
- 6 owl tokens
- 1 sun token
- Instructions
Features:
- The Cooperative game is suitable for kids between 4 to 8 years
- Playtime is 15+ minutes
- 2 to 4 players can play the game
Pros:
- Kids learn to work as a team
- Colorful board
- A simple and charming board game
- Very suitable for little kids, especially girls
Cons:
- Might not appeal to little boys
6. Peaceable Kingdom Race to the Treasure
This game is similar to the previous one we reviewed, with a few distinct differences. In this game, kids team up to defeat the ogre from reaching the treasure.
Kids roll dices and place the key cards on the board accordingly. After this, the kids take turns to lay the path cards to collect at least three key cards. Once they have all three, it is a race from there towards the treasure before the ogre does.
The fate of the team largely depends on which card kids draw. The inclusion of ogre treat adds an interesting twist to the gameplay.
We think it to be one of the best cooperative board games for kids because of the fun factor, the requirement for teamwork, and the fact that children try to manage the game situation by themselves and make the most of it.
The Box Contains:
- 1 game board
- 37 game cards
- 1 pair of dice
- 1 Ogre snack
- 4 key tokens
- Instruction manual
Features:
- The board game is suitable for kids above 5 years of age
- Has rooms for 2 to 4 players
- Playtime is 20+ minutes
Pros:
- Relies on teamwork
- Creates a sense of community
- Enhances decision-making skills
- Suitable for little boys and girls
Cons:
- Re-playable value can be less
7. Endless Games The Floor is Lava
The Floor is Lava is an old-fashioned game design that all of us grew up playing. We latched on furniture, toys, or any other objects to avoid the floor while playing it. Endless Games has revamped it and made it way safer for kids to play.
In this game, kids lay down all the 25 foam mats on the floor. A few of these mats have a ‘question mark’ sign on them. One child spins the spinner, and others will have to land on the color the arrow of the spinner points to.
If any of the kids land on a mat with a question mark, they will have to draw a challenge card and fulfill the fun challenge.
Remember, the standard rule of not touching the floor always applies.
The Box Includes:
- A spinner with color 5 divisions
- 27 challenge cards
- 25 foam mats (safety stones)
Features:
- Suitable age is 5 years and up
- 2 to 6 players can play it
- Playtime is 25+ minutes
- The foam mats come in 5 different colors
Pros:
- Kids of all age will enjoy this cooperative game
- Promotes physical activity
- Pretend play engages the imagination of a child
Cons:
- Requires large space
- The colored foam mats are a tad small
8. Buffalo Games Silly Street
The silly street is a great game that parents can play with their kids. They can help them progress forward and find those little moments to teach them small but important lessons in life.
The board of the game consists of eight blocks. You can set it up for your child, or you can let your kid do the work.
After the board is set up, take the token and draw a card. Each card has a silly instruction that kids will have to follow in order to move places.
In the silly street, you move forward doing silly things with your friends or family. It is a cute cooperative board game that has won the hearts of thousands of kids around the world.
The Box Includes:
- The game board
- 4 solid wood tokens
- 55 silly road cards
Features:
- Suitable for kids of 4 years and up
- 2 to 4 kids can play this cooperative board game
- Playtime for each round is 15+ minutes
- The dimension of the game board is 40 inches
- The game board is a puzzle consisting of 8 blocks
Pros:
- Easy to play
- Gives little kids a sense of achievement
- A nice board game for parent-child bonding
- Develops communication
Cons:
- Not for older kids
- Space requirement is slightly high
9. Family Pastimes Max
Max is an old-school game where players join forces to stop Max, the cat from reaching the critters. It is a Kids’ board game that has been tested by the Canadian Toy Testing Council, and it is entirely safe.
Kids roll the dice and then move the critters and Max accordingly. The game also has four cat treats as a fun feature. You can use these to stagger Max’s advance towards the critters.
Once all the three critters are home safely, the team wins. If the cat gets to any of the critters, all lose.
It is one of the best cooperative board games for kids because it has rooms for up to eight players. It ensures that any of your kid’s friend does not feel left out.
The Box Includes:
- 1 max board
- 4 cat treats
- 4 movers
- 2 dices
- Instructions
Features:
- Suitable for children of 4 to 7 years
- 2 to 8 players can play at a time
- Game time is 15+ minutes
- The measurement of the board is 12 x 12 inches
- Uses safe ink
Pros:
- Very popular and loved by kids
- Teaches teamwork, cooperation, and decision-making
- Can accommodate up to 8 players
- Made with safe materials
Cons:
- Quality of the board game can be better
10. Fireside Games My First Castle Panic
‘My First Castle Panic’ is another cooperative board game where kids come as a team to stop the monsters from entering the castle.
The game starts by placing three monster tokens on the board. Kids draw cards and eliminate the monster that is sitting on the symbol slot corresponding to their card.
The game ends in either of the two scenarios. The first is, if any of the monster tokens reach the castle, it results in all losing the game. The second scenario is if kids can eliminate all the monster tokens from the board, it results in the team winning.
Either way, this is a pretty cool board game that is suitable for little kids. There is no reading involved. Players just refer to signs and symbols as the game proceeds.
The Box Contains:
- 1 cooperative game board
- 1 wall piece
- 1 castle piece
- 16 monster tokens
- 26 castle cards
- 4 how-to-play cards
Features:
- Suitable for 4 years and above
- 1 to 4 players can join the game
- Game time is 20+ minutes
Pros:
- Easy to play
- Focuses on developing color and symbol recognition
- Encourages kids to plan, discuss and communicate
Cons:
- Will not suit the taste of older kids
- The wall and the castle piece are lightweight and flimsy
Things to Consider while Purchasing a Cooperative Board Game for Kids
Here are a few of the factors that you must take into account if you are searching for the best cooperative board games for kids:
1. Playtime Requirement:
When kids get the taste of social bonding, they often tend to lose track of time. Hence, as a parent, you should choose a cooperative game that does not consume much time for completion.
Ideally, a board game that takes between 5 to 30 minutes for completion is best for children. Ensuring this factor keeps a good balance between education and entertainment in children’s life.
2. Safety
Ensuring your kid’s safety is one of your foremost duties. Hence, the board game you give to your child must not engage him or her in traveling to dangerous places. It should not include any challenge that can land kids in trouble.
Also, make sure that the material the game is made of is completely safe. There should be no BPA, lead, or phthalates in the components.
Games that include very small parts are best for slightly older children. Small parts can pose a choking hazard for kids younger than four years.
3. Space Requirements:
Before you buy a cooperative game, understand that it involves several kids playing together. Also, consider the size of the board. Hence, it can take up quite a large space.
If you have space constraints, then it is best not to settle for a board game that takes up a lot of room. If you enough room in your house, you are lucky as you get to have more options.
4. Indoor Vs. Outdoor Cooperative Game
Most of the cooperative board games are played indoor. However, there are a few like ‘The Floor is Lava’ that needs way too much space and is best if kids play it on the lawn.
So, if your child likes staying indoor, choose an indoor cooperative game. If you want your kid to get more air and exercise, outdoorsy games are better.
Conclusion
Choosing a cooperative board game can be both easy and tough for a parent. If you haven’t decided yet, take a look at two of our best picks.
The best cooperative board games for kids for us is the Spin master 5-Minute Dungeon. It is a fast-paced, thrilling game that kids around the world love. This cooperative board game improves cooperation and problem-solving skill.
Our second pick is the Wonder forge richard Busytown. This game develops kid’s object recognition capacity and is a terrific board game that can be played with friends and family.
If you liked our article, do let us know. In case you think that it requires improvement, drop-in your suggestions. And if you have a question going on in your mind, comment below so that we can help solve the query.
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