I
can't believe Summer is already here! Seriously, did time speed up
over the past few months? We've been so busy here it just doesn't
seem possible that we are almost half way through the year. I guess
that old saying is true, “time flies when you're having fun.”
Now,
please believe me, we don't always have fun in the LML household.
We're just an average family, and some days are definitely better
than others. But, I can tell you this with certainty: when it comes
to our homeschool learning time, games make everything more fun.
I
was recently invited to host a game night and review three RoosterFin games through Tryazon.com. These games are advertised as
“educational,” so I couldn't wait to get them into our classroom.
The big box of fun arrived just in time for our last week of second
grade. Woo-hoo! This mama was relieved to have some new educational
fun to round out the school year.
MonkeysUp was by far our favorite. It mixes strategy with math...and a bit
of luck. My not-so-little-anymore Bug had a blast with “the
flip'em, switch'em and steal'em game.” Monkeys Up comes with
eighteen red, plastic monkey figures, all with a number or “x”
printed on the bottom. Players take turns rolling the die, then
switch, flip, or steal a cute, little monkey. The game ends when any
player has three of their monkeys number side up. Just add up your
monkey's numbers. The player with the highest total wins. Guess who
else wins.....ME! I win! I don't have to worry about moans and
complaints over the day's math lesson. And, I don't have to work on a
complicated lesson plan. I just pull out the box, say “let's play,”
and enjoy a simple, fun, and educational game.
Bug
and I had a great time playing per the instructions, but I plan to
modify this game as well. With a few changes to how we play, the game
will be used to review not only addition, but subtraction and
multiplication. I am pleasantly surprised about how excited I am to
have Monkeys Up in our classroom.
As
for the other two RoosterFin games we received, they're nice. TurtleFlip is a cute game that helps teach directional skills (left/right)
and number recognition. Although the game is advertised as two to
four players, I recommend having at least three to help younger
players understand which way is left and which is right. If you only
have two players available, maybe you could ask a few stuffed animal
friends to join the game.
PongCano was also loads of fun, but not something we will keep in the
classroom as an educational resource. It
is labeled as “The Game of Sacrifice,” but it definitely is no
sacrifice to play. The goal is to bounce a ping pong like ball into
the top of a three inch high plastic volcano. If you miss, you drop
one of your “gold coins” (sturdy plastic chips) into the volcano.
Make the shot and you get to empty the volcano. The game ends when
one player has all twelve coins. Easy peasy! PongCano had us erupting
with laughter, and Bug has requested to play many times. I can see
this game becoming a big hit at our large get togethers as many
people can play at once, and laughter seems a given.
I'd
love to know what games your family enjoys! Are they specifically
educational, or just a great way to spend some fun quality time?
Please let me know in the comments below. Happy gaming!!!
I
received these products for free, in exchange for an honest, unbiased
review. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links may be present in the above post. Rest assured, I will always give my honest opinion and only recommend products and services my family and I would happily use ourselves.
