If you’re open to a dexterity games, I’d highly recommend Animal Upon Animal, Rhino Hero, or Click Clack Lumberjack for that age group. Even left to their own devices, I’ve seen a group of highly concentrated 6 year olds stack animals surprisingly high lmao.
Considering he’s already into boardgames, King of Tokyo is probably in scope, or will be soon! If not, the mood of Shadows in the Woods (Waldschattenspiel) can be just so good for young kids!
I’m having some trouble thinking of collaborative kids games, but maybe Dixit? That might be an 8 year olds game tbh, I don’t think most 5 year olds are subtle enough yet lol.
Good luck!
I’ve played it a lot, and I’d recommend it!
I’m a huge fan of using it as an ice breaker if you’re meeting new people. It’s a fairly social game, with “low-stakes” negotiations on the table, so I think it’s a great way to see how’s people think, interact, and cooperate (or not haha).
I love how different it can be depending on the audience. My partner’s family is… almost too wholesome? They help each other out a lot lol. My tech & numbers friends are fiercely competitive in their trading lmao.
Let me know if you have any questions about it!
Edit: If you have a set that includes “3rd Bean Field” cards, just ignore 'em. Later editions removed them because statistically they’re almost always a bad idea, so they’re really just a trap lol.