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I asked my brother for Xmas gift ideas for his kids, and he suggested games.
The older one's not a problem, she's almost 8, but Sammy's only five-and-a-half, and I can't remember what sort of games I played at that age. (Candyland? Old Maid? They've already got those...)
So, o wise parents of Hatrack... any suggestions?
Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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-is neither a parent, nor wise- Try Apples-to-Apples (I believe it comes in a Junior version) or Squint (There might not be a junior version, but it's more fun to make up your own anyway). Apples is a game of matching things (people, animals, locations, fuzz) with adjectives- the winner of each round can be chosen by either which makes the most sense or which is funniest- judge's choice. The good thing about that is that the judgeship rotates with each game and it's all anonymous, so there're no unfair advantages. Squint is like Pictionary, except with cards with shapes printed on them. There're cards to tell you what to make, but I prefer, as I said, to make my own.
Posts: 1215 | Registered: Apr 2005
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We loved that African game where you move the beans/beads/counters from one little depression to another, object being to drop the most in the end things at those ages (my brother and I have about the same age difference.) What is that called?
Posts: 21182 | Registered: Sep 2004
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My kids learned chess at that age and checkers or connect four is good.
Mancala and Apples to Apples are great
My kids love Disney's Scene It and it's one we like to play with them.
My kids enjoy these learning games, Spell Down, Count Down and there is another 'down' one but I can't think of it right now.
Posts: 697 | Registered: Nov 2005
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Mancala seems very simple, and doesn't look all that interesting on paper. But man, as a little kid me and my friend would literally play that game for hours...it's tons of fun, I highly suggest it.
Posts: 290 | Registered: Sep 2002
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Hi Ho Cherry-O, Candy Land, Cooties, Dominoes (mostly for stacking at this age)and Hungry Hungry Hippos, were my favorites when I was young. I've heard the peanut butter and jelly game is popular, go fish, Uno, I'm sure there are a lot of card games...
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I have a version of that mancala game that I got in the Philippines when I was little, but there we play it with shells and it's called sungka. (I just googled for the spelling, and apparently it's also spelled "chunca" and "sumka".) At least, it sounds like the exact same game. I wonder how it ended up in both Africa and the Philippines?
But yes, I loved playing that when I was younger - it's actually still fun, if not especially intellectually stimulating.
Posts: 952 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I loved Perfection as a kid. It is still available (which says a lot for its staying power) and is fun to play alone or with a partner. It does have lots of little tiny pieces so it is better for an eight year old than a five year old but they could both play it. Perfection on Amazon
One challenge in buying games is that unless there is someone around who is willing to play (and sometimes 2-3 people are needed depending on the game), these sit on the shelf. Perfection, Operation and Crocodile Dentist can be played alone and still be challenging and fun.
Posts: 1319 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Oh and don't forget Risk... it's never too early to teach your children about world domination. Cultivate those dreams while they're still young and impressionable! Posts: 459 | Registered: Mar 2005
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By age 5 I was playing missile command and parachutes on my Apple + and by age 8 and 9 it was Bungie's Pathways into Darkness... one of the first FPS games right up there with Doom... yeah, I'm a weirdo.
But as for board games, I'd go with Twister. Activity is always so much more fun in a board game than just sitting moving peices around Posts: 3295 | Registered: Jun 2004
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My kids love Mancala but their favorite game is Carcassone. While the five and half might be a little young, he might be like my five year olds and just love watching others play it. It's neat the way the pieces line up to make a different board every time you play.
Posts: 14428 | Registered: Aug 2001
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The aMAZEing Labyrinth is pretty fun for both kids and adults, and has a one-player version. It's rated 8 and above, but I've played it with a relatively mature 6-year-old with no problem. There's also a junior version, which is slightly simplified/shorter, and for ages 5 and up, but is suppose to be just as much fun for all.
I'll third Mancala.
I really loved Mouse Trap as a child, but we didn't really play it often... I'd just set up the board, turn the crank, and watch the ball roll around until the trap (hopefully) fell down on the unsuspecting mice.
Posts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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Is this in reply to my suggestion, Elizabeth? If so, that is not the game I was suggesting - the aMAZEing Labyrinth is a tile game from Germany (home of all great board games). Here are links to the original game and the junior editionPosts: 2409 | Registered: Sep 2003
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May I suggest Gamewright? (http://www.gamewright.com) They make games- mostly card games- for a variety of ages. Rat-A-Tat-Cat and Slamwich were particularly popular where I used to work.
Posts: 3826 | Registered: May 2005
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My 7 year old and 5 year old love to play a watered down version of Carcasonne.
I was trying to teach them Settlers of Catan the other day, but I think that one might be a bit out of their reach yet.
Posts: 14554 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Elizabeth, I was addicted to that game, too! I can get it all the way to 60 and back multiple times now after a few practices. My family was always so jealous!
Posts: 1777 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Christy is in fact a Labyrinth savant. It's really kind of freaky. If only neurosurgery involved rolling a little metal ball through someone's brain....
Posts: 37449 | Registered: May 1999
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Now to run some of the ideas by the parents -- since they'll be stuck with the kids playing them for years... Posts: 2911 | Registered: Aug 2001
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