Strategy Board Games for 8-10 Year Olds
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There are so many fun board games for kids on the market, but some of my favorites are strategy board games. Not only are they fun to play, but they require a lot of thought and are excellent for keeping your mind sharp. They are especially valuable for your children’s brain development.
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What is a strategic board game?
A strategy board game is a game where the gameplay relies on strategic moves and planning instead of luck. For example, there is a strategy involved when playing a game like Clue since you have to think and plan out your moves to get from room to room and how to phrase your questions. On the other hand, a game like Life relies mostly on luck to win the game since your moves rely on what number you get on the spinner.
At what age can kids begin playing strategic board games?
Between the ages of eight and ten kids will begin to learn and use logic and strategic thinking in life and in games. It is at this age that strategy board games should be introduced to expand this way of thinking. With age and experience, they will get better and better at using strategy to play board games.
Why kids should play board games
There are so many educational reasons to play board games, especially now that many of us are home with our kids and trying to teach them from a distance. Not all learning is done on worksheets or in books. There are many education and life lessons to be learned by playing board games.
Playing board games is a great way to develop and improve many important life skills such as:
- Math
- Reading
- Focus and concentration
- Memory
- Logic
- Critical thinking
- Problem-solving
- Creative thinking
- Compromise
- Patience
- Family bonding
Are you like me and think of chess or Risk when someone mentions the term strategy board games? While those are great games and have stood the test of time for a reason, there are so many more out there that you and your kids will love. They are the perfect choice for an educational board game or just a fun family game night.
Strategy board games for kids
Strategy Games for 8-10 Year Olds
Kingdomino Award Winning Family Strategy Board Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 15-20 minutes
About the game: Take turns to choose and adding domino-like tiles to your kingdom. Each tile has different ends that show different landscapes. Place tiles next to other tiles of the same landscape to form a larger property.
Video: How to play Kingdomino
Ravensburger Labyrinth Family Board Game
For ages: 7+
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 20-30 minutes
About the game: With characters such as a dragon, princess, ghost, genie, bats, and owls, players must find all of their objects and characters while moving through an ever-changing maze. Be the first to make it back to the start to win.
Video: How to play Labyrinth
ThinkFun Shadows in the Forest
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-7
Time to play: 20-30 minutes
About the game: This game is unique in that you really do play it in the dark. In the dark forest, where you are only guided by your lantern, you discover the creatures that are lurking in the shadows. One player moves the LED lantern along the stone path in search of Shadowlings who avoid the light. while the rest of the players strategically keep their Shadowlings out of the light.
Catan Junior
For ages: 6-10
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 30 minutes
About the game: Modified for kids, Catan Junior is designed for players as young as 5. Avoid the Ghost Captain and be the first player to control seven pirate hideouts to win the game.
Video: How to play Catan Junior
Dragonwood A Game of Dice & Daring
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 30 minutes
About the game: In this fantasy-themed game you are an adventurer who is trying to capture monsters and gain items by collecting and using cards. It's almost like Magic the Gathering meets Dungeons and Dragons.
Video: How to play Dragonwood
Retro Series Clue Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-6
Time to play: 30 minutes
About the game: In this classic whodunit board game, move your pawns around the board to get to a room. Once in a room, you can make a guess on who the suspect is, the weapon used, and in which room they committed the crime by using the process of elimination. You will need to use a solid strategy to be the first one who guesses all three correctly.
Video: How to play Clue
Schotten Totten Basic Board Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2
Time to play: 20 minutes
About the game: You will need skill and a sound strategy to create the best battle formations and claim all of the stones to win the game.
Video: How to play Schotten Totten
Otrio – Strategy-Based Board Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 30 minutes
About the game: Kind of like Tic Tac Toe, only better. Be the first to get three pieces of your color in a row based on size, either in ascending or descending order. It sounds easy, but it takes strategy and critical thinking to win the game.
Video: How to play Otrio
Ticket to Ride - First Journey
For ages: 6+
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 20-30 minutes
About the game: Play matching colored train cards to claim routes and connect the routes to travel across the United States. Or, if you prefer, you may want to try Ticket to Ride: Europe - First Journey
Spy Alley Family Strategy Board Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-6
Time to play: 30-45 minutes
About the game: In this MENSA award-winning game, you are a spy who has to uncover the identity of other spies while keeping your identity a secret using code books, disguises, keys, and passwords.
Video: How to play Spy Alley
Ghost Fightin' Treasure Hunters
For ages: 8-12
Number of players: 2-4
Time to play: 30 minutes
About the game: The winner of the German Children's Game of the Year is now in the US. Work together as a team to escape the house with all of your treasure before all of the rooms become haunted.
Battleship With Planes Strategy Board Game
For ages: 7+
Number of players: 2
Time to play: 20 minutes
About the game: Just like the classic Battleship game, but now with planes in addition to the ships. Each player takes a turn trying to destroy their opponent's ships (and planes) one hit at a time.
Video: How to play Battleship
Fireside Games Castle Panic
For ages: 10+
Number of players: 1-6
Time to play: 20-30 minutes
About the game: Work as a team to defend your castle from monsters. To win this card and dice game, you must defeat all of the monsters with at least one tower still standing.
Video: How to play Castle Panic
Backgammon
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2
Time to play: 20-30 minutes
About the game: Backgammon requires a combination of luck and strategy. You must move either one or two pieces along the board after a roll of the dice. For example, if you roll a 5 and a 2, you may move one piece 7 places, or one piece 5 places and a second piece 2 places. This is where a good strategy will prevail.
Video: How to play Backgammon
Carcassonne Board Game
For ages: 7+
Number of players: 2-5
Time to play: 35 minutes
About the game: Build a city by laying tiles down to connect roads and walls. Each color-coded game piece, or meeple, moves along the board to score points.
Video: How to play Carcassonne
Scotland Yard - Family Game
For ages: 8+
Number of players: 2-6
Time to play: 45 minutes
About the game: You play either as a detective or Mister X on you either move through the streets of London to find Mister X who escaped Scotland Yard, or evade capture by detectives. Use your travel tickets to hunt him down by taxi, bus, or underground. Will you catch him or will he elude you and go free
Video: How to play Scotland Yard
Give some (or all) of these strategic games a try and rock family game night!
Rock Paper Switch is great for 8 and up!
The Labryinth one is a huge favorite at our house and has been for many years now. I can’t wait to try some of these others.