Playing games is one of my favorite childhood memories. Not only do games teach thinking strategies, taking turns, coordination, memory, good sportsmanship, and other great skills, but they also teach the importance of spending time together as a family.
My oldest daughter who is 4–almost 5– is beginning to like games. Her first game, Candyland, she got was when she was three. It’s one of my favorites, so I was overjoyed and excited to begin making memories with my own family. It took many rounds of playing before she grasped the layout of the board, but she knew her colors and was able to move her piece on the spaces. Although she struggles with losing, she is learning how to become a good sport.
This year we received several games at Christmastime so we have been exploring some old and some new additions. There are so many choices these days that really making learning fun.
One of our favorite new games is Sneaky Snacky Squirrel. This game is ADORABLE! The spinner has colors that coordinate to acorns that must be placed on each player’s tree. Once the player has collected all five acorns, that player wins.
There are three obstacles that could get in a player’s way. The first is the bandit squirrel. He allows you to steal an acorn from another player’s tree. Next, is the sad squirrel who requires you to put an acorn back, and lastly if you land on the wind, all your current acorns blow from your tree back into the box. Sad!
This game comes with an adorable squirrel that you use to pick up the acorns which works really well for reiterating fine motor skills since it works as a tweezers to pick up the acorns. Sneaky Snacky Squirrel reinforces color identification because players need to collect purple, green, blue, yellow, and red colored acorns for their trees. We have had a great time with this game. I’ve found it on Amazon or Target (affiliate links), and School House in Green Bay.
Also, there are additional games by the same maker that look equally adorable.
- Shelby’s Snack Shack (affiliate link) which teaches numbers
- Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco (affiliate link) which teaches counting, geometric shapes and fine motor skills
- Frieda’s Fruit Fiesta (affiliate link) which teachers the alphabet. Any of these would make great gifts for others or a fantastic addition to your own family night.
Find one that interests you, relax around the table, put out some snacks, and enjoy some family time playing an engaging, educational game with your little ones. They are fun, colorful, and are sure to create lasting childhood memories.
If you have other favorite family games, feel free to leave a comment. As always, thanks for reading. #365daysofnew
365 Days of New 