I love them for the following reasons:

1. They are easy to play
2. They are suitable for toddlers,  preschoolers  and upwards upwards
3. They are fun and educational
4. They are not mind numbing for adults
5. They encourage independent play. My two can play without adult supervision
6. They often combine chance with strategy, which means that people of multiple ages can play
7. They are often 3D, however are easy to assemble and really strong and sturdy
8. They are designed to hold children’s attention and are played over a short period of time.
9. They encourage and enforce educational skills through play without the child even noticing.
10. They are reasonably priced, perfect for gift giving.
11. They have great longevity
12. Super playability
13. They work within children’s short concentration spans

Spooky Steps

We were recently sent Spooky Steps, which is a fun game for 4 to 12 year olds and focusses on maths skills.  It costs £14.99.  The boys both loved this and built it and played independently without any input at all from me and MadDad.   The instructions were clear and concise and they loved the 3D effect of the game board.  The quality of the materials is really obvious and although it has been played with extensively it does not yet show any signs of wear.

The object of the game is to  creep through the spooky house to reach the cauldron and break the witch’s spell.  It encourages math skills, but also adds chance to the game, so evening out any age differences in players.

As a parent this game was a real hit as it meant that the boys were using mathematics in a meaningful context without even realising that maths were involved.  This is the joy of Orchard Toys.  If your child means a little encouragement in a specific area you can focus on it without them even noticing and it makes learning a fun experience through play.

The mini mads are very fond of board games.  However, at the moment, Mini is an extremely sore loser, which is compounded by the fact that Maxi is older and does tend to win more often when it is a strategic or tactical game.  So although we adore Orchard Toys and have never had a bad game (in fact I think we already all their games), I did hold out much hope of the Football Game being placed by just the boys on their own.  How wrong could I have been.

The football game is a take on the standard game of snakes and ladders, but with many added extras all linked to football (which my boys loved).  In order to win you have to score the first goal, but this is a game of chance as you have to spin the spinner to score the goal and be careful as you could get a red card if you land on the wrong space.

The instructions are clear and concise and very simple to follow.  I had one game with the boys and by then they had the hand of things and have played it often ever since on their own.

I adore that this game has leveled the playing field for my boys, that they play without sulking or strops over who is winning, which is a lovely thing.

Orchard are always educationally based and this is no exception and links to key stage one mathematics.  It encourages observation, interaction and turn taking and also develops instruction following and counting skills.

The football game is aimed at children 5 + and costs £9.50.