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Growing up as an only child meant that I spent a lot of time with my parents. If my mom and I weren’t pretending that Barbie and her friends were embarking on a new adventure, I was playing board games with my parents in our cozy living room. As I prepare for my children’s upcoming winter break, I have a variety of activities planned to keep their minds engaged and their bodies active.
Images: Wonder Forge
The last few weeks have been very cold and with rain expected right before Christmas, we’ll be spending some time indoors with several new Wonder Forge Games! When I was a little girl, my favorite games included Monopoly and Candy Land, which was the game for little girls. The world of games has expanded and little girls and boys can now experience new adventures with their favorite characters by way of a board game. Wonder Forge recently introduced several new games inspired by shows like Sofia the First, Doc McStuffins, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and the DC Justice League.
Games offer children a unique kind of experience which fosters the development of cooperative play, hand-eye coordination and critical thinking skills. I also appreciate the opportunity it creates for our family to spend time together…a rarity in the midst of busy schedules and technology. We have been playing board games with my son for several years now, but up until recently, my daughter hasn’t really “gotten” the concept. Wonder Forge offers an “I Can Do That!” preschool line of games which includes a Sofia the First Magical Tea Time Game and a Doc McStuffins All Better Game. Both of these characters featured on Disney Jr. our favorites in our household and my daughter couldn’t wait to play with me!
The Magical Tea Time Game is designed for children ages 3 and up and is a great first game for preschoolers. As a little girl, my mother would often take me to tea and I have continued that tradition with my daughter so she loved the idea of having a Princess Sofia tea party with me.
The goal of the game is simple…to get the most treats! Each player, on his/her turn, turns over a treat to determine what to do (place a treat on the Fairy Headmistress’ plate, on your own Place Setting, etc.).
Even young children can play since all that is required is that they identify colors, patterns, and pictures. The game also encourages good manners and offers treats for players saying please, thank you, etc.
The All Better Game, featuring Doc McStuffins, is also designed for children ages 3 and up and encourages the development of matching and memory skills as well as cooperative play. Players begin by spinning the spinner, taking a bandage or a tool, and then fixing the boo boo. Each bandage features a different doctor tool that players will have to remember and match. If a match is made, the player gets a Scoring Tile and the game ends when all of these have been taken. The player with the most Scoring Tiles wins.
We really enjoyed this game because it allowed us to engage in pretend play. I also liked the the fact that it comes with a storage bag to contain all of the pieces. We used this time to talk about visiting the doctor and I think it would be a great way to alleviate any child’s fears about a visit.
We haven’t spent a lot of time playing the Axis of Villains Game because my son is still currently in school, but it’s definitely a game my son was intrigued with. Designed for children 8 and up, this game encourages teamwork and strategic thinking. The biggest appeal for my son was the ability to play as some of his favorite superheroes including Superman and Batman. The goal of the game is to defeat the villains before they destroy the Justice League and their satellite headquarters through a combination of dice rolls and card battles. Admittedly, this game was probably a bit advanced for my first grader, but that didn’t deter him from wanting to play with daddy. We will be spending some more time over the winter break delving into this game that promotes cooperative play.
Wonder Forge’s family games make wonderful Christmas gifts. Very often, my children will receive toys that they play with a few times, then toss aside never to be played with again. I love the idea of games as gifts because children can play for years to come. You can check out Wonder Forge’s entire line of family games on their website, or find them in-stores this holiday season.
Images: Rockin’ Mama unless otherwise noted.
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