In my 16 years of teaching, I have seen my students and my own kids play these games and I have played a number of them myself. I highly recommend the following games, and I’ll tell you why in each review. These best games for 10-year-olds will not only thrill your tween, giving them something productive they can fill their time with, as they promote learning and togetherness, but they’re great for family game nights as well!
Best Board Games For 10-Year-Olds
Kingdomino is the best-ranked strategy board game, whereas Ravensburger Labyrinth is a top-selling family board game. For trivia, 5 Second Rule Junior and Trivial Pursuit Family Edition rank as the best trivia games on this list. When it comes to classic games, Monopoly Ultimate Banking and Clue are the highest-selling board games on this list.
Monopoly Ultimate Banking
The Combination
The Monopoly Ultimate Banking is much quicker to play than the original version, which holds a 10-year-old’s attention to the end. Whereas the original Monopoly game takes an average of two-to-three hours to complete, Monopoly Ultimate Banking Board Game takes about 50 minutes for two players.
This is due to a combination of the banking system and the variation to the rules. Instead of there being hotels, each property gets one house, and the rent increases each time somebody lands on your property.
The Location Squares
There are no Community Chest or Chance Cards. Instead, there are Location Spots on the board. These spots let you move to any square on the board that you choose to move to. However, you must pay money to move there.
You can move to your own property, where you can increase the rent, move to an unowned property and purchase it, or move to the square before GO so that you can “Pass GO” on your next turn and “Collect $200!”
The Learning
Monopoly Ultimate Banking will help your 10-year-old learn strategy, mathematics, rational thinking, and financial concepts.
However, this board game also has its downside. While the game is pretty durable for the most part, the card reader sometimes fails to scan in direct sunlight. Holding it in a shadowed area can fix this. Gotta love electronics!
Ravensburger 3D Labyrinth Board Game
The Ravensburger 3D Labyrinth Board Game is for children and adults from age 7-years-old and up.
Its vast popularity stems from many factors.
One: it’s easy to learn and play. This is always a plus.
Two: many have found it to be great fun!
Three: it takes a total of 20-30 minutes to play the game, making it quick. Therefore, it’s not just a one-time play.
Four: it teaches planning, cause and effect, association, turn-taking, and recognition during play.
The Task
The goal of Labyrinth is for the two to four players to move through this moving maze, finding the shortest route to each target and treasure. The first to the end wins!
There are many fun children’s options available in this game such as Disney’s Frozen, Disney’s Villain’s, Disney’s Jungle Cruise, Paw Patrol, and Super Mario.
Trivial Pursuit Family Edition
The Trivial Pursuit Family Edition board game by Hasbro is for tweens and adults, ages 8-years-old and above. With 1,200 questions for children and adults, it makes a great family night game.
The Teams
Since this board game can be played with teams, allowing for a group of eight or twelve people at one time is possible. It, therefore, promotes team spirit as well as learning.
The Time
This Amazon exclusive is a family edition of the classic game Trivial Pursuit. Each player gets a pie, which they move around the board. They get a slice of pie with each correct answer. It takes 30-40 minutes to play.
The Test
My kids love playing Trivial Pursuit! This is especially true when we set them up as teams and pit them against each other, asking them the answer at the same time and having them call out the answer. The person to answer first wins. In this way, we play it sort of like you would play flashcards with Mathematics. It’s a different way to play, but my kiddos love it as much as they love the original directions.
This board game is highly durable and able to withstand the rough and tough play of a 10-year-old.
However, if you live in the UK, this board game may not be for your 10-year-old. The game has some questions that are USA-based.
Disney Villainous Strategy Game
Disney Villainous Strategy Game is another award winner. It’s the second board game that I recommend.
Why?
Well, there are several reasons.
The Pawn
As a twist, the players are Disney villains (Jafar, Captain Hook, Queen of Hearts, Maleficent, Prince John, and Ursula). Each of these six villains has its own goal, objective, and strategy, inspiring your 10-year-old to play this board game again and again with different villainous characters, strategizing again with each.
The Plan
Besides having to plan their route, they are also up against Disney protagonists, such as Peter Pan, Ariel, Aladdin, and more!
Ravensburger Disney Villainous Strategy Board Game can also be combined with Perfectly Wretched, Wicked to the Core, and Evil Comes Prepared, other Villainous games. This makes the gameplay extend even further and last even longer.
Latice Hawaii
The Latice Hawaii has won multiple awards.
Simple to Learn
This easy-to-play board game teaches strategy, patterns, matching, and mathematics, and it enhances memory skills. It’s simple to learn.
The board is quite thick and highly durable. I know from experience that the game pieces are solid and will stand the test of time.
Fun to Play
Friends and family (or foes) can play it as a quick 1-on-1 match (lasting approximately 8 1/2 minutes per player). It can also be played with up to four players at a time or as a long, drawn-out competition between several players in a tournament setting, making it great for a family game night!
Because the creators of the board game made the pieces with pictures rather than words, the spoken language doesn’t matter.
Spans the Generations
One great thing, too, is that it can be played by many ages, whether they can read or not. And everyone enjoys it from grandchild to grandparent. It’s truly a game that spans the generation!
5 Second Rule Junior
Time Together
The 5 Second Rule Junior is number five on my list, but certainly not lacking in popularity or all-out “goodness” among 10-year-old game-players and parents alike. In fact, it’s gained some popularity as being one of the only board games that a family of different ages can play together and enjoy.
Time to Learn
Another easy game to play, this board game for 10-year-olds, is made up of 400 questions that your child will have to read before they can play. Therefore, this game enhances their reading skills as well as spur-of-the-moment memory recall.
Since they have to come up with their answers in five seconds, you might say that this board game helps them learn to “think on their feet.” If you’re super sly, you might even slip some teaching in on them all while they’re having fun!
Time for Testimonials
There are so many children that absolutely love to play 5 Second Rule Junior. Just look at the stellar ratings across all retail sites!
Children seem to always love answering questions. This game is a home run!
Trekking the National Parks
The creators of the second edition Trekking The National Parks board game made it for 10-year-olds and above. It’s another one of those award-winning, best board games for 10-year-olds, having won the “Parent’s Choice Gold Award” and the “Mensa Select Award.”
For the Educationalist
It’s also an educational board game, but this one teaches something completely different. This game teaches all about the National Parks.
For the Enthusiast
Are you or your child an outdoor enthusiast, lover of all things camping, or like to trek the National Parks? Have they been learning about National Parks in school? Are you been planning to visit one… or more? Do you just want your 10-year-old to learn some great, usable information while playing and having fun? In any of those cases, I thoroughly recommend this board game!
Double Ditto
Here’s another of the all-around best board games for 10-year-olds! Double Ditto is a fun one to play in groups.
What They Learn
This family party game enhances writing skills, reading skills, and cognitive skills. Double Ditto calls for the participants to recall things that fall into fun categories. For instance: “Talents You Wish You Had,” “Things That Are Squishy,” and “Things You Do in the Summer.”
What They Do
Players have 15 seconds to write down two things that fall under the given topic. Then they read their answer out loud.
Their answers can range from serious to outrageously hilarious. For every answer that matches someone else’s, they get points!
This game is great fun for the whole family, the gang of friends at the birthday party, or the tweens or teens gathered for the party night. It doesn’t matter.
Everyone will find Double Ditto a creative way to game together.
What They Say
I’ve heard several people say that it makes a great family game!
Two reasons many families find this game so much fun is that it’s not overly competitive, and it’s family-friendly.
Apples to Apples Junior
The Apples to Apples Junior teaches comparison, team spirit, debate, and acceptance of authority. Your 10-year-old will also learn new information and concepts without realizing it!
The Judge
For this game, one child is the judge, while the others are the players. The judge lays down the playing card. The others lay down the one card of their seven that they believe best matches the judge’s card.
Whichever card the judge proclaims winner collects the cards, and the player with the most at the end wins the game.
The Defendant
Each 10-year-old has their chance to defend their card, of course, and explain while theirs is the best. The debates can range from comical to downright absurd and are great comic relief for onlookers and players alike.
The Judgement
Warning: It’s not like the old game, but I’ve found that it’s just as fun.
I was at a friend’s house for dinner with my family of six (four kiddos, my husband, and I). Her family was blessed with five kiddos. As we were waiting for dinner, she pulled Apples to Apples Junior out. My oldest two children were 7 and 10, and her children were 7, 7, 8, 10, and 12 (yes, there were a set of twins). Even the younger kiddos had a blast with the game! I highly recommend this game!
Stare Junior
The Rating
The Stare Junior wins two awards of its own! The game calls for your tween to stare at a card for 30 seconds max. After those 30 seconds, they flip the card over.
At that time, another player asks them specific questions about the card.
My Review
This educational board game will expand your 10-year-old’s memory recall and short-term memory, perception, and attention span and concentration, and attention to detail, all while teaching creative thinking.
Googly Eyes
The Googly Eyes is a family-fun board game for ages 7-years-old up.
The Glasses
To play this game, the competing player puts on a pair of “Googly Eye” glasses. The glasses come with three sets of lenses, ranging from almost easy to nearly hilariously impossible. Where your pawn lands on the board depending on the number you roll and decides which lenses you “get” to put in the glasses.
These glasses distort your vision. While you’re looking on with eyes that see wrinkled people and wavy walls, they expect you to draw a picture that your teammates can somehow decipher. With each correct guess, you get to move your pawn and roll again.
The Guesses
With each incorrect guess, the play then passes to the next team. The first team to reach “Finish” wins!
The Game
Since four-to-sixteen players can play this game, it makes for a great family game night!
Googly Eyes teaches team spirit, fine motor skills, patience, concentration, and a love for drawing.
Pros and Cons
The only drawback that I could see was that you must change the lenses out with each move (there is one pair of frames and three sets of lenses, which you switch out when called for). However, this did not appear to be that big of a problem. They seemed to be simple to change out. The manufacturers make the lenses of durable material. I’m confident that they can withstand a good amount of wear and tear.
This is a great family game! My husband and I were visiting my husband’s sister and her family the first time I played it. She has five children of her own, ranging from 8 years old to college age. My four children ranged from 4 t0 12 years old at the time. I do have to say that my 4-year-old didn’t stay interested in the game for long–he was too interested in other things, but the rest of my children, each of her children, and all four of us adults had a blast!
My youngest player after my 4-year-old gave up was 6 years old. She enjoyed herself thoroughly, but we did give her some extra time to draw and help her with ideas.
We played for well over an hour.
I think I can easily say that the Googly Eyes game is well worth the price. The time spent playing it… the time with family is priceless!
I definitely recommend this game. It is one of the all-around best board games for 10-year-olds this year.
Clue
If you’re looking for the best board games for 10-year olds and your 10-year-old likes strategy, whodunit games, detective work, or brain games, he (or she) will love Clue!
This board game is an updated version of the classic mystery game. The players are still trying to figure out who, with what, and where Mr. Boddy was killed as they move around the Tudor Mansion, teaching deductive reasoning and strategy, but there are some changes.
A New Suspect!
There is a brand new suspect. Dr. Orchid got expelled from a boarding school in Switzerland as a child. The expulsion resulted from a poisoning incident using daffodils that almost resulted in a fatality. The poor soul who owned Tudor Mansion at the time adopted her. She was raised in the mansion by Mrs. White.
She then went on to get a Ph.D. in plant toxicology, making her the first female character in Clue to not be “cut out of the mold” of the politically correct 1940s when the game was created. You see, she’s not a socialite, like Mrs. Peacock, or a femme fatale, like Miss Scarlet. And Mrs. White, whom Dr. Orchid takes the place of, worked as a maid, which was a socially acceptable position.
Updated Cards
The cards are updated. They have cute sayings and fun instructions. Some of the instructions are the same as the classic board game. Some, though, are original to this new board game. These give the new game a fun twist for those of us who played the classic version.
One of the cards says, “There’s always time for good gossip.” The card then instructs you to show one of your cards to the player to your left. Another card, entitled “CREEEEK!”, which I don’t remember being in the classic game I played growing up, instructs you to place the card in the room of your choice. At that point, it connects that room to the other secret passages, allowing you quick access to the chosen room!
Updated Pawns
The game pieces are colored pawns rather than looking like the game pieces from the classic game, which were shaped like the characters themselves.
Updated Die
The dice now have magnifying glasses on them, which allow you to pull a hint card.
Updated Options
Lastly, there is an option to play this board game with only two players, rather than needing a minimum of three to play. This makes it so much nicer for 10-year-olds since there are not always two other people to play with.
My husband and I have played Clue as a two-player game, but I find that it’s more enjoyable the more players you have involved.
Kingdomino
Kingdomino is an award-winning family strategy board game that is great for 10-year-olds! In fact, it won 4 different awards, and rightfully so! This wonderful game teaches strategy, tactile skills, addition, multiplication, and spatial reasoning.
Kingdomino is a kingdom-building board game and is played similarly to Dominos. However, there are many differences.
The players are only allowed to build on a 5X5 grid. Each tile is 2X1.
When a player chooses a tile, they must place it in such a way that one side of the tile matches up with the terrain of the tiles that they have already laid down. If the player cannot play their tile, they put it in the discard pile.
Calculating Your Score
If no one completes their castle before the players run out of tiles, or when both players have completed their 5X5 grids, then the points are added up and then multiplied up to find the score.
To be more precise: to find the score, the number of tiles is added up for each type of terrain, then multiplied by the number of crowns found in that terrain. The catch is that those crowns must be touching your tiles. If you have four tiles in the forest and there are zero crowns touching those tiles, then you must multiply four by zero. You get zero points for that terrain. However, if you have three crowns touching your four tiles, then, congratulations! You have twelve points!
Pros and Cons
One thing that makes this one of the best board games for 10-year-olds is that the board is sturdy and durable. The tokens are wooden, making them able to stand the test of time as well.
I do have some concern that the corners of the stickers on the dominos may peel up if they’re gotten wet at all, but they are made of glossy, high quality, heavy-weight cardboard, so that may not be an issue. I’d be careful, however, to be sure that your playing surface is dry before playing just in case.
Compare the Best Board Games for 10-Year-Olds
The table below compares only the recommended products on this page. A low or high Price means it is low or high compared to the other products listed. The Popularity Score reflects how often readers click on and buy the product. The Quality Score is our assessment of the overall performance and satisfaction with the product compared to others in the table.
| Ravensburger 3D Labyrinth Board Game | 3.9 | - | 70.00 |
| Trekking the National Parks | 9.9 | 9.4 | 39.99 |
| Latice Hawaii | - | 9.4 | 39.99 |
| Disney Villainous Strategy Game | 9.8 | 9.4 | 37.87 |
| Googly Eyes | 9.3 | 9.2 | 34.95 |
| Stare Junior | 9.6 | 9.4 | 27.99 |
| Monopoly Ultimate Banking | 9.9 | 9.2 | 25.53 |
| Double Ditto | 9.9 | 9.4 | 19.96 |
| Kingdomino | 9.9 | 9.6 | 18.08 |
| Trivial Pursuit Family Edition | 9.9 | 9.4 | 16.99 |
| Apples to Apples Junior | 9.9 | - | 16.99 |
| Clue | 9.9 | 9.6 | 15.00 |
| 5 Second Rule Junior | 9.9 | 9.4 | 13.99 |
Buying Considerations
I presented you with thirteen choices of the best board games for 10-year-olds. We at Experienced Mommy want to help you to make the best choice for your tween.
We understand that each tween is different. Every person has different preferences and different needs, and you may have different considerations than the mommy two blocks over.
So, here are some things to consider when deciding on which of these board games is the best board game for your 10-year-old.
What does your 10-year-old like?
The first thing to consider is your 10-year-old’s preferences. I’m sure that you’ve already considered this. For instance, Villainous is perfect for Disney lovers. Trekking the National Parks would be great for the landmark enthusiast, and Clue would really excite the 10-year-old spy yesterday/detective today, cop tomorrow.
What does your 10-year-old like to learn about?
I presented you with a few games that teach specific topics. Trivial Pursuit Family Edition and Trekking the National Parks are two that teach facts head-on. However, there are also games that teach concepts, such as strategy and mathematics as well.
Kingdominos, with which game the player must use addition and multiplication to figure their score, can be further played in such a fashion that you can teach mathematics throughout the game. If your 10-year-old loves adding or multiplying (or if they need a fun way to get in extra practice), have them give you the sums and multiplicands to any facts presented with each play.
What skills does your 10-year-old need to work on?
Does your 10-year-old need to improve their concentration? What about their attention span? Spatial reasoning? There are games listed above that will help in each of these areas. A few hit each area at once and some.
Other games, such as Double Ditto and 5 Second Rule Junior, require the players to read the cards. If your tween needs extra help with their reading, these games present the perfect times to incorporate a little hands-on teaching.
How many players are you planning for?
Do you need a game that seats six or more? Choose one that allows for six players or allows for teams, like Googly Eyes or Double Ditto.
Do you need a board game that will let your 10-year-old play with only one other friend? Choose accordingly. Sometimes, we forget to think about these kinds of things. You may need more than one game. Or you may need a game that fits both categories, like Clue.
Are there younger siblings to consider?
Several of these that I consider best board games for 10-year-olds also fit those same criteria for younger kiddos. Some of them are rated for ten and above. Most are not rated for anyone below eight. However, as you can see from some of the reviews that I listed, younger children can play some of these games with a few adjustments.
For example, a 6-year-old could play Googly Eyes easily when given a little more time to draw the picture. Family Edition Trivial Pursuit and Latice Hawaii are other examples of good games for younger-ish children.
We have several articles showcasing our picks for Best Board Games for younger ages as well:
- The Best Board Games for 6-Year-Olds
- The Best Board Games for 7-Year-Olds
- The Best Board Games for 8-Year-Olds
- The Best Board Games for 9-Year-Olds
Are you in America?
Remember that some of these game creators geared their games for Americans. There was one game that I mentioned, in particular, that has American-based questions. For instance, one of the questions asks about the Declaration of Independence. That is Trivial Pursuit Family Edition.
However, this board game could still be enjoyable for your family. You could just skip the cards that don’t apply.
Trekking the National Parks would be another one that is American-based.
FAQs – Board Games for 10-Year-Olds
What are some good things to do with a 10-year-old when they’re bored?
- Get out some old clothes and become a character from a book.
- Build a castle from cushions with them.
- Get some acrylics and small paintbrushes and let them help you paint pictures on their bedroom wall.
- Help them make playdough and make funny animals.
- Help them tie-dye t-shirts.
- Give them some old socks and make puppets with them.
- Introduce them to the world of origami.
- Dance to music.
- Make up a song.
- Play a board game.
Is competition good for kids?
Yes! Of course, you can take competition too far and wind up with bad attitudes, grudges, and full-on fights. But teaching kids to compete in a healthy way can give them valuable social skills that will come in handy as they grow up. It can also teach them the value of hard work and give them a sense of accomplishment when they win.
So don’t shy away from a competitive board game! Instead, use that sort of game as a teaching opportunity for your child.
That being said, if your child is naturally very competitive, maybe opt for a game that involves collaboration so that they can broaden their skill set.
What are the best family board games of all time?
These twelve board games have stood the test of time and still stand strong today!
- Chess
- Othello
- Monopoly
- Scrabble
- Trouble
- Stratego
- Risk
- Clue
- Sorry!
- Battleship
- Checkers
- Chutes and Ladders
What is America’s Favorite Game?
Elizabeth Magie
In the late 1800s, Elizabeth Magie created a game that she later patented in 1904 and named “The Landlord’s Game.” Players traveled the path where they had to buy properties or pay rent. When they had to pay rent or go directly to jail due to landing on “Lord Blueblood’s” estate, it was her goal that they learn how unfair the inequalities of land ownership truly were.
In 1906, Elizabeth’s game was published. It quickly became popular.
Roy Strider
In the 1920s, Roy Stryker made his own version of The Landlord’s Game.
Charles Darrow
In 1933, Charles Darrow learned a folk game, called “Monopoly,” which was a board game hand-drawn on a board and looked very similar to our present-day Monopoly, complete with cards like Elizabeth’s game, except that the board was round.
Being out of work due to the Great Depression, Charles began producing square Monopoly games in his home. He and his family made the boards, hand-colored them, made the houses out of wood molding, and typed the cards. They then packaged them in necktie boxes, which could be bought for relatively cheap, and sold them through Wanamaker’s Philadelphia Department Store.
By 1934, Charles was manufacturing Monopoly in two separate editions.
Parker Brothers
In 1935, Parker Brothers took notice. They scooped it up, purchasing the rights. Sales, then, went through the roof.
A little later that year, Parker Brothers bought the rights to The Landlord’s Game and tried to republish it to no avail. They wrote Elizabeth out of the history of the game completely, only celebrating Charles Darrow as the game’s creator.
Today
Today, Monopoly is still a bestselling game. In fact, I listed one of its upgrades (if you can truly make an upgrade to a classic like Monopoly) as one of the best board games for 10-year-olds!
