Favorite Cooperative Board Games

[Einen]

I'm on the lookout for board games that my kids will enjoy playing. Games that will bring them closer together instead of encouraging competition. Don't get me wrong, I think that kind of game is fun too, just not what I'm looking for right now.

My children are 10, 7, 5, 3 (and baby). I'd like something suitable for at least the oldest two and even better for the oldest 3. We already have Story Cubes.

[Kamiro]

Story cubes is an awesome one :)

I have a dd who cannot handle competition at all.

Some classics are Twister, Boggle JR (for the littlers...I alternate the rules so they all take turns helping to spell the word.Having the 7 help the 5 would be great) and this game called "The Ungame". You can buy it in an original version or a Christian version if that is your choice. :)

Its neat because its mostly a talking game where you have cards like "If you could own any kind of store, what would it be?" or "If you could own any animal, what would it be?"

Better questions than that, but just fun in general.

I took the cards out of the board game and put them on the table and we do a question or two at dinner some nights.

[tbone_kneegrabber]

We have hoot owl hoot, lost puppies, berries bugs and bullfrogs, secret door, claws and caves and farmers market.

We have also played Max at a friend's house and stone soup, both were good (max was very popular with the kids)
Hoot owl hoot and lost puppies are younger. Ds has been playing them since 4 yo or so.


ETA: Links
All of these games are officially "cooperative" games. You all play as a group, there is usually a common "foe." It might be time, or a cat, or limited resources etc.
Edited by tbone_kneegrabber - 2/21/13 at 3:30pm

[tbone_kneegrabber]

We also have dixit which we play as a more cooperative game (we don't keep score)
Edited by tbone_kneegrabber - 2/21/13 at 3:32pm

[owlhowl]

Subbing! My oldest is almost 6, he loves Guess Who and Go Fish. I am excited for the day we can play more complicated board games

[Peggy Brown]

I'm a professional game inventor and have made some fun cooperative games. Peaceable Kingdom has a line of these games where the players work together toward a goal and all succeed (or fail) together, which fosters collaboration rather than competition. Check out Willy's Wiggly Web, Snug as a Bug in a Rug, and Count Your Chickens.

Games can be fun all kinds of ways, and just because a game isn't billed as "cooperative" doesn't mean you can't make it that way. I've always believed that once you buy a game, it's yours to play, but it's also yours to change the rules. You can make up your own rules to make any game sillier, faster, smarter, or more cooperative. And encouraging kids to change the rules is a great lesson in creativity, another valuable form of play.

[Moderator Note: Edited to remove promotional links]

[BoardGaming101]

I think you would be very happy with Reverse Charades. It's a great party game! Fun for all ages. ;]

Regards,

--BG101
 

[tbarnes]

So happy to see this great thread!

Full disclosure: I work for Peaceable Kingdom (the manufacturer of the of the games mentioned in this thread (like Hoot Owl Hoot and Lost Puppies) and it's so great to see moms seeking out cooperative games.

Cooperative games emphasize play, not competition so kids learn to work and play together in respectful and compassionate ways. They learn to share, make decisions together, and trust one another.

We've heard nothing but positive feedback from parents on how great the games have been for their families and kids. I mean, who wouldn't want to enjoy time together instead of facing the meltdown of a child who loses at a competitive game?

You might want to check out this great resource: cooperativegames.com

[Mama Amie]

Great ideas! Just subbing for now.

[Katielady]

We really like Richard Scarry's "Busytown" board game. It has an enormous board that you set up kind of like a big floor puzzle. Then you try, as a group, to get to the picnic area before the pigs eat all the food. Occasional "mysteries" mean you have to try to find as many of something on the board as you can before the time runs out, like flower pots or hammers, etc. It's doable for the littles and still fun for the bigs. :)