If you’ve been trying to find the most suitable and best board games for 8 year old children and have found it’s quite tricky to get this age range just about right in terms of they’re no longer little kids, but not yet teens, then……………………
Don’t worry you’re not alone, we was emailed and asked so often about this age range that we decided to put together a compilation of cool options for eight year old kids, just for people like you.
Top 14 Board Games for 8 Year Olds
We considered the length of play, costs, themes, who they might play with and a few other factors to come up with a bunch of super games. Let’s take a look!
My Little Scythe – Best Adventure Fantasy
My Little Scythe is inspired by its bestselling predecessor “Scythe” that was released in 2017, and its mechanisms are very similar. Although Scythe is aimed at teenagers and adults there’s a lot of overlap.
My Little Scythe at a Glance
| Game Type Economic Fantasy/Adventure Math Area Control | Play Time 45 - 60 mins + | Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5) More Complex Than Most Kids Games Strategy |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Stonemaier Games | Published 2017 |
| Categories Kids Game Family Strategy | Players 1 - 6 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9/10 | Cost $39.99 approx | Related Scythe Board Game |
Fast and fun to play, My Little Scythe is far more deep and tactical than it first appears. This makes it great for playing over and over again without the risk of play becoming boring or predictable.
Out of the game choices here for 8 year olds this has more meat to it, but your youngsters will need to be the type to want play a board game they have to challenge themselves a little with. It’s that highly engaging that parents love playing just as much as the children do.
Money Bags Coin Value – Money Education Option
Money Bags Coin Value has the manufacturer recommended age of 7+ and fits 8 year olds like a glove. Children around the age of 8 start to like the idea of having a little money in their own hands to spend and Learning Resources used the opportunity to publish this cool money management type of kids game.
Money Bags Coin Value Game at a Glance
| Game Type Educational Maths - Counting, Money Recognition Roll and Move | Play Time 20 mins | Skill/Complexity (1 - 5) Non-Complex Learning Maths |
| Age 7+ | Publisher(s) Learning Resources | Published 2002 |
| Categories Children's / Family Kids Educational | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 8/10 | Cost $15.00 + |
The object of the game is to earn pocket money by landing on a square labelled with a task. Once a player gets past the finish line, all players count their money. The person with the most is the winner!
Money Bags Coin Value Game is quick to play but very entertaining and educational too. It’s ideal for children who are just at that age to perhaps begin earning their own pocket money.
Clue/Cluedo – Classic Detective
How could we not include Clue, or Cluedo to the British in the best board games for 8 year olds? Looking back I was about age 8 when I first played this game and seriously loved it in every way, especially the murder mystery theme. It’s still sold and played a heck of a lot in various countries around the world.
Clue/Cluedo at a Glance
| Game Type Murder Mystery, Deduction, Bluffing, Roll & Move | Play Time 10 - 45 mins | Skill Easy |
| Age 8+ | Players 3 - 6 | Published 1949 |
| Publisher(s) Hasbro, Waddingtons, Parker Brothers, Winning Moves | Rules Manual Clue (2002) Rules PDF | Cost $10 - $50 |
| Categories Classic / Family / | Our Rating 8/10 | Related Top 10 Like Clue |
Pulling out Clue on a winters evening for the family to share some quality time together is still popular and a hell of a lot of fun. There is enough lighthearted guessing skill needed to keep things amusing, but not to serious.
Extremely pleased to see this old classic and childhood memory still running with more mileage left on the clock for it to continue to play on.
Ravensburger Labyrinth – Best Treasure & Maze Game
Sold and played for over 30 years, Ravensburger Labyrinth is in the classic board game category and for good reason, it’s awesome. A 20 minute playing time makes this a quick and exciting puzzle based game that keeps youngsters interested throughout.
Ravensburger Labyrinth at a Glance
| Game Type Children's Puzzle Maze - Tile Placement | Play Time 15 mins + | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Ravensburger | Published 1986 |
| Categories Kids Game Family | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 8/10 | Cost $24.99 approx |
This is a tile-based game. Players don’t really have to think about strategies or tactics too much but they do have to collect treasures and put some forward thinking into the game while preventing opponents from from moving forward.
Labyrinth is by no means a complex game, and it’s very engaging with excellent replay value. Great choice for 8 year olds.
Apples to Apples Junior – Best Vocabulary Game
Apples to Apples Junior will help challenge and develop your child’s vocabulary while enjoying playing the game with friends and family. While the age range begins at nine from the manufactures recommendation it’s more than suitable for most 8 year olds.
Apples to Apples Junior at a Glance
| Game Type Card Game, Humor, Word | Play Time 30 mins | Skill/Complexity (1 - 5) Non-Complex Vocabulary |
| Age 9+ | Publisher(s) Mattel | Published 2002 |
| Categories Children's / Family Party / Word Game | Players 4 - 10 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 8/10 | Cost $14.99 approx |
Although your kids will have to rack their brains on the vocabulary front, Apples to Apples is not complex at all. Apples to Apples has players entertaining comparisons from a wide range of places, people, things and events, so in the most part it’s fun. Best played with 4 players or more ‘the more the merrier’.
Carcassonne – Best Medieval City & Territory Building Theme
So far we’ve not really got around to any board games for 8 year olds that offers a bit more complexity. I say complexity when it’s more about thought, forward planning and making the best decisions on where to place the next tile.
Carcassonne at a Glance
| Game Type Tile Placement City and Territory Building Medieval Theme | Play Time 45 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Hans im Glück and others | Published 2000 |
| Categories Family / 2 Player | Players 2 - 5 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.5/10 | Cost $24.99 + |
Carcassonne certainly captivates the minds of players and pulls them into advancing and because of the high replay value it becomes slightly addictive. All the family can get stuck in and get along well with this game, and the 30 – 45 minutes play time is just about perfect.
Payday – Simple Family Game
Payday was first published in 1975 and is a straight forward roll the die and move type game with the theme focusing on dealing with monthly salaries. This sort of game is best suited for families that play with children 8+ that just want to play a simple and fun game that lasts about 30 minutes.
Payday at a Glance
| Game Type Roll and Move, Economic, Negotiation, Card Drafting, | Play Time 30 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.5 - 5) Light |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Hasbro, Winning Moves | Published 1975 |
| Categories Family | Players 2 - 6 (4 is best) | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 7/10 | Cost $18.99 |
While moving around the board the players will land on a Deal or Mail space and need to pick up a card regarding bills or collections, and they may also need to take out a loan until they get paid unfortunately.
Payday is a game of ups and downs (represents many peoples income and expenditure monthly quite accurately) for most players apart from the winner that ends on an up with plenty of dosh, hopefully.
There’s a slight educational aspect about managing money in this game, although luck wins the game.
Scrabble Junior – Spelling Practice
If you’re encouraging your children to improve and build on their spelling and word skills then Scrabble Junior is worth laying out on the table and congratulating them on how far they have come and improved.
It really helps kids with their attention skills too…….
Scrabble Junior at a Glance
| Game Type Word Game Tile Placement | Play Time 30 mins + | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Non-Complex Basic Vocabulary & Spelling |
| Age 5+ | Publisher(s) Hasbro and others | Published 1958 |
| Categories Kids Educational / Children's / Family / Word Game | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9/10 | Cost $12.00 + |
While the recommended age is 5+ it’s ideal for 8 year olds as well, and the other side of the board is for more advanced players. It plays really well when their are two children playing, especially an older sibling with a younger kid as they seem to able to help the young child advance and the older child gets to show off their skills and teach a little.
Quick, educational, simple to play and seriously fun.
Zombie Kidz Evolution – Best Zombie Cooperative Game
Zombies are all the rage for many kids, and when haven’t they been? Zombie Kidz Evolution is totally engaging, even for parents playing along with kids and it’s not overly complex while continuously drawing players in to want to continue playing more.
For 8 year olds that find scary stuff exciting this game is one to play, however, it’s not just people that love the zombie, scary stuff (it’s not really scary, it’s kid friendly) that this game appeals to.
Zombie Kidz Evolution at a Glance
| Game Type Zombies Cooperative Point to Point Movement Dice Rolling | Play Time 15 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.8 - 5) Light Strategic for Kids |
| Age 7+ | Publisher(s) Le Scorpion Masqué | Published 2018 |
| Categories Family / Teens / Children's | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.6/10 | Cost Approx $22.95 |
This will likely be your child’s first introduction to legacy cooperative board games, and maybe yours too. Cooperative games are excellent for children and others as you either all win together or the game beats you, so there isn’t a player left aside.
Two great awards and honors went to this game, the 2019 UK Games Expo Best Children’s Game People’s Choice Winner and 2019 As d’Or – Jeu de l’Année Enfant Nominee, so it’s up there with 2019’s top games.
Magic Maze – Best Fantasy Game
The best fantasy type game for 8 year olds goes to the magical Magic Maze that’s a super cooperative game option that your kids would play again and again until you cannot get them to bed. It has cool mechanisms including grid movement and a modular board within a maze type adventure.
Magic Maze at a Glance
| Game Type Fantasy Maze Cooperative Modular Board Real Time Play | Play Time 15 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Light - Medium...ish |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Sit Down! | Published 2017 |
| Categories Family / Teens / 8+ Year Olds | Players 1 - 8 | Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.2/10 | Cost Approx $26.95 | Related Maximum Security Expansion Hidden Roles Expansion Magic Maze Kids Magic Maze on Mars |
There is so much to do in this game including control any hero, explore a new area or even ride an escalator. It ‘s constantly stimulating with a short game play time but loads of replay value, and parents love it just as much as children do.
Magic Maze has won various awards and was nominated for plenty as well. It truly is an amazing maze of fun for all the family.
Outfoxed – Best Whodunit Deduction Game
Outfoxed is the ideal teacher of deduction game and with the cooperative mechanism and fun game play it’s perfect for all children including eight year olds. It’s a whodunit game with the aim of the game being to nab that sly fox, together. It’s a foxy clue type of kids game.
Outfoxed at a Glance
| Game Type Animal Theme Cooperative Deduction Dice Rolling Memory | Play Time 15 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.5 - 5) Non-Complex Memory & Deduction Skills |
| Age 5+ | Publisher(s) Gameright | Published 2014 |
| Categories Family / Teens / Children's / Kids Educational | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.2/10 | Cost Approx $19.95 |
Outfoxed is a dice rolling game and when you move around the board you’ll be searching for clues while you rule out suspects with the special evidence Scanner. It’s not a complex game at all, but it does require deductive reasoning, visual discrimination, and player cooperation.
Super theme, thoughtful combination of mechanisms, and a fun filled 15 minute play time of a board game for children.
Kingdomino – Best Light Strategy
Looking for an 8 year olds board game with some oomph and mileage to it? Then look no further, Kingdomino is the game to get kids on the road to games that involve strategy and mechanisms. This won the Spiel des Jahres 2017 board game of the year which is a mean feat for an 8+ board game.
Kingdomino at a Glance
| Game Type City & Territory Building Fantasy Medieval Theme Tile Placement Card Drafting | Play Time 20 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Good Light Strategy Intro Game |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Blue Orange | Published 2016 |
| Categories Family / Teens / Children's / Strategy | Players 2 - 4 | Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 10/10 | Cost Approx $19.99 |
Within the game play you’ll use tiles to place like a dominoes pattern to explore lands, wheat fields, lakes and mountains while being one of the Lords searching for the best plots in this cool medieval themed game. The more you play the more you realize how much there is to the game, so it’s replay value is excellent.
A game for 8 year olds that want a little more from a board game than just laughs, and may have the desire to up their game in the tabletop games arena.
Azul – Best Abstract Game
It made sense to add a great abstract strategy game to the best board games list for 8 year olds to play and the extremely popular Azul is the perfect choice for this category. Probably the most complex within this group, however, some of our 8 year olds and above need something with more complexity to stimulate their minds. It’s still a heck of a lot of fun though!
Azul at a Glance
| Game Type Renaissance Theme Abstract Card Drafting Pattern Building Tile Placement | Play Time 30 - 45 mins | Skill/Complexity (2.5 - 5) Good Medium - Light Abstract Strategy |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Plan B Games and Others | Published 2017 |
| Categories Family / Teens / Abstract Strategy | Players 2 - 4 | Manual EN-Azul-Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 9.5/10 | Cost Approx $29.99 |
Players enter the Renaissance period armed with tiles and a board to build a decorative mosaic within the palace, on a mission to score points as the game advances, and as the game does advance it becomes more difficult when the decision spacing has become narrowed. A very relaxed and focused attention type of game once you get started, and highly addictive.
Rise of Augustus – One from the Ancients
Rise of August might encourage your children to learn a little history, and if not – then how to complete “objective” cards for special powers for those glorious victory points needed to win over the opposing players. This is a card based game rather than board that requires using tactics to play and opportunities to be taken.
Rise of Augustus at a Glance
| Game Type Ancient Theme Press Your Luck Card Drafting | Play Time 30 mins | Skill/Complexity (1.7 - 5) Light Choices/Decisions on Next Move |
| Age 8+ | Publisher(s) Hurrican Games | Published 2013 |
| Categories Teens | Players 2 - 6 | Manual See Instructions Section |
| Our Rating 8/10 | Cost Approx $29.99 |
Those that take a risk or gamble during play with Rise of August have the ability to move forward fast in the game, however, if another player is in luck they may not go to far forward at all. Players that are 8 years old and above have enjoyed this game for some time now and love the theme, and the use of meeples while completing objectives. During 2013 – 2015 this game picked up a fair few awards and honors.
Quick Summary
We’ve only included the top 14 rather than give you a list of many as this keeps choosing pretty tight and accurate, I hope.
There are certainly enough options to please all types of 8 year old board game players whether they’re new to board gaming or getting a little more strategic. Kids love fantasy which is why My Little Scythe, Magic Maze and Kingdomino, while some lean more towards family type games like Payday, and Carcassonne…………
And, then for some kids it’s worth trying to get something on the tabletop that’s more educational such as, Apples to Apples Junior, Scrabble Junior, Money Bags, or the whodunit Outfoxed that teaches deduction.
If among these you still don’t quite find the fit for your child then look around the site in the family games, teens, or kids section, or even give us a shout on the contact form to help guide you.
