For most of the games below, all you need is dice, pen, and paper. No dice in the house? Use the free online dice roller: big 3D dice on your screen, with sound — often easier for small children's hands than real dice, and nothing rolls under the couch. Each game lists the age at which most kids can join in.
The 10 games at a glance
| Game | Age | Dice | Your child practices |
|---|---|---|---|
| Highest roll | 3+ | 1 | Counting pips |
| Odd or even | 4+ | 1 | Even and odd numbers |
| Monster dice | 4+ | 1 | Creativity |
| Dice bingo | 5+ | 2 | Adding up to 12 |
| Race to 50 | 5+ | 1–2 | Counting on and adding |
| Story dice | 6+ | 1 | Imagination and storytelling |
| Times-table dice | 8+ | 2 | The times tables |
| Pickomino | 8+ (Junior 4+) | 8 | Adding and daring to stop |
| Yahtzee | 8+ | 5 | Combinations and planning |
| Farkle (10,000) | 10+ | 6 | Math and weighing risk |
1. Highest roll (3+)
The very first dice game for every toddler: everyone rolls one die, and whoever rolls the most pips gets a token (or a hug, or a high five). First to five tokens wins. It doesn't get any simpler — and meanwhile your child learns to recognize and count the pips without it ever feeling like practice.
2. Odd or even (4+)
Before the roll, your child calls "even!" or "odd!" A correct prediction earns a point. From around age six, make it more exciting: predict whether the roll will be higher or lower than the previous one — a first, playful introduction to probability.
3. Monster dice (4+)
The famous drawing game: roll the die and draw the body part that goes with the number. 1 = body, 2 = head, 3 = eye, 4 = leg, 5 = arm, 6 = tail. Take turns rolling and drawing; after ten rolls, compare the monstrosities. No winner needed — the monster itself is the reward. Also fun as a craft activity for a kids' birthday party.
4. Dice bingo (5+)
Have your child make their own bingo card with six numbers between 2 and 12. Take turns rolling two dice and adding the pips; if the sum is on your card, cross it off. Whoever fills their card first calls bingo. Smart cookies discover all by themselves that 7 comes up more often than 2 or 12 — exactly the sum distribution explained on the page about dice probability.
5. Race to 50 (5+)
Take turns rolling and add your rolls together; whoever reaches 50 first wins. Young children play with one die and count along out loud, older kids race to 100 with two dice. Extra spicy: agree that a 1 drops you back to zero — suddenly there's tactics involved ("no stopping allowed, you have to gamble").
6. Story dice (6+)
Agree on six story elements: 1 = an animal, 2 = a place, 3 = a treasure, 4 = a villain, 5 = a magic spell, 6 = a vehicle. Roll the die and start a story with whatever comes up; every next roll has to be woven into the story. Wonderful for the car or the dinner table — and not a screen in sight.
7. Times-table dice (8+)
Roll two dice and multiply the pips: 4 and 6 makes 24. Right answer = a point. For advanced players: roll three dice and let your child pick two of them — suddenly they're strategically choosing which product is easiest. Practicing the times tables without a worksheet, and it really works.
8. Pickomino (8+, Junior from 4)
The family favorite: use eight dice to collect as many worms as possible and snatch tiles from your parents. Kids love it because beating mom and dad is emphatically part of the game. From around age 8 with the full rules; for the little ones there's Pickomino Junior. Read the full Pickomino rules.
9. Yahtzee (8+)
The classic with five dice and the famous score sheet. From around age 8, kids can fill in the score sheet themselves — great for addition and for planning ahead ("do I save my shot at the large straight?"). You'll find all the rules, the scoring, and a free score sheet with the Yahtzee rules.
10. Farkle (10+)
For slightly older kids: rack up points with six dice, but dare to stop in time — whoever pushes on too long loses everything they collected that turn. Plenty of math (by hundreds and by fifties) and a healthy dose of nerves. The complete scoring is with the Farkle (10,000) rules.
Game night tip: with the free Dice Together Android app, you can roll the dice via Chromecast, larger than life, on the TV. Ideal with kids: everyone sees the roll, nobody can cheat, and no dice go missing under the couch.
Playing dice with young children: what to watch for
- Big dice for little hands. For toddlers and preschoolers, large foam or wooden dice are nicer — and safer, because regular dice are small enough to swallow. Always supervise play with children under 4.
- A small tray or bowl keeps half the rolls from ending up under the dresser. A dice cup also makes the rolling feel "official."
- Let them win — sometimes. Dice games are ideal for learning to handle losing, precisely because luck plays such a big role: today you lose, tomorrow you win for real, all by yourself.
Frequently asked questions about playing dice with kids
At what age can a child start playing dice games?
From around age 3, children can count pips and join in with simple games like highest roll. With toddlers, do use large (foam) dice and supervise play: small dice fit in a child's mouth.
What does a child learn from dice games?
Through play, your child practices counting, addition, and later even the times tables and a feel for probability. At least as valuable: waiting your turn, learning to lose gracefully, and following the rules together.
Which dice games can you play with one die?
With one die you can play highest roll, odd or even, story dice, and the drawing game monster dice, among others. For race to 50 and dice bingo you use two.
What is the most fun dice game for the whole family?
Pickomino and Yahtzee are the favorites for families with kids from around age 8: simple enough to play together, exciting enough for adults. With the free Android app, you can also roll the dice larger than life on the TV, so everyone can watch.