If you clicked on this, then you probably bought a game for your kids in the past that looked promising, but turned out to be a major flop. Since I hate when that used to happen to me, I figured I’d write a few recommendations on games where you couldn’t go wrong. This is especially important because not every game at Walmart (or any other store) is a win. In fact, most are losers that are either too complicated, or just not fun. So here is our list of winners.
So what are the 10 games at Walmart that are actually fun?
- Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
- Bugs in the Kitchen
- Bounce off
- Speak Out
- Jenga
- Connect 4 Shots
- Spot It
- Tenzi
- Hedbanz
- Wet Head
It can be tricky with kids to find the right game that isn’t too easy for older kids, while at the same time, isn’t too hard for younger kids. On our list, we have included information explaining who each game is best for and why we like them. Several games on the list are great for all ages, which are the types of games we love best. Let’s check them out! We’ll start with a really simple one that is great for small kids and work up to some others that are better for older kids.
1) Sneaky Snacky Squirrel
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-4 | 15 minutes | Age 4-6 | Very easy | Color match | $15-$20 | 7 |
How it plays
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel is a very fun luck-based game where players attempt to be the first to fill their logs with five acorns. During a turn each player spins the spinner and follows the prompt. Landing on a color means the player can take that specific colored acorn from the tree and place it on their log. But Watch out, because there are other spots on the wheel where players can take one of any color acorn, two of any color acorn, lose a turn spot, sneaky squirrel spot (steal an acorn from another player) and a storm spot (all your acorns go back into the middle). The first player to fill their log with acorns wins.
Why we like it
Sneaky Snacky Squirrel is a great game for small kids. It’s a really fun idea and it helps kids learn to match colors, take turns and deal with unfortunate events. Obviously, this game is very luck based, but it also has some skill and learning too. We love it as a great starter game for kids that are just learning how games work. We like it best for kids 4-6 years old.
2) Bugs in the Kitchen
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-4 | 20 minutes | 5+ | Easy | Dexterity | $15-$20 | 10 |
How it plays
In this fast-paced fun game, players take turns rolling a die and twisting various levers on the board in an attempt to get the cockroach into their corner of the kitchen. But as soon as it looks like you might just get that cockroach where you want it, someone else turns a lever, blocking the roach from getting trapped in your corner. The first player to successfully get the roach into their corner three times wins the game and…is the best chef…or worst chef? Not sure, but it’s awesome!
Why we like it
One of our very favorite things about this game it how unique it is. There really aren’t any other games out there where you have a vibrating bug in the middle of a board that will naturally move toward the open area. It keeps everyone on their toes because the bug can move fast. So each player tends to take fast turns so they can turn a lever and redirect the cockroach. There isn’t anything complex to the game. It’s just roll and turn until someone wins!
The other thing we love about Bugs in the Kitchen is that everyone seems to gravitate toward it. Usually people think it looks a little weird and would rather just watch at first. But as soon as everyone starts laughing and yelling with excitement, everyone else comes over and wants a turn. You really can’t go wrong with this game.
3) Bounce Off
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-4 | 10-15 minutes | All ages | Very easy | Party/ dexterity | $10 | 7 |
How it plays
Bounce off is a very simple game of bouncing ping pong balls into the slots on a board placed in the middle of a table. The board is made up of a six by six grid of plastic ball slots, with a thin cardboard piece beneath it. The cardboard piece can be removed and replaced with various patterns and games that change how the game plays. Players take turns bouncing uniquely colored balls into the specific slots indicated by the cardboard piece underneath. If the ball bounces in another color’s slot, it is removed. The first player to get all of the balls in the right slots wins the game.
Why we like it
We like Bounce off because it is simple, yet players can get good at it too. So many popular games that people know are complete luck (like Candyland or Chutes and Ladders), with no skill element. These are mind-numbingly boring for everyone. Bounce off, and many other games on this list, are a breath of fresh air because they actually have some element of skill to them; something that can be learned and improved.
Now, these are obviously kids games and fully acknowledge that they don’t need to be deep and strategic, but having games that are adaptable to the group playing makes them more fun. If you’re playing with little kids, you can make it incredibly simple; but if you’re playing with kids that are a little bit older, you can step up your game (haha) and get good.
4) Speak Out
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-5 | 20-30 minutes | 10+ | Very easy | party/card | $15 | 7.5 |
How it plays
Speak out is a different game than the others on this list. Players take turns putting a mouthpiece in their mouths (each player has his or her own…otherwise, gross!) and attempt to say certain phrases or sentences that the others have to decipher. The mouthpieces disallow lips from closing like they should and make it very difficult to understand what the speaker is trying to say. The player that guesses the phrase correctly wins the card with that phrase printed on it. The player with the most cards wins.
Why we like it
We love playing this game because it just makes everyone laugh the entire time! Not only does everyone look ridiculous with the mouthpieces, but they sound ridiculous too. People pronounce phrases that sound like complete gibberish until someone finally pieces it together. Usually it sounds like something else entirely, which leaves people rolling on the floor laughing until they can compose themselves for the next round. Kids and parents love playing this because the parents are actually enjoying themselves. It can be played with a group of adults too. If you have a group of friends that aren’t afraid of looking like fools, this is the game to play next time you get together!
5) Jenga
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 1-8 | 20 minutes | 6+ | Very easy | Dexterity/ party | $10 | 8 |
How it plays
Is there a person on planet earth that has never heard of or played Jenga? For the one that hasn’t, Jenga is a game of fine motor skills as players compete to pull small blocks from a stack without toppling it. The removed pieces go to the top of the stack, which means it gets higher and higher throughout the game. At some point, once it’s gotten too high and too unstable, someone pulls a block and the tower toples. Which, of course, then everyone makes fun of that person.
Why we like it
We love Jenga, because no matter how long it’s been out (and it’s been out since 1983) it’s still fun. Admittedly, I am usually reluctant to play, but then find myself laughing and wanting to play another round. Everyone seems to enjoy the process of finding the right block to pull and then hoping and praying that the next player pulls the wrong block and sends the tower crashing down. I guess we just love this game because it is always entertaining. It is simple and it is fun!
6) Connect 4 Shots
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2 | 5-10 minutes | 8+ | Very Easy | Dexterity | $20 | 7 |
How it plays
Connect 4 shots, as you’ve probably already guessed, is similar to Connect 4; however, it does add a twist that makes it a bit more difficult. Instead of dropping disks into the desired slots like in regular Connect 4, players bounce balls into a catch at the top—that then drops the ball into a slot. So aiming the ping pong balls correctly makes or breaks this game. The first player to correctly connect 4 balls—whether vertically, horizontally or diagonally—wins.
Why we like it
We like Connect 4 Shots because it takes a purely skill-based game and adds a little bit of luck for those players that need a little help in games. Games that are pure luck are no fun because there is nothing you can do to improve your status. Whatever happens, happens. Similarly, with pure skill games, most people don’t like to carry the entire game on their shoulders. There needs to be some amount of luck that helps each player out and gives them a chance of winning. This game does that to Connect 4.
7) Spot It
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-8 | 15 minutes | 3+ | Very easy | Pattern | $10 | 8.5 |
How it plays
Spot It is another fast-paced game where players all play together. Each player takes a circular card that has various objects on it like animals, vehicles and flowers. Every card has a similar picture to another card. The first player to spot the similar object wins and the other player is out. The game narrows as players are eliminated until there is one left; the winner!
Why we like it
We love playing Spot It for a few reasons. The first reason is that it’s a game that keeps you on your feet. The fastest player to spot what is the same on both cards stays in. That means you need to be fast; especially when grandma is lightning fast. The other reason we love this game is that, like so many others on this list, it is adaptable to the group playing. It’s a great game to play with kids that are just learning games. It isn’t hard to learn so they can pick it up quickly and have fun fast!
8) Tenzi
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-4 | 5-10 minutes | 7+ | Very Easy | Dice | $15-$25 | 7.5 |
How it plays
Tenzi might be the easiest game on this list. Each player has 10 dice on each round of the game. A player turns a card over from the stack in the middle. Each player must complete the task indicated on the card; sometimes the fastest player to complete the task wins that round and sometimes only players that complete the task in a certain number of rolls win that round. For example, if the card says “roll all 6’s”, the first player to roll all sixes wins—no matter the number of rolls required.
Why we like it
We really like Tenzi for a couple reasons. The first reason it’s so great is that it’s so simple. There is nothing to learn beyond what each card explains. Everyone can learn it quickly and have fun. Small kids can even play it and understand how it works. And despite the simplicity, it is still competitive. Everyone is feverishly racing to be the first to complete a task.
The other thing we really enjoy about Tenzi is that it’s a great game to play “just for the fun”. Yes it’s easy and yes it can be competitive, but more than either of those, it’s just a low-key game. No one really cares who wins. These games can be hard to come by, that aren’t also really boring. This is a great game!
*We think it should be noted that Tenzi recommends ages 7+, but our 4 year old plays with us easily.
9) Hedbanz
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 3-10 | 60 minutes | 8+ | Very easy | Deduction/party | $15 | 7 |
How it plays
Hedbanz is another very simple game where all players place bands around their heads that have the ability to hold cards. Each player takes a turn putting a card on his or her head, without knowing what is on the card. It can be cards with words or cards with pictures of objects. The player has to ask questions until they can identify what is on their card.
Why we like it
We really like Hedbanz because it is an extremely simple game that requires creativity. Players must use their brains and figure out what is on the card attached to their heads. Sometimes this is easy, while other times it can be very challenging. The more creative you get with your questions, the easier and quicker you will guess your word.
10) Wet Head
Specs
| Players | Duration | Best For | Difficulty | Type | Price | 1-10 rating |
| 2-8 | 15 minutes | 4-7+ | Very easy | Humor/party | $12-$20 | 9 |
How it plays
Wet head is a different kind of game than any of the others on the list. This game is more along the lines of Pie Face that came out a few years ago. Although Wet Head has been around for much longer. In Wet Head, players place a hat full of water on their heads and pass it from player to player. With the hat on their heads, they remove one peg from it. At some point, one of the pegs removes the plug holding the water in the hat, and that player is doused in water. Obviously, that player loses.
Why we like it
As mentioned, this game is different than the others. Instead of a game that is played over and over again, it’s usually only played a few times, just for fun. I’ve seen it bought as more of a party game that someone gets for a specific event. We love to pull it out when we are playing games with people that haven’t played before or with our family. New people tend to find it the most fun because it is new and exciting, and people don’t want to be the one to get all wet. It’s great with family because it gets everyone playing. And sometimes it’s just fun to see Grandma take the hit.
Conclusion
Obviously, this is not a comprehensive list. There are so many games that are just awesome for kids of all ages. For even more options check out our articles on Kids Games At Target and Kids Games on Amazon. There we discuss a few of the same options, as well as unique games sold at each of these locations!