I love board games. TTRPG, classic board games, deck building and more! I am also a mother of two boys; ages 7 and 4. It can be difficult to play games while they are awake and I am often too tired to play a full game after they go to bed so, recently, I have started trying to play some games with my kids. I am going to share my experience with each game we try in this series, “Child’s Play.”
Our first game that we tried is 7 Wonders Duel. If you have played the full game 7 Wonders before, this is an adaptation to make the game a little more exciting for just 2 people. I started with this game because it is a little simpler than the regular 7 Wonders so I thought it was a good introduction.
Good for the 4 year old?
No, he got bored very quickly. I did let him help me select my cards and move the military shield but he was not interested enough for this game.
Good for the 7 year old?
YES! I lost twice to my 7 year old at this game… and, no, I did not let him win. I genuinely tried to beat him a couple of times but he beat me twice using military strength!
Basic overview of gameplay
For this game you and your opponent have 4 different civilizations that you play as. There are three rounds or “ages” that the game is played over. Throughout those three ages you collect resources, build “structures” and gain coins/points. The person with the most points at the end wins and, if you gain enough military strength before the end of the game, you can win immediately.
(That is how my ruthless 7 year old bested me TWICE.) The total time it took for us to play one game was about 40 minutes.
Ages recommended
I think this game could be played with a child 6 and up. They need to be able to pay attention to a few different instructions at once but the game is played mostly face-up so you are able to give them tips as they go. I tried focusing more on the “how to win” than on the strategies.
If you are looking for a game to play with your kid one-on-one and they are old enough to follow a few rules at the same time, this is a great option! It’s an easy adult-kid game night favorite.
Related: Child’s Play: 7 Wonders
If you have any questions or topic suggestions for other games you would like us to try with kids please let me know!
