If, like me, you’ve recently had a child start school, you’ll know all about the after school struggle. Unsure whether to let your exhausted child vegetate on the sofa in front of the TV, or force them into something extra curricular, the after school hours have been surprisingly hard to navigate.
I went on a mission, therefore, to find as many fun, easy and stress-free games to play with my 4-year old after school. Below is a round-up of all that I’ve found so far, with suggestions on games that will get your kids interacting with you, without the meltdowns or demands for snacks.
21 Best After School Games for Foundation Aged Children (UK)
1. Pizza, Pizza! (£11.99)
By far, Olive’s favourite after-school game (and perhaps my own!) is Pizza, Pizza. This is an easy game where competitors try to be the first to make a full pizza, whilst dodging the slices covered in bugs. The chants “In the bin! In the bin!” ring through our house most nights (you’ll need to play to get it).
No products found.
2. Guess Who (£10.99)
An all-time classic, my 4 year old has recently started playing Guess Who (we picked ours up second hand, so the OG). It’s great for her thinking and problem solving skills – although her insistence on always choosing the same woman is a bit of a fail on her part.
There are lots of different options nowadays – aside from the original Guess Who – including Guess Who Peppa Pig, which I’ve put on Olive’s Christmas wish list.
No products found.
3. Who’s Feeling What? (£13.50)
If you’re looking for an emotion based game for your foundation aged child, then this is a great option. The game involves children having to ‘spot the feeling’, as well as being encouraged to talk about their own feelings at the same time.
No products found.
4. Outfoxed (£21.17)
Olive’s teacher actually suggested Outfoxed as a great after school game for under 5s. This is a classic ‘whodunit’ game that encourages families to work together to solve the case before the fox steals Mrs Plumpert’s chickens.
No products found.
5. Shopping List (£6.99)
This was one of the first games I played with Olive and she still loves playing it. Another great game from Orchard Toys, Shopping List is a memory game based around completing your shopping list.
No products found.
6. Pop to the Shops (£11.99)
Pop to the Shops is a brilliant game to add to the list of the best after school games for young kids. A level up from Shopping List, Pop to the Shops supports children in learning about money, as well as teaching them how to give change and manage money.
No products found.
7. Can U Find it First? (£14.99)
We bought the travel size version of this for holiday and it was a great little game for ages 3-5. A little like a giant Where’s Wally, the idea of the game is to spot the object on the card first. I think this is a great game for improving attention spans, (something we all want from our young kids).
No products found.
8. Uno (£6.49)
The all-time classic, Uno, is an easy and fun after school game for young kids. At 4.5, Olive has only recently gotten the hang of Uno but now there’s no stopping her. A much more interesting card game than Snap, I feel like Uno has her brain thinking, without her realising!
No products found.
9. Kids’ Dobble (£15.00)
I was not expecting Olive to be as good at Dobble as she is. I guess as kids are so present, she’s much better at spotting smaller details than me, resulting in a hard contender to beat. To help her be more engaged, I invested in the Disney edition of Dobble, which we both love.
No products found.
10. Bluey Fancy Restaurant Game (£11.98)
If your child loves Bluey, then the Bluey Fancy Restaurant game is a great after school game. Made by Orchard Toys, this game encourages role play, as well as practising basic math skills.
No products found.
11. The Floor is Lava! (£11.99)
If you can face this after school, The Floor is Lava is going to be a big hit with your young kids. During this game, kids have to spin the colour wheel, before jumping to the right foam piece to reach safety.
No products found.
12. Alphabet Lotto (£11.97)
To help Olive with her phonics, I recently bought Alphabet Lotto to add the the list of best after school games. Another educational game from Orchard Toys, Alphabet Lotto offers 4 different ways to play: all of which support in helping your children learn the alphabet.
No products found.
13. Slimy Rhymes (£11.97)
Another great addition to your after school games stash is Slimy Rhymes. Ideal for those starting their phonics and reading journey, Slimy Rhymes (yes, it’s ANOTHER Orchard Toys) game is a fun word and picture rhyming game.
No products found.
14. Fun Food Bingo (£12.00)
If, like my child, snacks are EVERYTHING after school, then why not play this fun, food themed bingo. Just like a traditional bingo game, the first player to place a knife and fork on all the pictures on their board wins.
No products found.
15. Hurry Up Chicken Butt (£19.99)
I’ve been eyeing up this game in Waterstones for several weeks now. Although on the pricey end of our list of the best after school games for young kids, I think this could be worth the investment. Designed by other parents who found their kids grew bored of most board games, Hurry Up Chicken Butt is a fun, active game. The goal is not to end up with the chicken when the timer goes off.
No products found.
16. Who Did This Poo? (£12.97)
As you know, all young kids love nothing more than jokes about poo. So, the game ‘Who Did This Poo?’ should be right up their street. An easy matching and memory game, the game also comes with an unexpectedly fascinating book on poo.
No products found.
17. Snakes and Ladders (£8.00)
No list of the best after school games would be complete without adding the all time classic board game, Snakes and Ladders. It’s taken Olive a little while to fully understand this but she’s now fully in her snakes and ladders era.
No products found.
18. Enchanted Forest (16.99)
A traditional family board game, suitable for younger kids, Enchanted Forest is a Ravensburger creation. The aim of the game is to find all of the treasure in the forest. Each game only lasts around 20 minutes, so is ideal for younger kids.
No products found.
19. Connect 4 (£9.99)
An oldie but a goodie, Olive is ADDICTED to Connect 4. I like the fact it’s quick to play but is also encouraging Olive to think a little longer about her moves and think a little more tactically.
No products found.
20. Go Fish Card Game (£3.74)
If you’re looking for a quick and easy card game for after school, Go Fish is an obvious go-to. Great for memory, counting and sorting skills, this is also an easy game to take on holiday with you as well.
No products found.
21. The Magic Tooth Fairy Board Game £19.99
I’m not sure who’s more excited to play this game – me or Olive. I’ve added this to her Christmas list as it looks like a fun, easy game to play over the Christmas holidays. The aim of the game is to collect as many golden coins from the tooth fairy as possible, in order to win the game.
No products found.