Toys On The Brain

Posts Tagged ‘board game’

For your little superhero-loving rug rat this Christmas season, I would highly recommend this Memory Match-Up game. In fact, we have two versions that are basically identical but contain a couple of different characters. You’re probably wondering what the game actually is, so read on!

Basically, it’s a 3-D version of the old Memory Game you and I all remember from our childhoods. In that version, you have to find matching cards; in this version, you find matching heads and feet to make your (and more importantly, your child’s) favorite superheroes. Little cups are used to cover the individual pieces, and the handy carry case doubles as the game board. The figures are cartoon versions rather than exact mini-mockups of the original Marvel characters, but they’re still well done.

In terms of education, well, it’s about as educational as the original memory game. You’re not learning how to read or advanced algebra, but you can certainly sneak in some math lessons (I got 4 and you got 6. Who got more?) and critical thinking skills (I picked that one and that one and they didn’t go together, so should you pick the same ones?), or just have some regular fun with your kids. Nothing wrong with that, right?

The only issue with the game is that it can be tough to figure out which feet go with which head. But trust me, once your kid has played a few times, they’ll be able to tell you which ones go together. As long as Junior isn’t a pathological liar, they’re a pretty reliable source and it’s nothing to worry about. There are pictures of each assembled figure so you can work it out without the help of the under-10 crowd if necessary; we used some cheap laminating stuff to help the longevity of the sheets.

Note that this is a tough one to find online. We got ours at Target, and their website says it’s only sold in stores. It’s a great holiday present, so go get one now!

Buy Spider-Man & Friends Memory Match-Up Online:

• at Amazon.com

What could be better for a 3 year old than being given permission, even encouraged to whack away at a toy while simultaneously competing on an equal footing with all-to-often smug older siblings? It turns out, very little.

Hungry Hungry Hippos is a classic children’s game that you may remember from your youth. In our day, the marbles were probably denser (now they’re very lightweight plastic) and the hippos were probably a little more substantial (of course, they probably also had lead in them in some way), but it’s still a good toy. Perfect for little ones who are old enough not to stick everything in their mouths, it’s a family game that doesn’t involve reading but which is great for teaching everyday mathematical concepts.

Basically, each player (up to 4) releases one marble from their chute (this may involve a little re-instruction once your little person figures out how to launch the marbles across the room) into the middle of the playing field. Then all players whack on their hippos’ tails, causing the heads to dart forward and compete for the marble. Whoever gets the most marbles in the end wins. Or, you can start out with all marbles on the board and see who gets the most from the entire group at once. Once you’re done whacking, it’s time to sneak in some mathematical lessons - who had the most? How many did you have? How many more would you need to have as many as your brother? Before you know it, they’ll be doing algebra!

The only issue we’ve had with the game so far has been finding a few of the marbles stuck on the undersides of the hippos. A small screwdriver and a little lever action rectified the situation pretty quickly, but it’s something to watch out for. Also, this is definitely one of those parental supervision games - if you’re not careful, you’ll be finding little white marbles all over your house, especially in the middle of the night when you’re walking down the hallway to go to the bathroom.

The recommended age is 4 and up, but as long as you feel confident your little person isn’t going to try and taste the marbles, it probably won’t be a problem if you start a little younger. Small Person #2 is only 3 and loves the game. Oh, and it comes in a nice, sturdy box you can store the game in… if you want to disassemble the whole thing every time. If you actually have a life and don’t feel like doing that, the box has absolutely no point. Get a Ziploc for the marbles and you’re good to go.

Buy Hungry Hungry Hippos Online:

• at Amazon.com
• at WalMart
• at eToys
• at KB Toys