No Thanks! Details

Product: No Thanks!
Company: Amigo Games
Website: https://www.amigo.games/product/nothanks/
Recommended Age Range: Box says 8 and up. Any child that recognizes their numbers up to 35 (or is working on that skill) would benefit from this game.
Price Range: ~$13
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

I recognize that this is a small thing and doesn’t affect game play, but one of my favorite aspects of this game is all the words written around the cards. It’s like each card has a personality and is trying to entice you to pick it up or warn you against it. Many of the cards read like advertisements and my kids think it’s hilarious. It’s just a delightful touch.

As a family of 6, I am a huge fan of any game that allows for all of us to play, especially one that doesn’t take up much space. This one has fewer cards than a standard deck of playing cards, plus some tokens. In a pinch, you could use something else making this game higly portable. It is also very easy to learn to play. The instruction video produced by the company is just a touch over 3 minutes and we found it sufficient. Game play time is also only about 15 minutes, which is kind of perfect when you want to squeeze a little family fun into a busy schedule.

This game also has a suprising amount of addition and subtraction practice embedded within it. Unlike many games in which you really only have to pay attention to the numbers at the end when you are counting your score, this one requires strategic decisions throughout in which someone who wants to win will be motivated to do some simple on the fly addition and subtraction. Anytime I can get my kids practicing math facts without them complaining is a win in my book.

The last thing I love about this game is that there is not really any “meanness.” There’s no stealing or punishing other players. You make all the decision that affect your own score. There is strategy, so it’s not based just on luck, but you don’t have to hurt other players in order to benefit yourself. Don’t get my wrong…I love a good cutthroat game as much as the next girl, but when you’re playing with children, sometimes it’s just more headache than it’s worth if the game is going to end in tears. This one won’t!

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Cover Your Assets Details

Product: Cover Your Assets
Company: Grandpa Beck’s Games
Website: https://www.grandpabecksgames.com/
Recommended Age Range: Box says 8 and up, but this is a great game if you are trying to teach your child to understand double digit numbers.
Price Range: ~$17
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

First the good: My teens think the name is hilarious. It is super quick to learn and easy to play. Anyone can play, even kids that don’t know their numbers yet, as long as they can match pictures and understand the concept of a wild card. It encourages math skills because kids have to add numbers like 5, 10, 15, 25, and 50 to keep score at the end. The entire game can be played in about 15 minutes, so it’s a quick way to squeeze in a little fun. The pictures are colorful and appealing. Also, it seems like a delightful, family friendly company.

The less-than-good: If there is anyone in your family who gets frustrated when they feel like they aren’t being treated fairly and is going to be upset by someone stealing their points, this game is probably not for you. Granted, there are a lot of games like this, and I definitely think that being a gracious loser and having good sportsmanship are qualities that we want to cultivate in our kids. However, I don’t feel like there is enough “fun” aspects of this particular game to justify the unpleasantness of an unhappy kid.

Personally, I would like to see a little more strategy and variety in game play to keep it fun and entertaining. When I polled my kids on what they thought of this game, my 10 and 13 year olds said they really liked it, my 15 year old said “meh,” and my 8 year old was not a fan. (Guess which one is working on losing gracefully. ) I’m sort of with my older teen. I definitely don’t hate it, but I don’t get excited about it either. Than being said, card games take up so little space, that I will probably hang onto it for quite some time!

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Skyjo Details

Product: Skyjo
Company: Magilano
Website: https://magilano.com/en
Recommended Age Range: Box says 8 and up, but younger kids can enjoy it as well. Being able to recognize numbers and count to 12 is helpful.
Price Range: ~$17
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

We got this game back during the 2020 lockdowns and we used to play it ALL. THE. TIME. I was actually shocked when I checked the website and saw that I had never added it. It was definitely a family favorite for an extended period of time. However, it’s probably been over a year since the last time we played, so I was surprised when my 15 year old suggested it. As soon as I started setting it up, my 10 year old walked into the room and exclaimed, “I LOVE this game!”

There is a LOT to recommend about this game. One of the aspects I love most is that literally anyone who can count to 12 can play. My 10 year old was 5 or 6 back when we used to play this all the time, and was just as into it as the rest of us. It appeals to a wide age range. Grandparents seem to enjoy it too.

Second, up to 8 people can play. It’s hard to find a game like that for under $20 that is ACTUALLY fun. With a family of 6, it’s disappointing that so many of the most fun games are limited to 4 or 5 people. We usually make up house rules so everyone can play, or buy expansion packs or a second box so we have extra pieces, but the fact that this one works flawlessly, as is, for up to 8 people is a huge plus in my book.

Third, it is actually a math game and no one seems to mind. Kids have to add numbers between -2 and 12 at the end of the game to get their scores. You can help kids who are too young to do this, obviously, but I find that my own kids are impatient and don’t want to wait for me to get around to helping them to find out if they won. It provides a lot of adding practice. Also, the fact that it includes cards for negative numbers is a huge benefit. I know many high schoolers who struggle with negatives, but this game helps even the youngest kids gain an intuitive understanding of what they mean.

Fourth, the game does not actually take that long, so it’s an easy one to just squeeze into an afternoon with making a huge commitment. The box says 30 minutes, but I would say 20 minutes tops, even with 6 people. Or maybe we’re just having so much fun, that I don’t notice how much time is passing.

Lastly, I don’t know if this is an advantage or not to most people, but I would say this game is based more on luck than skill. There is SOME strategy involved, unlike the similar card game, Trash, which my family also likes to play, but I would say that luck is the bigger factor. Especially if you are playing with many different ages of kids, I think this is an advantage. No one gets discouraged by always losing, because honestly, if you play long enough, everyone will win at some point.

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One Night Ultimate Werewolf Details

Product: One Night Ultimate Werewolf
Company: Bézier Games
Website: beziergames.com/products/one-night-ultimate-werewolf
Recommended Age Range: Box says 14 and up. In terms of difficulty, our 6-year-old understands all the rules and can play independently. Some may find the dark, werewolf-hunting theme inappropriate.
Price Range: ~$20
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

The primary reason why I personally love this game is that it rarely lasts long enough to devolve into tears. You can set the length of the round, but I set it for either 2 or 3 minutes. There is a timer going, so it can’t last longer than what you set. Even with setup and the part of the game that happens before the time, it takes no more than 5 minutes. Games are so great for family bonding. Being able to squeeze in a round or two into a little pocket of time makes this game golden in my opinion.

On the downside, I’m not sure the game itself can be said to have any redeeming qualities whatsoever. It does not teach math or reading skills. Reading isn’t even required, which means non-readers can play too. I think this game is marketed as being for ages 14+ solely because of the content and not because of the difficulty. My 6-year-old can play just fine. The issue is that the primary skill promoted in this game is lying and deception. Each player draws a card showing them what character they are and it is the job of the group to locate and kill (by pointing at) the werewolf (or possibly werewolves). The werewolves, of course, need to lie convincingly to avoid being discovered.

Rather than teaching a skill, this game is really just fun. This makes kids want to play over and over and over again. The two other skills that this game encourages, besides deception, are cooperation and deductive reasoning skills. The non-werewolves have to cooperate with each other to figure out who is lying and actually the werewolf.

Some other points that you should know about this game is that it is best played using an app on your phone. In the first part of the game, everyone closes their eyes and takes turns opening their eyes and performing an action. You don’t NEED to use the app. The first several times we played, I wasn’t part of the game and read the script instead, so that we could figure out how to play and also so that I could make sure no one was opening their eyes and peeking. However, after a few rounds, I downloaded the app so I could play too and it is so much more fun that way.

The second thing you should know is that there are some cards that you may or may not want to use. For example, one character is a drunk and changes his card at random on his turn. Another character is a tanner that hates his life and wants to die. His job is to try and convince everyone that he is the werewolf. However, you only need all the cards if you have 10 people playing, which we never have. If you are not playing with the maximum number of people, then you can choose which cards to leave out.

If you are not turned off by the idea of werewolf-hunting and have 4 or more people to play, I say give this game a go. It is perfect for Halloween, but honestly, I know my kids are going to want to keep playing it year-round!

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Check the Fridge Game Details

Product: Check the Fridge
Company: Melon Rind
Website: https://melonrind.com/products/check-the-fridge
Recommended Age Range: box says 8 and up. I think it is ideal for 6 and up, though everyone thought it was fun
Price Range: ~$20
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

A lot of the time when we play competitive games one of my kids will meltdown at some point during the game, however, though for some reason, this one tends not to cause that. Maybe it is because my kids know that things can change rapidly, especially towards the end of the game. Maybe it is because the older kids do not have a significant advantage over the younger kids, so they all know it’s anyone’s game. I think the most likely reason, however, is because my kids all enjoy the bluffing aspect, so they are just too busy having fun. (When we played today, one of my kids proudly stated that he was good at this game because he’s a really good liar. Insert palm to forehead emoji, LOL! We had to have a little talk about how that is not something to brag about.)

Honestly, as far as being a math game goes, I don’t really think it teaches a whole lot. The cards are coded by vegetable, so there is only one way to make 25 for each of the 6 vegetable options. Even my 5 year old can figure it out without even needing to add. Like the Clumsy Thief games by the same company, I think this game is good for number recognition and increasing a child’s comfort level with numbers, but since it is marketed as a game for 8 and up, I don’t think it really adds a lot of value to its target audience. Clumsy Thief has slightly more educational value, since being able to add numbers to make 100 is slightly more useful. However, as far as my kids are concerned, Check the Fridge is a lot more fun!

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Dragonwood Info

Product: Dragonwood
Company: Gamewright
Website: https://gamewright.com/product/Dragonwood
Recommended Age Range: 8 and up (He needs a little help, but this is my 6 year old’s favorite game.)
Price Range: ~$20
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

The rules of Dragonwood seem a little complicated at first, but they are actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. The game includes a couple cheat sheet cards that remind you what happens on each turn and the different ways to attack. I think it’s funny that my kids are so much better at remembering the rules than I am. I constantly have to refer back to the cheat sheet to remember how to “Strike,” “Stomp,” and “Scream.”

The basic premise behind the game is that you are an adventurer on a quest through the forest of Dragonwood trying to defeat a bunch of monsters. You use the cards in your hand to try to attack the monster. The strength of your hand determines how many dice you may use when you roll. If the number you roll is higher than a number specified on the monster card, you defeated the monster and get to collect the victory points.

There are a number of different styles of attack based on how you arrange the cards in your hand. A run (numbers in a row) is called a Strike. Having cards of the same number is called a Stomp. Having cards of the same color is called a Scream. Depending on your method of attack, you will need to roll a different number to be victorious. If kids are working on number recognition or how to order numbers, this game definitely reinforces those skills.

To make the game more fun, you also have the option of trying to capture magical enchantments instead that give you certain advantages when you attack monsters.

One thing that makes this a great family game is that there is a lot of dice rolling luck involved which levels the playing field for a wide range of kids. My husband and I help our 4 and 6 year olds when they play so that they know which cards in their hand to use for an attack. However, they can do the rolling all on their own and are so excited when they defeat monsters.

Another handy feature of this game is that even though it says it is meant for 2 to 4 players, we almost always play with 6 people and it seems to work out just fine. The one things I have noticed is that the box says this game takes 20 minutes and we find it to take much longer than that. I think that is probably because we have too many people. However, if we need to cut the game short, we just see who collected the most victory points when we need to end and call that person the winner.

I can see Dragonwood staying in our game closet for a long time. Even as the kids get older, I think this will be one of those games that we return to for a long time.

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Into the Forest Info

Product: Into the Forest: Nature’s Food Chain Game
Company: Ampersand Press
Website: www.ampersandpress.com
Recommended Age Range: 8 to adult (my younger kids can play with help, but reading skills are required to play independently)
Price Range: ~$20 (check Rainbow Resource if Amazon is over $20)
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

In this game, players are competing to collect the most energy points. Plants provide the most energy. Animals higher on the food chain provide the least. However, to win cards, you need to challenge other players by having your card “eat” theirs. For example, “My coyote takes your rabbit.” Or, “My rabbit take your grass.”

The animal cards themselves let you know what each animals eats and what they are eaten by. Even animals that are at the top of the food chain, like bears and bobcats, can get taken with “Death and Decay” cards.

What I love about this games is the competing forces. Death and Decay cards seem like they would be the most desirable, but they have no energy point value. If you are near the bottom of the food chain, like an earthworm, then you can get eaten by lots of animals. However, you have a higher energy value and you can eat even higher value cards like grass and leaves. Earthworms can even eat decaying matter, so they can take the all-powerful Death and Decay card.

It’s complicated, but fun! It helps with kids’ reading, memory, math, and strategic thinking skills in addition to teaching science. The only problem is that it is hard to play with kids who can’t read well. There is a lot of information on the cards to sort through. For that reason, my husband and I usually only play this game with the big kids when the little kids are distracted in the bath or playing outside.

However, I think when all of our kids are older, this is going to be a really fun game for the entire family. It say that is meant for 6 players, but it would be fairly straightforward to play with 7 or 8 players instead. Everyone would just get fewer cards to start.

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Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Info

Product: Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Company: Dolphin Hat Games
Website:  www.dolphinhat.com
Recommended Age Range: 4 and up, kids under 5 or 6 might get discouraged due to slower reflexes, fun for teenagers and adults
Price Range: ~$10
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

This game is reminiscent of Slap Jack. However, it is much more entertaining for people of all ages and can by played be a large group. The stack is divided evenly among the number of players. As they take turns laying down cards, the players say “taco,” “cat,” “goat,” “cheese,” “pizza.” If the word matches the picture, everyone slaps the pile. The last person to slap has to take the whole stack. Unlike Slap Jack, the object is to get rid of your cards.

There are also a few cards with special instructions that my kids think are hilarious. For example, if a Narwhal card is flipped, everyone claps above their head to make a horn, then slaps the deck.

Everyone in my family thinks this game is fun. Even the three year old, who frequently is last to slap and has to take the deck, loves it. Initially, my husband and I were giving him a chance to slap before us. However, despite explaining to him that he DIDN’T want to be last, he insisted he did. He really wanted all those cards.

Even though my husband and I were sort of cheating, by letting our youngest kids slap the deck before us, we could still make it challenging for our oldest kids to win. To win, you need to be out of cards AND the first person to slap the deck at the appropriate time. Even though I never got close to running out of cards, as long as I slapped before my older kids, they were still in the game.

Some other things I love about this game are that many people can play (or just 2) and it doesn’t take very long. When you have a big family with lots of different ages, being able to squeeze in 10 minutes of quality family time into a hectic day is priceless. I also appreciate that the deck of cards doesn’t take up very much space. I’m sure our Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza games will get more competitive as the kids get older, but I see this one being replayed a lot in the years to come.

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Clumsy Thief in the Candy Shop Info

Product: Clumsy Thief in the Candy Shop
Company: Melon Rind
Website:  gamewright.com
Recommended Age Range: 6 to 8 years (younger kids will likely need help and older kids might not get much benefit, though they can still have fun)
Price Range: ~$14
Amazon Product Page (Affiliate Link)

Review

Of all my kids, this game was best at helping my 7 year old with her basic math facts. She can add, but since I don’t have her doing a lot of math practice, she is not super fast. I always think that maybe I should have her do more worksheets so she can build her speed and confidence with adding small numbers. However, since I know it will be an unpleasant struggle, I usually just let it go.

This game has completely remedied the need for me to do even think about basic addition worksheets. If we just play this game once or twice a week, she will be adding numbers quickly in no time. To play the game, players have to make pairs of cards that add to 20. Even my 5 year old knows that 10 plus 10 makes 20. However, 16+4, 12+8, pairs like these get a little trickier. Even after just playing this game a couple times, I see my 7 year old’s speed increasing.

The best part is that she doesn’t even realize that she’s practicing math. She just wants to play the game and is having so much fun, that she doesn’t mind all the adding that she has to do. Completely brilliant. If only all learning could be like this.

My 5 year old likes to play as well, though he currently needs a lot of help to remember what 2 numbers add to 20. He constantly asks me for help, but I don’t mind at all. However, to give him a chance to be fully up to speed with his brother and sister, and so that he can practice math at his own level as well, I just ordered Clumsy Thief Junior which involves adding to 10. I think it will be perfect for him.

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Product: Professor Noggin Games
Company: Professor Noggin
Website: www.professornoggin.com
Recommended Age Range: 7+ 
Price Range: ~$15
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Comments: So far my family has played the following editions of these Professor Noggin card games: Life in the Ocean, Rainforests of the World, The American Revolution, Outer Space, Earth Science, Ancient Civilizations, and Wildlife Safari. The games can be played more than once. We’ve played a few of these games twice and the odds are small that the same questions come up. However, even when they do, it gives the kids a chance to show what they have learned. 

The way these games work is that the players take turns rolling a dice that will tell them which question they should answer (1, 2, or 3). In our family, I am the official reader-of-the-cards (unless it is my turn to answer, in which case either my 8 year old or hubby will read it). There are 6 questions on each card: 3 easy ones and 3 hard ones. In our family, the kids answer from the easy section and the grown-ups answer from the hard section. 

If you answer the question correctly, you get to keep the card. If you answer incorrectly, it goes back to the bottom of the deck. We play until all the cards have been distributed and then count to see who has the most cards. This usually takes about 20 to 30 minutes depending on the difficulty of the deck. We’ve found the animal decks to be easier than the history decks, at least for us. 

There a couple modifications we do to make the game go faster. For one, if the question seems like it will be impossible for the child, I will make it into a multiple choice question. For example, one question asked where a kangaroo carries its baby. My 4 year old didn’t know, so I said, “On its back, in a pouch, or on its head.” Another modification we do is that if someone answers the question incorrectly and there are more than two possible choices (so not a True/False question), I will give other people the chance to “steal” the card. The first opportunity goes to the person with the fewest cards. If there is more than one person with that number of cards, the younger player goes first. 

One funny thing that I’ve noticed is that my 2 year old always just repeats the last choice. So if it’s a multiple choice he’ll give the last answer. If I say, “true or false?” he’ll say false, so sometimes, I say, “false or true?” to get him to say true. I’m sure this won’t last forever, but at the moment, my older kids are all amazed by his brilliance. Our baby knows everything!

Another thing I love about this game is that it gives my kids almost daily practice at not being sore losers. Sportsmanship is very important to me. It’s a process, but I can tell at least with this game, my kids are getting better at not throwing a fit when they lose.

Lastly, probably the best thing about these games is that they are educational and my kids don’t even notice!

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