The holiday season is on the way, and if you’re looking for fun things to do during family get-togethers, you might consider a new card or board game.
And when you’re shopping, you have a lot to think about.
“Single-player games, multiplayer games, party games,” said Gwen Ottenberg, owner of Imagine That Toys in Wichita. “Games that are great to play with kids; where you don’t have to dumb down to play with them is even better. I think that’s a real category.”
Ottenberg has been selling games for more than 25 years and playing them even longer. No matter where she goes, she keeps a game handy.
“I’m a big fan of a restaurant game,” she said. “Order your food, play a game, and then by the time the food comes, you’re done with your game. It keeps the kids engaged and off the screens.”
If you’re looking for a children’s gift or family activity this year, here are some of Ottenberg’s recommendations:
Prime Suspect (ages 8 and up, $14.99) — Playing alone or with a friend, arrange the nine suspect cards into a 3-by-3 grid using directional clues on the case cards. For example: “Monica is below Joe, and next to Devin.” Once you have the characters placed, the one in the middle is the prime suspect. Then just flip over the case card to see if you’re right. There are 45 case cards in each box, ranging from easy to difficult.
Kitty Litter (ages 6 and up, 2-4 players, $14.99) — In this fast-action matching game, players race to match all their colorful tiles with at least two adjacent colors. If you match three colors, that’s a Cat Scratch, and you send one of your tiles to another player. The player who plays all their tiles first is the winner.
IQ Circle (ages 14 and up, $24.99) — This brainpower puzzle game comes with a sleek, travel-sized plastic board, 10 brightly colored shaped pieces and a book with 120 challenges from easy to expert. Pick a challenge from the book, place a few pieces where it tells you to put them, and then fill in the remaining pieces around the circle. Variations include IQ Square, IQ Hexagon, and IQ Pentagon.
Genius Connection (ages 8 and up, $29.99) — This brain-boosting strategy game can be played solo or with two players racing against each other. Roll the dice to see which squares will begin and end your “path” tiles. Complete the path and then try to fit the remaining pieces around it. Every game is different because the dice offer endless possibilities.
Clearosity (ages 8 and up, 2-6 players, $17.99) — Players race to find hidden three-letter words by stacking the clear plastic cards. Take turns placing cards face-up in the center, and the first person to spot a word formed by the overlapping cards collects that stack. Great for quick thinking, spelling, vocabulary building and spatial perception.
Chipzi (ages 6 and up, 2-7 players, $24.99) — Chipzi is a fast-paced game from the creators of perennial favorite Tenzi. It features 49 chips numbered one through seven, in seven different colors. Players race to flip chips and collect seven chips that meet a specific condition, such as the same color or number. The first player to collect all seven and yell “Chipzi!” wins. Variations include “Countdown Chipzi,” where you have to collect seven chips in descending order, and “Perfect Chipzi,” where you have to collect seven chips with no repeat numbers or colors.
Tacta (ages 7 and up, $19.99) — Each player gets a deck of cards in their chosen color. On their turn, players can play only the top or bottom card from their deck by overlapping it with at least one existing card on the table. The goal is to cover your opponents’ dots while protecting your own. When the game ends, the player with the most dots visible in their color wins.
Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service.
The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KMUW, KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.
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