The earlier you introduce board games to your kids, the better. They teach social skills, help with fine motor skills, are educational, and they're also a lot of fun! I was thrilled when a rep from HABA found one of my videos on YouTube and sent me a couple new games to check out: Off to Bed and Animal Upon Animal Junior. Spoiler: the games are great.
My youngest is two and we've had a blast checking out board games for her this past year. I've played a number of the games in the My Very First Games series in HABA and what sets them apart from many of the other game options for this age is HABA always provide multiple ways to play the game and makes a big deal about allowing the child to play with the pieces before you start to play. You allow a free play environment with gentle guidance toward the intended rules once the child is ready. Sets you up for success for games with a toddler!
It was interesting to me, of the two games we were sent my two year old prefers Off to Bed and loves the whole process of getting the different animals ready for bed. We have a pretty cozy bedtime routine (lots of books!) and I could see this helping a child who has a tougher time with the transition to bedtime.
My older kids were definitely most excited about Animal Upon Animal Junior and I think my older daughter prefers this version to the regular Animal Upon Animal. Too funny! The pieces are very sturdy and have withstood the two year old's enjoyment of knocking over animal towers with her feet. She's lucky she's cute because she's a bit of a stinker.
Games are a really happy time in our house and they are one of my favorite ways to create memories with my children and find much needed quality time with my spouse. I'm a big believer in finding games that are a good fit for every age. If your child feels successful and enjoys games at an early age they'll enjoy them as they grow up. And the benefits don't ever really stop! So many social, emotional, and cognitive benefits to getting in time playing games. You just have to find the ones that are the right fit for you and for your kids.
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