Introduction
As a family who love board games, we wanted to introduce our children and we are continually on the search for games that help introduce our children to the wider world of tabletop gaming. Splendor Kids has been a perfect addition to our collection and has allowed our 5-year-old to finally join in and compete with us on a genuinely equal level.
Unboxing and Components
In our family, the quality and attention to detail of a game’s box is always part of our overall enjoyment. Splendor Kids comes in a colourful box that is instantly recognisable, retaining the traditional Splendor yellow and blue while adding brighter, more playful elements that clearly appeal to younger gamers.
Inside the box, the layout is very well thought out. Each component has its own dedicated section, and while the box is not the most space-efficient, the design makes setup and tidy-up straightforward. This is especially important for us, as it allows our 5-year-old to set the game up and put it away independently, which adds to their sense of ownership and enjoyment.
Introduction
As a family who love board games, we wanted to introduce our children and we are continually on the search for games that help introduce our children to the wider world of tabletop gaming. Splendor Kids has been a perfect addition to our collection and has allowed our 5-year-old to finally join in and compete with us on a genuinely equal level.
Unboxing and Components
In our family, the quality and attention to detail of a game’s box is always part of our overall enjoyment. Splendor Kids comes in a colourful box that is instantly recognisable, retaining the traditional Splendor yellow and blue while adding brighter, more playful elements that clearly appeal to younger gamers.
Inside the box, the layout is very well thought out. Each component has its own dedicated section, and while the box is not the most space-efficient, the design makes setup and tidy-up straightforward. This is especially important for us, as it allows our 5-year-old to set the game up and put it away independently, which adds to their sense of ownership and enjoyment.
Set up
The first setup of any board game can feel daunting, particularly when a child is asking endless questions. Thankfully, Splendor Kids handles this well. The rules recommend a simplified version of the game for your first playthrough, which we found both beneficial and easy to follow. We still occasionally use this simplified version when we want a quicker game.
Overall, setup is very user-friendly and can comfortably be done by a child. Each player has a resource rack for their chosen resources and there is a central rack with a helpful visual guide showing how many resources should be used depending on the number of players. Three boards are then laid out, and tiles are added to the villages on the board.
Game play
As a family, we are big fans of the Splendor series, and Splendor Kids does not disappoint. The game uses the familiar resource-collecting mechanics from the original Splendor, with players gathering wooden tokens, but it also introduces elements similar to Splendor Duel, where certain tokens can have positive or negative effects.
The aim of the game is simple: be the first player to reach the end of the road. The road stretches across three boards, and players are free to choose any route they wish. This choice is more meaningful than it might first appear, as different routes provide different rewards. Cities grant additional resources, while villages can offer an extra turn or a bonus action, which may be positive or negative depending on luck.
On a player’s turn, there are two choices: collect resources or move along the road. When collecting resources, players may choose one gold coin (which acts as a wildcard), two resources of the same type, or three different resources. The number of available resources is limited based on player count, and the resource rack clearly shows how many tokens should be used for two, three, or four players.
When moving along the road, players must pay the correct mix of resources to advance each step on their chosen route. This introduces light planning and decision-making, encouraging children to think ahead about which resources they need and which path will best suit their strategy.
Once a player reaches the final space, all other players are allowed one additional turn to try to reach the destination themselves. At the end of the game, all players who reach the final space are considered winners, unless one player has found the Queen’s Gem during their journey. In that case, the player holding the Queen’s Gem is the outright winner.
Suitability
Splendor Kids is an excellent choice for young families looking to introduce children to board games that involve more than simple dice rolling. Our youngest child, who is 3 years old, has joined in with the game but struggles with the planning aspect and tends to lose interest during longer sessions.
The game recommend 6+ and based on our experience, I would recommend Splendor Kids for families with children aged between 5 and 10. Older children may still enjoy it, but more experienced players may find it a little too simple over time.
Final Thoughts
Splendor Kids has quickly become a family favourite. It has helped our 5-year-old start thinking more carefully about her actions and decisions during a game. Most importantly, it creates a genuine level playing field, allowing them not only to compete with us, but to beat us fair and square.
Rather than rolling dice and counting spaces, players must plan routes, compare possible rewards, and manage their resources to achieve their goal. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with Splendor Kids and would happily recommend it to any family with young gamers.
