Best STEM Board Games for Preschoolers

STEM board games for preschoolers are educational tools incorporating Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics elements. Designed specifically for young learners, these games take advantage of playful learning mechanisms, such as puzzles, challenges, experiments, and strategic play, to present complex STEM concepts that are relatable and understandable.

For example, a game like “Volcano Games” simplifies the concept of coding, turning it into an engaging activity where children direct a turtle’s movement on the board. Similarly, “Zingo 1-2-3” uses the well-loved bingo format to reinforce number recognition, counting, and basic arithmetic skills. In essence, these STEM board games aim to stimulate intellectual curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among preschoolers while providing an enjoyable gaming experience at the same time.

1. The Genius Square

Buy Now

The Genius Square is a captivating, unique STEM puzzle game. It requires players to exercise their strategic thinking and spatial awareness skills to solve an ever-changing array of puzzles. The game utilizes a dice-rolling mechanism to set up the puzzle, ensuring that every round offers a new challenge.

The objective is to fit all the remaining shapes onto the game board after the dice have determined which spaces are blocked. With over 60,000 possible puzzle configurations, The Genius Square always guarantees a unique, intellectually stimulating challenge.

Key Features

Here are some of its key features:

1. 60 000+ POSSIBILITIES IN THE BOX: STEM puzzle game with the combination of dice, location of the blockers, and set of color shapes, there are 62 208 POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS in the 6X6 grid! Think about it… what is the possibility you will beat your opponent?
2. GAME OF THE YEAR: Product Of the Year / Educational Product Of the Year / Top Toy Award Winners! A well-made table game that includes 2 grids, 7 dice, 2 sets of 7 blockers, and 2 sets of 9 colored shapes. Easy to travel with, teach and learn, and simply enjoy the time! This puzzle game is SIMPLY GENIUS!
3. EASY TO LEARN, BE FAST TO WIN: Promotes problem-solving and motor manipulation skill training. Roll the seven dice together and place a blocker in each of the coordinates that appear on the faces. Now. . . RACE to fill every other space on the grid! Speed up your brain and hands! Who’ll win?!
4. SHARE THE JOY WITH SOMEONE, OR ENJOY ALONE: You can rack your brains against friends and family to see who fills out all the spaces first! Or you can challenge yourself against the clock! Either way… be the GENIUS one!
5. FIND THAT ONE SOLUTION…OR MORE THAN ONE?: This board game confirmed that all arrangements have AT LEAST one possible solution for each, and maybe even more! Some are very easy, and some are much harder. Find a solution first, then challenge yourself to find another one… and… another one?

Product information

• Product Dimensions: 7 x 7 x 2 inches
• Item Weight: 8.8 ounces
• ASIN: B07KCDBJTX
• Item model number: Genius Collection
• Best Sellers Rank: #1,240 in Toys & Games (See Top 100 in Toys & Games) #3 in Dice Games (Toys & Games)
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No
• Manufacturer: MUKIKIM

How to Play The Genius Square Game

To play The Genius Square Game, follow these steps:

1. Setup the Game: Each player gets a game board and all seven ‘blockers’ (the pieces that will be placed on the grid). Roll the seven dice together to determine the coordinates where the blockers will be placed on the game board.
2. Place the Blockers: Each die corresponds to a specific blocker, which should be placed on the grid according to the coordinates rolled.
3. Solve the Puzzle: Players race to fit the remaining nine shapes back into their grid once the blockers are placed. The first player to complete their grid shouts “Genius!” and is the round winner.
4. Reset for New Round: Once a round is completed, players can reset the game by removing all pieces from their grid, rolling the dice again, and placing blockers on the new coordinates. The game continues with new rounds until a player reaches the agreed-upon number of wins.

2. MindWare Qwirkle Board Game

Buy Now

MindWare Qwirkle Board Game is a strategic and engaging board game that cleverly merges the simplicity of dominoes and the cerebral challenge of Scrabble. It requires players to form rows and columns of tiles that share a common shape or color.

Every match of Qwirkle is a test of tactical maneuvering and strategic planning. The game offers fun competition and cultivates logical reasoning and pattern recognition skills.

Key Features

Here are some of its key features:

1. Wood Playing Pieces
2. Imported
3. Strategy Game: Qwirkle is the perfect game to hone players’ tactical maneuvers, strategic planning, and forward-thinking. This family game features many choices, including 3 tiles of 36 possible color-symbol combinations.
4. Easy to learn: An engaging game with easy-to-follow rules, Qwirkle is great for younger players while still challenging them mentally. Simply build lines by matching tiles based on either color or shape and score points as you go.
5. Games that teach: Qwirkle is playable from early ages up, allowing young children and older individuals alike to develop and hone their spatial recognition, planning, and problem-solving skills. Plan, win, and learn simultaneously.
6. Family favorite: Qwirkle is a fantastic game for families, as it can involve a wide range of ages, from children to adults. It only takes a few moments to explain, so new players, like extended family or your child’s friends, can jump right in.
7. Award-winning: This game has won multiple awards, including the Major Fun Award, National Parenting Center’s Seal of Approval, Parents’ Choice Gold Award, and more. Includes 108 wooden Qwirkle tiles, 1 drawstring bag, and 1 rule book.

Product information

• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 x 2.75 inches
• Item Weight: 15.9 ounces
• ASIN: 1933054395
• Item model number: 32016
• Manufacturer recommended age: 6 years and up
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No
• Manufacturer: MindWare

How to Play MindWare Qwirkle Board Game

To play the MindWare Qwirkle Board Game, follow these steps:

1. Setup the Game: Every player starts with 6 tiles. The tiles are placed face down and mixed.
2. Begin the Game: The player with the most tiles sharing a shape or color begins the game by placing them in a line in the center of the table.
3. Play Your Tiles: Players take turns adding tiles to the table, making sure to match at least one attribute (shape or color) of the tiles already on the table.
4. Scoring: Players score one point for each tile in the line they created or added to after playing their tiles. A bonus of 6 points is given for a line of 6 tiles, known as a ‘Qwirkle.’
5. Draw New Tiles: At the end of their turn, players should always have 6 tiles. They draw new tiles from the bag to replace the ones they played.
6. Ending the Game: The game ends when the bag is empty and one player has placed all their tiles on the table. The player with the highest score wins.

3. Clever Noodle Kangaroo Cravings Game

Buy Now

Clever Noodle. Kangaroo Cravings is an award-winning, engaging educational game designed for children from preschool to second grade. Centered on enhancing reading fluency and comprehension through fun and play, it includes 300 high-frequency cards that cover commonly used words at the reading level of pre-K up to 2nd grade.

Children can learn and reinforce their knowledge of these words while having fun feeding the included kangaroo with the cards. It’s an invaluable resource for parents and educators striving to make reading learning an enriching and enjoyable experience.

Key Features

Here are some of its key features:

1. LEARN THE ESSENTIAL WORDS TO READING IN WEEKS – Created by a Mom and her son for parents and their children, Clever Noodle’s Kangaroo Cravings teaches children between pre-kindergarten through 3rd grade 300 high-frequency sight words that are essential to reading. This game will help your child sound out and spell words, coupled with multi-sensory actions to activate learning. No more flashcards!
2. BASED ON THE SCIENCE OF READING – Kangaroo Cravings is designed with the help of educators, teachers, and literacy experts and is the only game based on the science of reading – phonological awareness, phonics and word recognition, fluency, vocabulary and oral language comprehension, and text comprehension. It’s endorsed by several literacy experts nationwide and teachers.
3. HIGHLY EFFECTIVE AND SUPER FUN – Among similar games, Kangaroo Cravings stands out as highly effective and super fun that 98% of children want to play again. Containing 300 sight words plus multi-sensory action cards split into 3 difficulty levels, Kangaroo Cravings makes learning to read and early literacy fun and exciting for kids and easy for parents.
4. DESIGNED FOR DIVERSE LEARNERS – Kangaroo Cravings is designed to support a wide range of learners, enabling advanced students to play the same game as those with learning differences, such as dyslexia, autism, ADHD, and processing disorders. It’s fun to practice the structured teaching of preferred dyslexia curriculum, such as the Orton Gillingham approach.
5. AWARD-WINNING GAME AND FEATURED NATIONALLY – A beautifully designed, fast-paced, interactive board game that builds the key skills needed for reading literacy, Kangaroo Cravings is the winner of the 2023 Mom’s Choice Award, featured on Good America America and Forbes. Kangaroo Cravings has helped thousands of children nationwide learn the essential words to reading within weeks!

Product information

• Product Dimensions: 9 x 9 x 0.1 inches
• Item Weight: 2.38 pounds
• Country of Origin: China
• ASIN: B0BZ4YR1T5
• Manufacturer recommended age: 3 years and up
• Manufacturer: Clever Noodle

How to Play Clever Noodle Kangaroo Cravings Game

To play the Clever Noodle Kangaroo Cravings Game, follow these steps:

1. Setup the Game: Spread out the 300 high-frequency word cards randomly, face down on the table or playing area. The kangaroo toy is placed in the center where all players can reach it.
2. Start the Game: The youngest player goes first by picking up a card and reading the word aloud. If they read the word correctly, they get to ‘feed’ the word card to the kangaroo.
3. Taking Turns: Play continues clockwise with each player picking up a card, reading the word, and, if correct, ‘feeding’ the card to the kangaroo.
4. Game Continuation: The game continues until all the word cards have been ‘fed’ to the kangaroo.
5. End of the Game: The player who has fed the most cards to the kangaroo is declared the winner.

4. OUTFOXED, A CLASSIC WHO DUNNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Buy Now

OUTFOXED, A CLASSIC WHO DUNNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS, is a captivating board game adapted for young children, which simplifies the classic detective genre into a fun and accessible play. The game promotes cooperative play, logical thinking, and deduction skills among preschoolers.

Players work together to gather clues and rule out suspects, trying to uncover the identity of the sneaky fox who stole a pot pie. With its smartly designed game mechanics and engaging animal characters, OUTFOXED provides an exciting platform for children to develop early problem-solving skills in a playful setting.

Key Features

Here are some of its key features:

1. COOPERATIVE WHODUNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS: Introduce kids ages 4 and up to this classic, cooperative gameplay. Featuring a fun evidence scanner and adorable fox suspects.
2. CRACK THE CASE: Can you help determine which Fox stole Mrs. Plumpert’s prized pot pie? You’ll have to work fast to gather clues and rule out suspects together before the guilty fox high-tails it toward the exit!
3. WHO, WHAT, WHERE: Clues help you determine what the guilty fox is wearing to rule out suspects as you travel the board.
4. FUN FAMILY GAME: Outfoxed is a fun cooperative board game perfect for younger kids. Entertain kids on play dates or rainy days with Outfoxed.

Product information

• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 9.5 x 2.25 inches
• Item Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Country of Origin: China
• ASIN: B00UB7P0XY
• Item model number: CSG-OUTF
• Manufacturer recommended age: 5 – 15 years
• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer: No
• Manufacturer: Ceaco

How to Play OUTFOXED, A CLASSIC WHO DUNNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS

To play OUTFOXED, A CLASSIC WHO DUNNIT GAME FOR PRESCHOOLERS, follow these steps:

1. Setup the Game: Spread the clue cards on the table with the picture side facing down. Place suspect cards on the table with their picture side up. The game board should be set in the middle, with the chicken coop at one end and the fox pawn at the other.
2. Start the Game: The youngest player goes first. They roll the dice, and if they roll a footprint, they can move the fox pawn one space closer to the chicken coop. If they roll an eye, they can look at a clue card.
3. Taking Turns: The game continues in turns. On their turn, a player can investigate a clue or reveal a suspect. They must roll dice to match three detective symbols to investigate a clue. To reveal a suspect, they roll to match three suspect symbols. Once a suspect is revealed, they are removed from suspicion.
4. Gather Clues: If players roll an eye, they can reveal a clue card and use the decoder to see if the thief’s picture matches the clue. If it does, all players know that the thief wears that item.
5. End of the Game: The game ends when players identify the thief before it reaches the chicken coop. If the fox reaches the coop before they identify it, the players lose.

Benefits of STEM Board Games for Preschoolers

Here are some of the benefits of STEM Board Games for Preschoolers:

• Educational: STEM board games introduce children to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics in a fun and engaging way.
• Skill Development: These games help to develop essential skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic thinking.
• Cognitive Enhancement: Playing STEM board games can enhance cognitive development and memory.
• Social Skills: The games encourage cooperative play, fostering social skills as children interact.
• Stress Reduction: Learning through play can alleviate stress and anxiety, making learning enjoyable for children.
• Love for Learning: These games foster a love for learning from an early age, instilling a positive attitude towards education.
• Interactive: The interactive nature of these games keeps children engaged and stimulated, promoting active learning.

How to Integrate STEM Board Games into Preschool Curriculum

Integrating STEM board games into a preschool curriculum can be richly rewarding and educational. Here are some tips on how to do so:

Select Appropriate Games

The first step in integrating STEM board games into the preschool curriculum involves the selection of suitable games. Consider games that align with the interests of the children, are age-appropriate, meet the learning objectives, and are safe.

Plan the Integration

Once the games are selected, plan how to integrate them into the existing curriculum. The games can be used as a supplemental tool to reinforce concepts taught in class, or they can be used to introduce new concepts interactively.

Schedule Game Sessions

Include regular game sessions in the schedule. This ensures that the children get ample practice, and incorporating it into the daily routine makes learning a fun and anticipated part of their day.

Guidance and Supervision

Children may initially find it challenging to understand the game rules. Facilitators should play along with them, guiding them to foster a cooperative learning experience.

Incorporate Post-Game Discussion

After each game session, encourage discussions. Ask the children to share what they learned and how they can apply it to real-life scenarios. This reinforces learning and enhances critical thinking skills.

Evaluate Learning Outcomes

Periodically evaluate the learning outcomes. This will help assess the effectiveness of the games in teaching STEM concepts and skills and allow for adjustments to the game selection or the way they are integrated into the curriculum, if necessary.

Tips for Choosing the Right STEM Board Game for Preschoolers

Choosing the right STEM board game for preschoolers can be challenging, given the wide range of options available. Here are some tips to help you make an informed choice:

• Consider the Child’s Interests: Choose a game that aligns with the child’s interests. A STEM game focused on biology might be more engaging if a child loves animals.
• Age Appropriateness: Ensure that the game suits the child’s age. The game complexity, instructions, and materials should be appropriate for a preschooler’s comprehension and skill level.
• Learning Objectives: Determine what STEM skills or concepts you want the child to learn and choose a game that aligns with those objectives.
• Game Duration: Preschoolers typically have short attention spans. Hence, the game’s playtime should be short enough to keep them engaged without becoming tedious.
• Safety: Check the game for small parts or materials that could pose a choking hazard. The safety of the children should always be the top priority.
• Quality and Durability: Preschoolers are not always gentle with toys. Ensure the game is durable and can withstand rough handling.
• Review and Ratings: Check online reviews and ratings of the game before purchasing. Feedback from other parents and educators can give you a better idea about the game’s suitability for your child.