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Are You Game for Games? by Jan Jennrich |
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Are You Game for Games? by Jan Jennrich |
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| Playing games with the children in our lives can be a wonderful way to
learn and enjoy being together. In this world of high technology, a
simple card or board game is refreshing, fun, and economical
entertainment.
Recently we purchased a fun game on vacation, which renewed our
interest in locating products we had not yet tried. I asked several
companies to share games with us that PhancyPages readers might enjoy.
We had a blast trying out all the wonderful items. Below and in a
follow-up article we will share our very favorites with you. Enjoy! |
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Apples to Apples
Apples to Apples Junior is a real treasure and it’s instantly obvious why this game has won several awards including Toy of the Year Award from Family Fun. |
| We bought the Junior version of this game on vacation and about fell
over laughing as we played in the hotel. This product from Out of the
Box Publishing, Inc. is easy to learn and quick to play. Any child who
can read and adults to 120 years old will enjoy this simple game of
comparisons.
To play, five Red Apple cards are dealt to each player. The current “judge” then puts out one Green Apple card. The trick is to offer the card you think the judge will choose as most like the word on the target card. For instance, if the judge puts out ‘Sour’ and you have in your hand ‘Riding a horse,’ ‘Skunks,’ ‘Balloons,’ ‘Candles’ and ‘My Grandpa’...which do you choose as most sour? Some of the combinations are just hysterical and they are different every time. And it gets funnier as you run out of cards, have little choice, and try to think of silly reasons why balloons are tough or weddings are lumpy, for example. The complete game takes about 20 to 30 minutes to play, but you could play a few very quick hands anytime as well. This was our 13 year old daughter’s favorite. Besides being a lot of fun, Apples to Apples promotes several language arts skills including reading, vocabulary development, thinking skills and social skills...not to mention a sense of humor! Apples to Apples comes in various versions including Junior, Junior 9+ (a little more challenging vocabulary), regular Apples to Apples (more advanced words and concepts) (ages 12+), Expansion Sets (ages 12+) and Customizable Cards so you can create your own cards on your computer. For 4 to 10 players. We paid $16 for our game, but I have seen it sold for $20 (varies by version as well). ________________________________________________ |
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Herd Your Horses
This beautiful and educational board game from Aristoplay consists of a cute play board (featuring places like Mulebite Mesa and Sour Pickle Pass) and lushly decorated horse cards. Illustrated by a wonderful horse painter, these cards feature information about various horse breeds, families, and markings. One thing we liked very much was the fact that the game can be played several ways, even with one player. |
| In each game you learn a lot about horses without trying, but if you
have a child who wants to learn more, there are neat pages in the
instructions about horse markings, horse anatomy, suggestions for
further reading and more. Herd Your Horses would be a terrific addition
to a homeschool unit study on horses or a 4H project! All the variations
we tried are fun for both kids and adults and we all agree this is a new
family favorite.
Although we like animals, we’re not huge horse people. However, this high quality game is wonderful for everyone...and would (of course) absolutely delight a horse loving child. This rated in the top 3 for both our son and daughter. For 2 to 4 players ages 8 & up. Retail Price: $20 _______________________________________________ |
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Over and Out
This new card game from Jax Ltd. has what we dubbed the “wow” factor. The “wow” is what makes games exciting. Over and Out is fun because it has a lot of twists and turns. Basically, you have a ‘Tip Top’ target number and you play your cards trying to empty your hand without going over the target number. Of course, you are doing this while trying to beat your opponents (2 to 8 players can join in). Some of the “wow” comes from Spin Out cards (reverse the direction of play), Topsy Turvy cards (select a new Tip Top target number mid-game) and Top Out cards, which immediately bring the total up to the target. |
| There is a lot of strategy involved which keeps this game challenging.
This tied as our eight year old son’s favorite of all the games we tried. In fact, he asked us to play it over and over all week! I was thrilled silly about this because besides being enjoyable, Over and Out also painlessly reinforces early math skills (adding, subtracting, and X2). Over and Out is Tip Top Topsy Turvy fun! From 2 to 8 players. For kids 7 & up (depending on math skills) and adults. Retail price: approx. $6.00 ______________________________________________ |
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The Scrambled States of America Game
In this award winning game from Gamewright, you have fun learning about the United States while collecting cards by matching states to a Scramble card or you "Go the Distance" to find a state's closest neighbor (you each have a little map to help). Whoever races to match and collect the most state cards wins. |
| The Scrambled States of America Game is a great way to expand or
review basic knowledge of U.S. geography. Players learn state names,
capitals, nicknames, and more through visual teasers, language riddles
and geography challenges. Homeschoolers will appreciate the adorable
graphics and solid educational value of this very fun game!
Ages 8+, 2 to 4 players, Playing time: about 20 minutes Retail price:
about $14.00 |
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Swap!
For just plain fun, Swap! from Patch Products wins hands down... literally! If your kids like those crazy screaming, passing, hand slapping games...they’ll love this one. This is a new, reasonably priced game with brightly colored cards. The basic idea is to get rid of your cards, but it’s not so easy to plan your strategy when you’re busy slapping cards, swapping hands with another player, or sometimes Super Swapping, where everyone exchanges hands at once. This quick, fast-action game was selected as "Best Vacation Children's Product for 2003" by Dr. Toy. |
| Swap! is not particularly educational...but who cares?! Any game
teaches critical thinking and this crazy card game keeps you on your
toes. There is not a lot of reading here, which makes it good for
younger kids too. Rated at ages 7 & up, this game is just as fun for
Mom and Dad as for the kids.
Ages 7 to adult. For 2 to 10 players. Retail price: $7.00 ______________________________________________ |
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The Game of Chips
This little game from Jax Ltd. doesn’t look like much at first, but we found it’s a lot of fun and a great math learning tool. It comes with 10 numbered poker-type chips which are put out in front of one of the players. To play, you roll the dice, then take out any chip combination to add up to the total of the dice. This is repeated until all ten chips are removed or you get stuck with the left over points. The player with the lowest point total wins. We like this because it is quick, fun and portable. The Game of Chips is sure to become a homeschool favorite! |
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The Game of Chips comes in a small black box or a handy
drawstring bag. Rated for 2 or more players (though we also like to play
it alone). Sells for approx. $6 to $8. |
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Playing Cards
If your family prefers good old fashioned card games like Go Fish or Solitaire, you'll love the incredible assortment of educationally based playing cards offered by U.S. Games Systems. From their Colossal Playing Card Deck (the cards are actually 8" X 12" in size!) to their historically based decks (covering many |
| of the Civil War, Old West, World War II, Presidents, and more) to the
gorgeous Natural World Collection (Fish, Birds, Dogs, Cats, Wildflowers,
Gemstones and more), this company offers wonderful opportunities for
expanding learning while you play familiar favorites.
Retail prices run about $5.00 for 52 card decks to $35 for the colossal deck. _______________________________________________ |
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We enjoy incorporating games into our homeschooling. They can spice up ho-hum days, reinforce skills, and slow life down for a few moments. Games are a good value when you find one that your family will use over and over for years to come. If a new game is not in the budget, check yard sales and thrift shops. Look into earning cash or trade credit at consignment stores in your area. Check the dollar store. Arrange a game exchange with friends. Games are a terrific gift from Grandma, too. Remember that the greatest value you will get from any game comes
from togetherness and Jan Resources Most of these games are available at educational and toy stores, or check with the manufacturers, listed below. Aristoplay Gamewright Jax Ltd., Inc. Out of the Box Publishing Patch Products U.S. Games Systems, Inc. *** |
