20 Board Games All About Trees
It’s funny how we get so busy with things that we don’t realize what day it is. Admit it, you probably don’t know the date without looking at your phone. We live and breathe by our shared family calendar and check it regularly to see what activities are on the schedule, what days the kids have off of school and what holidays are coming up. But if it’s not on the calendar, we usually miss it. And since we like to play Valentine’s Day games, St. Patrick’s Day games, Easter games and Christmas games on their respective holidays, it’s important that we keep track of unofficial holidays like Superhero Day in April, Hug Your Cat Day in June, Talk Like a Pirate Day in September and National Art Day in October so we can play those, too!
Did you know that Arbor Day is the last Friday in April? Yeah, I forgot too. But when we posted our overview of Planet 3D game on Earth Day followed by details about Arboretum card game a couple days later, it might have seemed like we remembered Arbor Day. I would like to take credit for that, but nope. So it’s time for us to make amends and have a plan in place for next year or other tree-friendly holidays. With that said, here’s a list of 20 games about trees!
Arboretum
In Arboretum, you create carefully planned paths for your visitors to walk as they take in the colorful explosion of buds and leaves. The cheerful cherry blossom, the fragrant dogwood, the mighty oak – all have a place in this peaceful haven. But the tranquil setting belies the game’s competitive heart. Players try to have the most points at the end of the game by creating beautiful garden paths for their visitors.
CHECK OUT OUR FULL ARBORETUM OVERVIEW!
Bosk
From majestic Maples to ancestral Oaks, players nurture their trees aiming to thrive over the course of a year in a beautiful National Park.
In the spring, players carefully grow their trees, scoring as hikers enjoy traveling the trails in summer. When autumn comes, leaves fall in the ever-changing direction of the wind, guided to cover the terrain and other players’ leaves. Points are awarded in winter for the most coverage of each region in the park.
CHECK OUT OUR FULL BOSK OVERVIEW!
Click Clack Lumberjack
This is a dexterity game that really is a blast, just AXE your friends. yeah we just said that. Fast-paced classic dexterity game for 2-10 players featuring an Axe, a tree, some grubs and an infinite amount of fun from Korea! Click! Clack! Lumberjack is a newly remodeled and revamped version of our already famous Took Woodman game. Whether you own the original Took or not, you owe it to yourself to give Click! Clack Lumberjack a look!
CHECK OUT OUR FULL CLICK CLACK LUMBERJACK OVERVIEW!
Coraxis & Co
Frank the farmer is proud of the delicious apples, pears, cherries and plums that grow in his garden. It’s fruit crop day and Frank is in a really good mood. But what’s this…? Six ravens are sitting in the trees eating his fruits. “Watch out! I will get you!”, he shouts. Will Frank be able to catch the naughty ravens before they steal all his fruits?
Enchanted Forest
Get ready for some fairy tale search-and-find fun! Roll the dice and round the board, sneaking a peek at treasures hidden in the Enchanted Forest along the way. Be the first player to find the treasures the king seeks and the kingdom is yours!
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Ewoks Save the Trees
This Star Wars track game takes place on a 3-D game board depicting the forests of Endor. To move, you turn either one of two dials and check the window next to it. If it shows a color, move ahead to the next empty space of that color. If you dial a hole, you may open or close either of the two secret doors (representing the Phlogs) to block or unblock a path, and then dial again. If your path is blocked by a Phlog or secret door, you must move backwards to the color you dialed. The first player to reach the top step of the tree house and enter the door warns the village elders of the monster assault and wins the game.
Fruit Tree Game
Fruit Tree develops color recognition and identification while introducing your child to the fun and challenge of playing a game.
Each player chooses a tree board. The fruit counters are placed face up in the center of the play area. Each player rolls the die and places a counter of that color on their tree board, If the color that is thrown is already on the tree the player does nothing. If a blue is thrown the player may pick a fruit from another player’s tree. The winner is the first player to fill the tree.
Hi Ho Cherry-O
Check out this new version of the family favorite HiHo! Cherry-O game! Preschoolers have so much fun picking fruit to fill their baskets, they don’t even realize they’re developing and practicing math skills such as counting, addition and subtraction! Take turns picking pretend cherries, blueberries and apples from your tree and put them in your basket. Be the first to pick all the fruit from your tree and win! When it comes to a fruity fun way to sharpen kids’ math skills, you couldn’t ‘pick’ a better game!
Indian Summer
Indian Summer is the second of Uwe Rosenberg’s puzzle trilogy following the hit game, Cottage Garden. This game is firmly geared towards experienced players.
At the heart of the game are puzzle tiles with holes that are placed on individual forest boards to cover up treasures. When players find treasure, they gain edge over their opponents. Be the first to cover your forest floor completely with leaves.
Kodama – The Tree Spirits
The forest is growing fast! As caretakers for the Kodama (tree spirits), you must keep the forest a healthy and lush home for your little friends. You will grow your tree by placing branch cards in clever arrangements, being careful to leave room for future growth. At the end of each season, one Kodama will award you points for how well your tree suits its needs. With beautiful art and innovative mechanics, Kodama is an intriguing game for the whole family.
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Legend of the Cherry Tree
The flowers on the Cherry Tree have begun their delicate fall and are ready to be collected. Each turn, draw one or more Flowers from the bag and try to gather as many as possible without being too greedy. At the end of your turn, put your flowers: In front of your screen to gain victory points based on your sets of Flowers, or, behind your screen to gain victory points by having the largest groups of Flowers.
CHECK OUT OUR LEGEND OF THE CHERRY TREE OVERVIEW!
Mighty Trees
Mighty Trees is an award-winning educational card game that is both fun and informative. Mighty Trees looks and plays like a trading card game (i.e. Pokemon, Magic, etc.); however, the cards and rules are based on real ecologic principles. As you learn to play Mighty Trees, you learn about the tree species and natural forces that form real forests.
Orchard
A cooperative game for two or more players aged 3 and up. Only a quick harvesting of the trees carrying crunchy cherries, juicy apples, sweet pears and marvelous plums prevents the snitching of fruits by the impudent and insatiable raven. All players work together to harvest the fruits.
Palm Trees
Palm Trees comes with 78 cards that represent fronds and coconuts. All of the cards have rules telling you the crazy ways you have to hold them: between thumb and pinky only, palm and index finger only, can’t touch other cards, and more. Pick challenging cards for your opponents, and hope they drop their cards! The best tree wins! To add to the fun, Palm Trees includes trunk tattoo sleeves to wear on your tree-arm!
Photosynthesis
Welcome to the world of Photosynthesis, the green strategy board game! Plant and shape the ever-changing forest as you cultivate your seeds and your strategy. Take your trees through their life-cycle, from seedling to full bloom to rebirth, and earn points as their leaves collect energy from the revolving sun’s rays. Carefully pick where you sow and when you grow, as trees in the shadows are blocked from light, and from points. This game features realistic gameplay and beautiful graphics.
Tang Garden
Tang Garden is a Zen-like game that will take you to the first golden age of China, where players will progressively build a garden by creating the landscape, placing the scenery and projecting their vision through vertical panoramas. During the construction, noblemen will visit the garden to admire the surroundings and the way the natural elements coexist in the most breathtaking scenery humankind has ever laid their eyes upon.
Tataraba and Forest
In たたらばと森 (Tatara, Field, and Forest), each player represents a Toryo clan engaged in the production of tatara steel with the long-term goal of allowing for perpetual production — but to do this, the players must learn to coexist with the forest of Okuizumo or else that won’t be able to fire up their tatara.
During the game, players plant trees and harvest other trees that were already on the board. Trees come in different types and grow at different rates, with the planted trees growing somewhat randomly at the end of the round. Players must predict where the forest will grow, while adjusting the balance of their harvesting and planting in order to improve their production.
Tiny Trees
Tiny Trees is a competitive tree-building board game designed for 2-4 players, where you play as a minor nature spirit trying to become the next Demigod of Trees! Unlike a lot of board games that lie flat on your table, the trees you grow branch out of your table and into the third dimension.
Topiary
It’s a fabulous sunny day, the perfect occasion for folks to visit the new topiary garden! Enjoy Sculptures created with the assistance of nature herself. The garden can get quite crowded at times, so it’s up to you to see the best views!
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Trees and Flowers
Flex your brainpower to collect matching sets of trees and flowers in the fast-paced fun of Trees and Flowers. Learn the names of 96 fascinating flowers and trees plus the geographic regions where they grow.
This card game consists of 12 sets of 4 cards each of similar categories of trees and flowers. The object of each game is to secure as many sets as possible. Skill in playing is acquired by remembering.
Whether you’re gathering with friends, celebrating a reunion of your family tree, planning for a camping trip or simply want to branch out from your normal roots in board games, “leaf” it to these tree-themed games for entertainment!
Which of these will make it into your trunk?
Photosynthesis and Tiny Trees both look like winners to me. Photosynthesis would be great for kids learning about plant life cycles!
These board games look very fun. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Ho Cherry- O is a neat one for younger kids. Fun way to start learning counting skills.
I really love tree themed games and some I did not know about
I didn’t know I loved trees so much until I had to write a post about my favorite tree. I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and trees played a huge part in my family’s livelihoods. I have always respected trees. I will have to check out these games and have heard a bit about some of them. Thanks for sharing.
Mighty Trees they would understand the subject and then we would move on
Great games!