No 01
Catan Junior is the pirate version of the board game grown-ups argue over, with the rules cut down for a six-year-old: collect wood, goats, molasses and swords, build pirate lairs, trade with the market, and watch out for the Ghost Captain. A game takes half an hour and a first-grader can win it fairly.
It is the Christmas gift for a family that has worn out Candy Land, the birthday present for a kid who watches the adults play Catan on Friday nights, and the game grandparents keep at their house because it plays well with two.
Ages 6 and up, two to four players. When they outgrow it, the full Catan is the next gift. Under forty dollars for the game that makes a kid a strategist.
Affiliate disclosure: links may earn us a commission. Picks are editorial and don't change based on payout.