KIWI Bookworms Picks – 2011 Games (Board and other non-electronic)
We’re big fans of games which spark the imagination, are portable, eco-friendly, and just plain fun. Here’s a roundup of some of the great finds for your family:
Fundana ($7.99, all ages, fundanabandanas.com/) –
These clever fundanas are bandanas which have nature- and animal-oriented games printed on them. Super portable and creative, you can use stones or sticks as playing pieces as you play Wild Bird Bingo or discover celestial bodies in the sky. Perfect for your little nature lover, or a girl scout troop.
Obstacles ($16.95, Ages 5+, eeboo.com) –
Creativity and problem-solving reign supreme in this game, which presents, well, obstacles, which must be overcome to reach a goal. There are 25 path cards and 100 tool cards. Tool cards are dealt to each player and laid out for all players to see. The dealer starts and lays a path board out to start play. The youngest player chooses a tool card from their hand and explains how it could be used to overcome the obstacle on the path card. Thought-provoking, but fun at the same time.
Story Cubes ($14.99, Ages 8+, storycubes.com/)
Stored in a handy, dandy small pouch, these cubes have a series of words. Choose
your cubes and create a story based on the luck of the draw. You’ll be amazed at what your kids come up with. The best part? I didn’t bring these along on a trip, so my kids created slips of paper with words and played an impromptu game in the back of the car. It was an argument-free car trip. The cubes are listed as appropriate for ages 8 and older, but younger kids can play as long as they are old enough not to try to eat the dice.
