Hottest New Games for Kids (for Holiday Gifts 2017)

Get ready to discover the hottest new games of 2017 you’ll want to give as gifts for Christmas or the holiday you celebrate. As you know, I’m big on learning games so most of these fall into that category — without taking out any of the fun.

See last year’s best games for kids here. Find the coolest STEM gifts for kids.

Hottest New Games for Kids for Holiday Gifts 2017

Where’s Bear – Buy It Here

Toddlers love hiding and stacking so this hind and find stacking game is perfect for them! Ages 2+

Tiny Polka Dot – Buy It Here

Use these 16 playful games to teach 1 – 6 players counting, arithmetic, and logic. Ages 3+

My First Wooden Cube Puzzle Animals – Buy It Here

9 cube puzzle pieces combine to make six animals: alligator, horse, giraffe, cat, dog, and cow. Puzzles like this help kids with problem solving and hand-eye coordination. Ages 3+

Use your cubes to match the patterns on the cards. For 1 to 4 players. Develops visual spatial skills, pattern identification, problem solving and hand-eye coordination. Ages 3+

Silly Street – Buy It Here

I’m including this game again in 2017 because it’s award winning game for a good reason — it’s so much fun and builds children’s confidence, social skills, communication, creativity, and resiliency through game play. Draw a card and do whatever silly thing it asks. Read my full review here. Ages 4+ ALSO SEE their game: Animal Act!

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Royal Roundup – Buy It Here

Pick a path for your horse to take to save the people and treasures from the castle’s invaders. This family game practices counting, addition, and basic strategy. The player with the most points from their tokens wins the game. Ages 5+

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Go, Go Gelato – Buy It Here

Fill your customer orders using 4 scoops, 3 cones, 2 hands, and 1 challenge card. Pass scoops back and forth between the cones but don’t touch or drop them! Great for family game night! Ages 6+

Soggy Doggy Board Game – Buy It Here

Race around the board, taking turns giving doggy a bath. But watch out! He just might shake his wet fur all over YOU! Then you have to return to the start. Make it around the bathtub to win. Ages 4+ (2-4 players)

Christmas Charades Card Game – Buy It Here

Finally, the perfect game for Christmas enthusiasts — and something to play on Christmas Day!! Pretend to be Frosty the Snow Man or a partridge in a pear tree and see if other players can guess. (This is going in someone’s stocking for sure!) Ages 6+

Kanoodle Jr. – Buy It Here

You’ll be required to think and solve visual puzzles in this great on-the-go activity in it’s own nifty carrying case. Read my full review here. Ages 7+

Jump-In – Buy It Here 

Don’t you LOVE the looks of this adorable game? Help the rabbits find safety by jumping over mushrooms and sliding foxes into their homes. This game includes 60 challenges requiring planning and logic. Ages 7+

Tall Tales Story Telling Board Game – Buy It Here

We just got this game and can’t wait to try it! Use the 24 story cards and 50 games pieces to tell your own imaginative story!

Googly Eyes Game – Buy It Here

Players wear the weird goggle eye glasses in three levels of craziness and draw. But of course the art you draw is HILARIOUS, even if you used to be able to create art. Then, your team tries to guess what you’ve drawn. For 4 – 16 players, ages 7+.

Chicken Charades – Buy It Here

A fun party game where players act out charades using a squeaky chicken. Crazy, silly fun!  Ages 8+

Smash Pong – Buy It Here

Draw a challenge card, load, aim, and launch your ball into the target. Ages 7+

Race to find the matching icons. Includes options for 3 levels of difficulties. Ages 6+

Beasts of Balance – Buy It Here

Stack physical blocks near your mobile device in this hybrid digital tabletop game. Pick a beast, element, action, or miracle to stack. Work with other players to build a tower and fill your world with magnificent beasts. Ages 7+

Hive Mind – Buy It Here

The goal in Hive Mind, an exciting new board game for 3 to 12 players, is to think like the other “bees” or . . . get kicked out of the hive. My family had a blast playing this party game! We love playing games together so it’s awesome to find a game like Hive Mind that is both easy to play and spans a wide age range. Read my full review here. Ages 8+

Akin – Buy It Here

You got to think fast to play (and win) the game, Akin! See if you can spot cards with qualities and objects that are RELATED (akin) to each other and make sets. If you’re like us and love playing family games, this is a fantastic new addition for families with kids. My kids loved playing this game! Read my full review here. Ages 8+

Word on the Street – Buy It Here

Sneak in word and spelling practice with this fun, fast-paced and competitive game. Meant for 2 players or 2 teams. Read my full review here. Ages 10 +

Without speaking or acting, you must get your team to guess the words using stories with the word cards of noun, verb, adjective, or preposition. Ages 12+

My daughter and I totally LOVE this game. We modified the rules for 2 players a bit but the basic gist is this: Pick a cat, tuck it under a plastic sheet, then draw on the plastic for the other players to guess. For example, you might get Elvis so you need to add a cool hairdo to your cat, maybe bell bottoms or whatever else will make kitty look like Elvis. For 3 players, ages 16+  but I played with a 12 year old. There were a few cards that she didn’t know or could be considered inappropriate for her age but nothing too bad.

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