Board/card games?

[haleyelianasmom]

I would love to have some non-computer games for when H is bored, especially ones that work on logic and strategy or ones that use math.  And go ahead and give me ideas for all ages :)  Thank you!

Ones that come to mind are sodoku and chess.  Also, I remember playing a game "24" when I was in Jr high (you had to make a series of numbers somehow make 24).

Oh, and sorry if this has been done before.  I have my 6 year old on my lap begging me for some games to play at the moment.  And she just giggled reading this posting.  :D

[indiefolklore]

I love Mancala and Sequence (adult and kids versions).

I think around this age is when i learned to play Kings In the Corner, a multi-player solitare-style card game.

[spruce]

Blink!!! 

Uno (get a few packs and put them together in a plastic baggie...the more the merrier in Uno games!)

Brick by Brick, which is not just a card game, but a tangram-type game that all my kids have loved. 

[fritz]

Battleship, Monopoly, Yahtzee!, Sorry, Rush Hour (Jr.), Checkers, Blokus, and Othello spring to mind for boardgames.  Card games:  Memory, Go Fish, Rummy, Racko (it's been 20 years since I played that one, not sure they still sell it), Solitaire, Double Solitaire.

[Daffodil]

Set is a good one that hasn't been mentioned yet.

[SundayCrepes]

We like the cooperative games by Family Pastimes. Especially Snowstorm. Depending on the age of your kids, we also like Harvest Time. Although it's geared towards a bit younger kids, our almost 6 year old enjoys playing it.

[Mere]

Someone on this board recommended the  math games kit from Right Start Math; we've used it for a few weeks now, and it is quite good.  However, there are 300 some games to choose from so it can be a bit overwhelming!  You, the parent, definitely need to go through it first, pick out the games, learn them, and set them up.  They're not hard, but I've learned that a little setup and required. 

That said, we've only been at it for a few weeks (we're trying to do math games regularly, at least one time a week) and we've learned some good solitaire-types games that the dcs enjoy and *could* play on their own.  Have they done that yet, voluntarily?  No, but I have hopes that someday they will!

[AAK]

Quirkle is a favorite around here.  All three of my girls can play (5, 8, 11) though sometimes the 5 year old needs helpful suggestions.  

My five year old loves "Tangoes".  It is essentially a tangram game.  She plays it by herself and will go for hours.  She makes her own pictures, then she tries out a card, after a while she will flip the card and make the picture by following the solution.  I let her do it however she wants.  The game itself have two sets of tangrams and I believe it is to be played like a race.  We have never actually played it like that.

Izzy is one that can drive a person batty.  It is a puzzle/game and can be done with 1 or more.  My oldest loves to work it (following the rules).  My youngest loves to work it with a slight variance to the rules.  Therefore, it works out better if they aren't working it together.    http://www.amazon.com/Think-Fun-5680-ThinkFun-Izzi/dp/B00004WJSX/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1317222971&sr=8-2

Amy

[LuxPerpetua]

Any of the ThinkFun games (shape by shape, rush hour, chocolate fix, etc.)

[Fillyjonk]

my kids love board games and so does their dad (which is good because it gets me off the hook). My older two are 8 and 6 so ballpark for your daughter.

particular hits around here this month (and played by my 6 yo girl also)-Catan, Carcassone, Agricola, Iron Dragon, Equate and a game called Elementeo which is a chemistry based strategy game. This in addition to chess and so on. None of these games are visually scary.

When they were a bit younger, they liked various co-operative games eg Orchard, Hop Hop Hop. The Lord of the Rings and the Hobbit, while not having amazing gameplay, are actually co-operative and don't have scary graphics iirc.

[LoriBelle]

Just wanted to second the recommendation of Set.  Set is an amazing game...fun, but logic-based and semi-educational.

[samstress]

well, i know they've already been said, but chess and blokus for sure.  also labyrinth.  i love all ravensburger games.

[LuckyMommaToo]

Rat-a-tat-cat is a super-fun card game that both my 5 y.o. and 8 y.o. love. It's math-based and quick. Super-fun!

http://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-204-Rat-A-Tat-Cat/dp/B00000GBQJ

[NYMommy2007]

You should check out Mentagy, it's like Sodoku but using letters.  It was invented by a chess teacher to help his students think a few moves ahead to improve their chess games.

http://www.mentagy.com/default.asp?pgrm=home

http://www.amazon.com/Mentagy-Puzzle-Mr-Allyn-Kahn/dp/1456586920

[Kelly6]

My kids can't get enough of the Junior Monopoly game. They also are crazy about the Angry Birds game which now you can play off the computer as it comes as a regular game with building blocks and cards. It's fun, challenging and keeps them busy, which are the main things for kids.

[Luckiestgirl]

Set is wonderful for building logic skills.  I also recommend Shut the Box for math skills (adding up dice and figuring out all the different combinations that add up to a particular number).  Battleship is good for learning about plotting points on a graph.

[Wildflower]

Harvest Time is cute and fun

[Wildflower]

There's this other sweet one from a plants education website called "Wildcraft" where kids learn about gathering healing plants--so sweet!

[revolting]

My 4.5 year old LOVES Junior Monopoly. She also likes Set, Qwirkle, Blokus, Rivers Roads and Rails, Memory, checkers, mancala, Uno, Princess, and Go Fish.