Some of the best board games for 12 year olds have a strong cartoon influence. They mix famous characters that may even come from books, such as Peter Pan with skills and tasks to reach within an hour. Multiple players join these games as most have a strong educational aspect. Here, we will look at some of the different games available for kids this age, as well as some factors to consider when choosing between the options available.
Considerations When Choosing Games for 12 Yr Olds
Table of Contents
Not all fun activities are the same. They require plenty of attention as they are as different as a child’s personality. Here are some things to consider when making a purchase.
Types of characters
Some kids like the good guys, such as Harry Potter. Others like villains, such as Captain Hook. Characters have the potential of influencing whether youngsters like the experience or not.
Types of games
Strategic, adventurous or console-inspired best board games for 10 – 12 year olds are found on this list. Each of them has a certain appeal. But parents can find the right type of adventure to offer their children based on their interests.
Price
Parents don’t need to spend too much to get their hands on the latest Monopoly or trivia release. Unlike console releases, these releases are pocket-friendly. Many of them come with expansion packs that enhance the playability of each release. Here are the top options chosen by kids so far.
15 Good Games for 12 Year Olds
We will now present our picks of the 15 best games for tween boys and girls. There are loads of different types of games to suit all tastes and budgets, so you are sure to find something here they will love.
1. Warhammer 40,000
First in our list of board games for 12 year olds we have one of the must-haves for Warhammer 40,000 fans. Many kids have already familiar with the series from their consoles. But adults can join this immense mind-boggling puzzle with its hundreds of pieces.
Fighting plague, mutation, and hellfire are among the usual tasks. Two players fight these demons with one at a turn. Dices and full instructions are already included.
Inside the set, miniatures made of plastic inspired kids to keep on fighting the good fight. Some put them on display once the full demon-fighting session is over. Others get creative. It’s not rare to see youngsters painting these figurines and having fun along the way once they get tired of what it has to offer.
2. Disney Villainous
This skill-level game is based on individual villains with different abilities. These villains are Disney-inspired and this means they are ready to conquer the world and the world to recognize them instantly. Among them, you will find Jafar, Ursula, Peter Pan, Ariel, or Captain Hook. Missions vary in the asymmetrical game. One example is to try to reach Captain Hook as soon as possible.
Each mission is based on playing cards. Attributed items to each player need to be moved around the board according to how the cards require. But each villain has personal strengths and weaknesses and the entire game depends on them. Up to 6 players can join this evil-inspired adventure which leverages character’s strengths and that reminds of the favorite Disney cartoons.
3. Monopoly Black Panther
Monopoly needs no further introduction. It made history for years. Buts it’s now back in the Marvel-inspired Black Panther version. For many, it is a weird combination of a TV series with a gaming classic. However, kids love it, it’s one of the best fun games for 12 year olds.
It is based on the same principles as before. Players take turns and move around the playing area discovering opportunities and trying to avoid various obstacles. The difference is that the avenues are now different, as are the playing cards. Youngsters fight to raise their properties in the Tribal Council Room or the Border Tribe Village.
4. Prime Climb
So many kids struggle with basic math skills. But nearly all of them can improve these skills by playing. The Prime Climb game is different to anything children have seen before. It teaches basic math skills by combining colors. This is the main reason why the little ones exercise multiplication, division, and factorization as they move along the board.
Its feedback is impressive as well. One parent even recalls having youngsters begging to play. Another parent has introduced this adventurous math learning method to the classroom. Many children can join and the best part is that repetitively is different here as it teaches basic life-changing math skills. It is also one of the reasons why adults can join in for some travel-time fun with the family.
5. Family Feud Parents Vs Kids
Trivia games might be around for years to come. It comes with questions and answers. Each answer is written down and it gets a series of points, depending on how relevant it is.
Let’s see the clown example. Children are asked to name something a clown does to make others laugh. The answer that gets most points includes either falling over or juggling. Making balloon animals is also on the list.
But questions are from diverse fields from sports to geography. This is why the little ones will have to find out what magicians are escaping from. But they might also need to think about the main obstacles on a golf course.
6. The Logo Game
The logo game is one of the fun options for kids to spend their free time by exercising their memory. This release includes various brand logos that made history which may already be familiar to the little ones.
There are various logos that they can easily guess. McDonald’s and Burger King logos are easy to guess and they provide the motivation needed to go further towards victory. But they get more difficult as well. Cycling logos such as those form bike manufacturers such as Schwinn require a bit more practice to guess.
7. Marvel Thanos Rising Game
Thanos is out on a mission. The beast is looking to collect all infinity stones and the clock is ticking. This is why players need to stop him as soon as possible.
This might be easier said than done. All 6 infinity stones have to be collected by the activities’ participants to stop Thanos from his mission. This adventurous USAopoly quest is suitable for up to 4 players with designated deployment zones. Summary cards dictate how each game evolves.
8. Hogwarts Battle Card Game
Going through Hogwarts is the objective of this game. J. K. Rowling fans have the chance to visit some of their favorite missions and even embark on new adventures within the game.
With different characters, each player gets to build skills, health, and resources. Cards are then collected by each player as the game moves along. Each player knows when the time comes to advance in the game by throwing the dice. As simple progression system is categorized into years. 7 ‘years’ have to pass to finish the game.
9. Pictopia: Harry Potter
This release is based on Harry Potter trivia principles. It comes with 1,000 picture trivia questions kids need to answer according to the series’ books and movies. But this trivia release is based on a points system where players might even need to answer together.
With a good strategy, every child can win. This is why kids have the liberty of coming up with their plans to win as many points as possible. The best part is the whole
10. Minecraft Builders & Biomes
This is a true must-have for any Minecraft fan. The Minecraft escapade has a few possible actions, just like the real game. Whenever players get to move, they have a few options. This includes mining, building, looking for weapons, or fighting mobs. To win, kids need to build with attention.
With such a strong Minecraft influence, it is also a release that welcomes parents and friends. Up to 4 players can join this Minecraft adventure in the quest to defeat the mobs. Average playtime varies according to the number of participants. 2 players are expected to play up to 30 minutes. 4 player adventures are expected to last at least 60 minutes.
11. 5 Second Rule
This new edition is one of the most exciting releases from the brand. It comes with the same 5-second fun response time suggested in its name. The little ones have to choose the right response and associate words to the given topic within 5 seconds.
From an educational perspective, this teaches them critical thinking. But parents may also purchase it to improve vocabulary and to make boys and girls think faster and more efficiently. As a result, it is also one of the options for the entire family to play with.
12. Magic the Gathering
This Magic the Gathering expansion pack introduces new creatures with various abilities. It works with most games released in the series and boys or girls love it due to the new abilities gained by each character.
Among these characters, participants find Planeswalker, Kiora, and Eldrazi. Multiple figures are included in the pack so there’s a full squad to count on that may even be traded with the right playing cards.
13. Betrayal At House On The Hill
The house of horrors in this escapade inspires children to get moving faster. The house is filled with zombies and characters which come out of the dark. Players move along from one room to another. In some rooms, they might find something. But in others, something might find them.
From the old father to the missing girl, kids meet various characters in this haunted house as they speed along to survive the nightmare. Up to 6 participants can join in this awakening experience.
14. Terraforming Mars
Living on Mars has always caught the attention of kids into science. This galaxy escapade puts things into perspective. The little ones can create their first colonies on the planet. As they move along, they build the planet from scratch. However, some of its areas are inhospitable as the temperatures are too low or too high. Finding just the right spot to build is based on proper playing strategies, just like Star Wars board games for kids.
15. Asmodee Concept
Closing our list of board games for 12 and up we have Concept from Asmodee. Solving riddles form visual cues is the concept of this game. The players who solve such riddles faster get to win points and move closer towards victory. The fast pace of this Concept adventure is mainly recommended for parties or large groups of kids. As one of the best board games for 10 year old kids up to 12, it requires plenty of attention from start to finish.
Best Overall Pick
Our pick for the overall best games for 12 year olds is the Dark Imperium Action figure game from Warhammer, which requires a bit of creativity. Figures can be painted and used in various other games as well, so it offers great value for money.
Best Budget Buy
If you’re looking for a great game with a lower price tag, we have to recommend Disney’s Villainous. Including famous Disney Villains such as Captain Hook, this budget-friendly release is a top game for fans of the cartoons. It leverages the top skills each villain has to offer.
What Are the Benefits of Playing a Game for 12 Yr Olds?
Playing these fun board games for 12 year old boy and girls is not only fun, but it’s also educational. Many require strategic thinking which some kids might still need to improve. Here are some of the benefits.
Better focus
Playing for 30-60 minutes requires total attention from the participants. Boys and girls need to learn how to focus to advance in the playing adventure and to ultimately win at the end.
Improved communication skills
Playing in pairs of 2 or groups of up to 6 players requires communication. Each participant can benefit from this situation by improving basic social skills such as communication. Adults can join it at times as the objectives of these experiences can interest them as well.
Better multitasking skills
Most of these activities already require some level of multitasking. From building and gathering points at the same time to handle multiple domains or equations, boys or girls are required to do multiple things at once. As a result, they learn crucial multitasking skills which help them develop better.
