So Christmas time is approaching.

I'm interested in others experience with games that have worked well with your kids or younger relatives - something that will suit girls around the age 6-9.

I'd be inclined to go with something that is co-op and helps avoid those inevitable fights when one wins and the other loses. Something that provides an element of intellectual challenge (rather than pure dice/card random fest), is fun and they have to beat 'the system' rather than each other (figuratively or literally).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Tsuro is nice, as is Mythe.

Edenia, if it's out in the states would fit.

Dice Tower has some videos with kids' games.

So Christmas time is approaching.

I'm interested in others experience with games that have worked well with your kids or younger relatives - something that will suit girls around the age 6-9.

I'd be inclined to go with something that is co-op and helps avoid those inevitable fights when one wins and the other loses. Something that provides an element of intellectual challenge (rather than pure dice/card random fest), is fun and they have to beat 'the system' rather than each other (figuratively or literally).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

I know it doesn't fit in to Co-op mold but Munchkin and Fluxx are great fun little games. I've had many fun games with the younger generation when it dissolves into sillyness and random stuff! there are many incarnations of the games so picking one up that appeals to each player

I just picked up a game called Pandemic and played it with my kids. They're 11 and 13, but the 11 year old picked up on it quite quickly. It's co-op and doesn't involve any dice just cards.

It may be a bit much for a 6 year old, but if an adult is helping they might be able to manage it.

King of Tokyo is quite doable as well, don't go for King of New York, which is slightly more gamey.

Ticket to Ride, it also has a junior version but my 7 year old nephew is fine playing the regular one.

Celestia is 8+, but if you take out the special cards it should be no hassle for any age (that also eliminates any take thats where players can annoy each other).

Dixit, all it requires is imagination.

Forbidden Desert is coop

If Pandemic is too abstract or thmewise not a good match, try Flash Point: Fire Rescue!

ticket to ride is really good

has anyone tried carcassone with children? i keep meaning to try it with my eldest (6) but not sure if he'll grasp the scoring concept of it just yet.

The others 7 sins, Cash and guns- no wait! Wrong list!

Sushi Go (Party) : 2- 4 (8) players, card drafting fun and and great cute artwork.

Machi Koro : 2-4 players, roll dice, get money, buy cards that make you more money and build up your town.

Piece of cake : 2 -5 players: divide and collect pie wedges in a way that scores you the most points

Bang the dice game : 3+ players. Roll the dice and shoot/save the sheriff. But who can you trust? Girls like westerns, right?

Ghost Blitz : 2+ players . You need quick reflexes and wits in order to grab the correct object before another player does.

King of Tokio : 2-6 players yathzee style game, win by scoring 20 pts or being the last giant monster standing.

Like Dagonet sais, kids can play this to. In fact my little niece has an anoying habbit of rolling lots of "3"s and winning round turn 6 or 7.

Sadly, I don't have much experience with co-op games, and I don't think the ones I've played would be right for your girls.

Ghost stories (dead heard to impossible) Panic Room (might be a bit to complex) Elder signs (yeah to complex)

Elder signs (yeah to complex)

How about Arkham Horror?

I actually just picked that up last week and I'm still trying to sort though the rules.

King of Tokyo is quite doable as well, don't go for King of New York, which is slightly more gamey.

Ticket to Ride, it also has a junior version but my 7 year old nephew is fine playing the regular one.

ticket to ride is really good

has anyone tried carcassone with children? i keep meaning to try it with my eldest (6) but not sure if he'll grasp the scoring concept of it just yet.

I support the suggested Ticket to Ride, King of Tokyo and Carcasonne.

With Ticket to Ride and Carcassone, it's easy to change the game mechanics to suit co-op play (make it more of a puzzle than a competition with different conditions for each age group). I think a 6 year old could handle either but may grow bored after 20 minutes or so as there's nothing that resembles an iphone in either set.

I play King of Tokyo with my 10 year old Nephew. He loves it! He also loves Boss Monster or simply shooting his favourite uncle with his selection of Nerf guns.

From experience (if you're in the southern hemishere and coming into warmer weather) some simple water pistols offer much more value .. just make sure you're armed as well.

So Christmas time is approaching.

I'm interested in others experience with games that have worked well with your kids or younger relatives - something that will suit girls around the age 6-9.

I'd be inclined to go with something that is co-op and helps avoid those inevitable fights when one wins and the other loses. Something that provides an element of intellectual challenge (rather than pure dice/card random fest), is fun and they have to beat 'the system' rather than each other (figuratively or literally).

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

As far as co-op goes, and I think it would suffice for your age group, you cannot beat "Forbidden Island". "Forbidden Desert" I like a little better, but there are a few more moving parts, and it's a little bit more challenging. Also, "Hanabi" has to be one of my favorite co-op games of them all. It is impossible for one, strong-willed, control-freak, player to railroad the entire game... just brilliant.

I would also agree with "Sushi Go", and "King of Tokyo". One of my gaming groups has a 7 year old son, and he's been playing "Sushi Go" since he was 5.

My last suggestion would be "Sheriff of Nottingham"- super fun, super easy, and to be honest, is good for the entire family.

Best regards,

Kevin

p.s. HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Two words for you:

Love Letter

It's not a co-op, but nobody has hard feelings when a round can be played in a couple of minutes

Lawn darts.

Survive

Hey That's My Fish

For Sale

Two words for you:

Love Letter

It's not a co-op, but nobody has hard feelings when a round can be played in a couple of minutes

Unless somebody guesses the correct card you have on their 1st turn before you even had a chance to go. Twice. In a row.

My buddy David wasn't very happy when it happened to him. (We played the Batman version)

Elder signs (yeah to complex)

How about Arkham Horror?

I actually just picked that up last week and I'm still trying to sort though the rules.

Sorting trough the rules is easy. Sorting trough all those tokens and cards...

I actually meant Eldritch Horror, (wich is a more streamlined AH, but still not something I would play with 6-9 year old girls.)

I don't even play Elder Sign with my (adult) game group . Not after that time we played Age of War and some failed to capture a castle and complained their turn was wasted. Now Imagine that group in a game in wich bad stuff happens when you roll poorly. Sigh.

Wow - you guys rock! Thanks for all the suggestions.

I've had a good hunt through BGG to read up on all of the ones I wasn't familiar with.

I've played Fluxx, Munchkin and Love Letter and feel they may not quite hit the mark.

A number of them I've decided to avoid terms of the maths or volume of text involved.

Nor will anything Cthulhuesque go down well with the young girls!

So I've ordered:

Forbidden Island (the visuals and co-op aspects drew me in and I think will appeal to the girls too. It might be text heavy for the youngest, but engaging enough for the rest of us!)

King of Tokyo (I'd heard great things about it before, but had slipped my mind. The destructive aspects of it will very much appeal to the youngest! I'm an Anime fan so I know I'll enjoy it too.)

Sushi Go (the girls make sushi at home, so should be entertaining.)

Thanks again for your tips.

Sushi Go is good fun, i've played it a few times and enjoyed it.

A little late but still:

Settlers of Catan is a really good game in my opinion

Hanabi, also a great game and all players win or loose together

Exploding Kittens. Hilarity ensues.

my brother has a niece on his wife's side thats about that age. I remember him commentating that about the only game they could get her to play that wasnt a video game was apples to apples lol.

A little late but still:

Settlers of Catan is a really good game in my opinion

Hanabi, also a great game and all players win or loose together

The problem with Catan, especially with younger players, is that it is very easy to get in a losing position when the dice fail. The trading aspect might lead to one or more being shut out, which also could lead to tears and fights.

There is a junior catan though, there's a tabletop episode with that.

A little late but still:

Settlers of Catan is a really good game in my opinion

Hanabi, also a great game and all players win or loose together

The problem with Catan, especially with younger players, is that it is very easy to get in a losing position when the dice fail. The trading aspect might lead to one or more being shut out, which also could lead to tears and fights.

There is a junior catan though, there's a tabletop episode with that.

Right didn't think about that, i was older when i first got it so this wasn't that much off a problem, didn't know off junior Catan, interesting idea.

Does it have wooden playing pieces or plastic? I personally like the wooden pieces more but that could be because i grew up with them, my Catan is the german first edition. Sadly i only got the Seafares expansion back then and the new plastic ones do not really fit the aesthetics of the old editions.

Junior Catan works quite differently and is a bit pirate themed.

Dead Space