Games are an excellent way to help preschoolers learn through play. Whether it's developing fine motor skills, reinforcing colors, or learning how to count, games offer a fun and interactive way for children to grow in their academic and developmental abilities. Plus, playing games together encourages social interaction, taking turns, and problem-solving. Enjoy the best-of-the-best games below with your kids or students.
Instead of using the regular Twister rules, simplify the game for preschoolers to focus on color recognition while having fun with movement! Here's how to play:
Lay the Twister mat flat on the floor. Make sure there’s enough room for the child to move around safely.
Call out a color and a body part. For example, you could say, "Put your hand on blue," or "Place your foot on red." The child must find the correct color on the mat and place the chosen body part on it. Encourage them to name the color aloud as they move.
Switch roles so both you and the child get a chance to call out colors and body parts.
Once the child is comfortable, add a challenge by calling out two colors or asking them to switch body parts quickly (e.g., "Now, put your knee on yellow!").
Uno is a fun color-matching card game for kids and adults. The goal is to match colors or numbers, teaching color recognition, number matching, and turn-taking. Two to 10 players can enjoy this game.
While sometimes hard to find, Colorama is one of my favorite preschool games as reading and 1:1 correspondence are not required to play. Perfect for ages 2 and up, it introduces shapes, colors, and spatial awareness. The game provides variations in play as the child grows, making it adaptable for different skill levels. It’s ideal for 1-6 players.
Candy Land is a fun, classic board game perfect for young children to explore the vibrant world of colors. As players move their tokens along the colorful candy-themed path, they draw cards that guide them to spaces based on different colors. This simple gameplay encourages color recognition, helping children match the card they draw to the corresponding space on the board.
In addition to color learning, Candy Land fosters turn-taking, following instructions, and enhancing fine motor skills as children navigate their way through the candy-filled world. It’s a delightful and educational way to introduce color concepts while having fun!
When our children were young, we enjoyed playing classic card games in the evenings. Each game focuses on turn-taking, memory, and matching skills. Go Fish and Crazy 8’s teach number recognition, Old Maid teaches pairing and avoiding the odd card, while Slapjack encourages quick reflexes. Most of these games work best with 2-6 players.
Watch a child confidently learn through engaging, hands-on activities in the ABCJesusLovesMe Preschool Curriculum. With a focus on both academics and biblical values, this program nurtures development in every area, all while making learning fun. Click to discover how we can support a child's educational journey!
Qwirkle is one of our favorite games, and it's a great way to teach sorting as players group tiles by either color or shape. Since the standard rules can be a bit challenging for preschoolers, here are a couple of simplified versions:
Game #1:
In this non-competitive version, each player draws six tiles. Players take turns laying out rows of tiles that match either by color or shape, aiming to make the longest line possible. You can add to another player’s line or start your own, with no winner—just fun sorting practice.
Game #2:
This version is similar to the original game but without a limit on how many tiles can be in a row. Each player draws six tiles and takes turns placing tiles that match by color or shape. After laying down tiles, players draw more to always keep six. The game continues until all tiles are used. This version adds an extra challenge as players need to check in all directions to make sure their tiles fit properly.
Perfect for ages 3-6, Hi Ho Cherry-O is a simple counting game that teaches children to count from 1 to 4 as they collect cherries. With a fun spinning mechanic, this game is great for developing counting and fine motor skills. Up to 4 players can play.
Dominoes are a fun way to engage preschoolers in fine motor play while practicing matching, math, counting, and color recognition. For younger children, picture dominoes are available. Ideal for ages 2 and up, 2-4 players can enjoy this versatile game.
Match four tokens in a row in this simple, strategy-building game. For ages 4 and up, Connect 4 is great for teaching turn-taking, planning ahead, and recognizing patterns. It’s best for 2 players and no batteries are needed.
From Disney characters to letters, Memory Games (also called Matching) are wonderful for teaching visual perception, memory, and turn-taking. These games are perfect for preschoolers aged 3 and up, with variations available for 1 or more players, depending on the theme.
A silly, but effective fine motor games, Cootie allows children to build their own bug by rolling dice and assembling different parts. The tangible version of Roll-a-Picture Games, it's perfect for kids aged 3 and up. The game encourages creativity, counting, and fine motor development. Suitable for 2-4 players.
Discover a variety of holiday activities that keep Jesus at the heart of your celebrations! From crafts to family traditions, these ideas will help you create meaningful moments for your family or classroom that focus on the true reason for the season.
In Lucky Ducks, children ages 3+ match colors on the underside of moving ducks. This pre-reading game encourages memory and matching skills while the moving ducks provide an added challenge. Batteries are required, and up to 4 players can participate. Children younger than 3 can play simply by not rotating the ducks.
A pre-reading game, Zingo increases a child’s matching and language skills. Designed for ages 4 and up, this fast-paced game helps kids match pictures to their Zingo cards. It’s ideal for 2-6 players and doesn’t require batteries.
Try to get four in a row with Sequence for Kids. This game teaches strategic thinking and matching through fun animal or character-themed cards. Suitable for ages 3 and up, this game works best with 2-4 players.
The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game builds color recognition, matching, strategic thinking, and fine motor skills as players use squirrel tongs to pick up colored acorns. Perfect for ages 3-6, the game is for 2-4 players.
Flip plastic ants into the panda's pants when playing Ants in the Pants. Designed for children aged 3 and up, the first player to get four ants in wins. This game helps develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. 2-4 players can play. In my experience the ants in some brands of this game flip better than others.
Embark on a kaleidoscope of learning with our Color Packet. Bursting with vibrant colors and endless opportunities for creativity, this printable resource invites children on an exciting educational journey.
A wonderful visual perception game, Spot It challenges children to find matching symbols on cards. Various themed versions are available. Suitable for ages 4 and up, it’s a quick, engaging game for 2-8 player.
Let's Go Fishing is a fun fine-motor game requires children to use fishing rods to collect moving fish. Suitable for kids ages 3 and up, this game is great for hand-eye coordination. It requires batteries and is best for 2-4 players.
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In Don't Break the Ice, kids tap ice blocks one by one without letting the polar bear fall. Ideal for ages 3 and up, this game encourages fine motor skills and planning ahead. 2-4 players can play.
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An easy two-player game, Don't Spill the Beans is a fun fine motor game where players take turns placing beans in a jar while trying not to tip it over. Perfect for children ages 3 and up.
In Crocodile Dentist, kids carefully press down teeth without hitting the crocodile’s sore tooth. This game is great for fine motor skills and suspense. Ideal for ages 4 and up, it’s a fun game for 1-4 players with no batteries required.
Help your preschooler discover the joy of books with a carefully chosen list of the best books and simple tips to make storytime fun and full of learning. This free packet provides easy ideas to keep your child engaged, grow their love of reading, and build important pre-reading skills—making reading together one of the best gifts you can give!
One-to-one correspondence means matching one object to one number, symbol, or word. This typically begins to develop around the age of 3. The following games require the child to match one square on the board per counting number.
For upper preschool age, Sorry teaches strategy, disappointment, and patience as players try to move their pieces around the board. This game is also excellent at teaching apologizing when a Sorry card is drawn and handling the disappointment when having to go back to start. Best suited for ages 4 and up, this game is ideal for 2-4 players.
Although not a personal favorite due to its length, Chutes and Ladders is a classic game that kids love. It teaches direction, counting, and number recognition. Suitable for children ages 3-6 and 2-4 players can play.
Because the dice is contained, Trouble is great for traveling. This game teaches 1:1 correspondence and is ideal for older preschoolers, ages 4 and up. The game is for 2-4 players.
