12 Easy-Peasy Preschool Games for Kids

Hippity Name Hop Game

Hop to it! Toddlers love spelling their names and jumping around. Why not make a game of it? Our friends at Fantastic Fun and Learning put the two together with this Name Hop game. All you need are paper plates (or paper will do!), a pen and tape. First, practice their name with them, then let them play on their own.

Cuddle Toy Hide-and-Seek

Where's Spot? Grab your little one's favorite plush toy and play a game of hide-and-seek. Sunny Day Family adds a few twists to this idea using their favorite stuffed doggie and giving learning word hints like under the table or over the couch. Take turns first you hide Spot, then let your little lamb hide the toy too! Simple and tons of fun.

DIY Brilliant Board Game

Who needs a fancy game anyway? You can quickly make a DIY board game as Hands On As We Grow did! Whether simple with a squiggly line from point A to B or a more complex game of dragons and marbles, either way, it's a blast. Grab your cardboard, pen and plastic figures and have an afternoon (or morning!) of imagination, counting and gameplay.

Four Corners Game

Ready, set, pick your corner! Check out this creative and energy-bursting game put together with learning colors and Math by The Many Little Joys. All that's needed is colored paper and a pen. Then, it's time for you to close your eyes while your little half-pints pick a corner. Your little learner will work those gross motor muscles, practice colors and counting.

Dice & Count Game

Let it roll! Preschoolers are keen on rolling dice, counting and sorting. What better way to develop those math and fine motor skills than this simple dice and counting game rolled out by Little Bins for Little Hands. If one dice is too easy, then try two. Roll the dice, count the items and put them into a muffin tin. What's more, around the holidays you can do a color-themed setup. As far as learning preschool games go this one gets an A+!

Sidewalk Squirt Game

Spray it out! Preschoolers love to use household cleaning items, and a spray bottle tops the list. Let the squirt bottle do the talking with this fun sidewalk word game from Kids Play Smarter. Whether they squirt letters to spell simple words or tackle the whole words with one spray, they're sure to have a good time, learn and get a little wet.

Days of the Week Song Game

Sing-a-song game! If your little songbird likes to sing out loud, then this free and easy preschool game is for you. Let your little music lover learn what they do each day of the week with this catchy song created by Sara Mullet over at Let's Play Music. First, teach them the song, then add in what they do each day of the week!

Grab & Move Counting Game

Your budding athlete can work it out with this Grab and Move Counting Game courtesy of Toddler Approved. Kids practice counting, reading and gross motor skills in this preschool learning game. Change up this game to include chores (kids love playing house!): wash two glasses, put away three toys. Provide a cool snack for a job well done!

Which Ninja Is Missing?

What's missing? No Time for Flashcards put a low-key twist on hide-and-seek with this missing ninja game. Your little player will delight in inspecting what's on the tray, closing her eyes and opening them to find a color missing. Can she remember? What's more, you can use different colored toys or objects instead of a ninja. We give a thumbs-up to this preschooler game that's a big kid version of peek-a-boo.

Do Anywhere Shapes Game

Patterns, shapes and geometry—the folks over at Save the Children want your wee one to be an ace in math with this shape preschooler learning game you can practice anytime (and the best part is it's free!). Make an 'I Spy' game out of finding shapes in nature, at home or anywhere. First, have your preschooler spot shapes like a triangle in a leaf or a square around a window. Have a short talk about the number of sides there are. Then, have him draw the shape with his hands in the air. You'll be amazed at what he spots!

Heads Talk Tails Walk

Roar like a dinosaur, walk like a chicken! In this delightfully silly game, players try to match hidden animal head tiles to the correct body tails. If you don’t make a match, you will have to walk and talk like your mismatched tile! 

Ages: 3 & up

Available on amazon.com, $14.

Balloon Tennis

Score big with the littles with balloon tennis a free preschooler game. Learn With Play at Home shows how pairing balloons with items around the house such as paper plates, rulers and sticky tape make for kid fun. They'll get practice with their hand-eye coordination and blow off steam. Further, add a twist and let your little jumpers use their hands as racquets and try to keep the balloon afloat as long as possible.