Tag Archives: Games

You’ve Never Played Bingo Like This: A Zingo Review

Zingo game with board tiles underneath

Part slot machine, part bingo, part vocabulary flash cards, Zingo combines fast-paced bingo-style play with sight words and simple pictures. The result is a fun, educational game that my four-year-old asks to play several times per week. Older kids and adults will enjoy it too, but they may need to …

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Test Your Memory with Stare Junior

Front cover of the Stare Junior board game

How many details can you recall in just 30 seconds of looking at a scene? Can your son or daughter remember more than you? If you have a tired brain like me, the answers are “a couple” and “way more than I can,” respectively. Stare! Junior is a fun way …

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It’s a Strategic Time for a Blokus Game Review

The word blokus spelled out in colored letters using Blokus game pieces on the Blokus game board

The game Blokus has become a modern classic among board-game fans, who’ve known it well for over a decade. In this review, I’m hoping to introduce Blokus to a new audience as an educational aid, not merely a board game. Blokus hones three valuable skills for players willing to focus …

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Our Review of Swish, the Spatial Orientation Miracle Game

Front of the Swish box showing an up close view of the Swish logo

Swish is one of the most unique card games we’ve seen in a while. The “cards” are actually transparent pieces of plastic, and you stack them to line up the shapes, racing against your opponents. Swish is the epitome of the skill “spatial orientation” because you’ll have to flip and …

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Review: IQ Link, A Brainy Road-Trip Game

IQ link pieces and board on a table

Are you planning a trip? Or perhaps there’s limited space at home or in your classroom? IQ Link is a tidy, compact, very portable little package of fun for everyone who likes logic puzzles. Each puzzle takes just a few minutes on the beginning levels. Or, just one challenge can …

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Rush to Read About Rush Hour, A Rich Classic

Rush Hour game on a table

Rush Hour is the game that started it all for ThinkFun and has spawned a dynasty of follow-up games in the same series. The concept is simple: slide cars until you create a path for the red car to drive out. You’ll quickly become engrossed as you use logic and …

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Quiddler, an Addicting Card Game for Word Nerds

Pile of Quiddler cards on a table

Quiddler is a word-forming card game that’s been described as “Scrabble with a shot of gin (rummy) and a twist of Phase 10.” It’s fun for both young and old players because you can choose strategies that suit your skill level and counter another player’s advanced vocabulary with some judicious …

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Set, The Card Game: A Rich Classic Review

Several set cards arranged on a table with one card featuring the word Set prominently

Set is the paragon of what a learning game should be. It’s fun, gives your brain a great workout, and is easily adapted for all ages. Set is inexpensive and very portable, so bring it with you often. We’ve given Set our Rich Classic award because it deserves a place …

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Spot It! Card Game Review, A Rich Classic

Spot it cards elegantly strewn in a sweeping wave, with the Spot It container slightly blurred in the background

Spot It is a fast, fun game that parents and kids can both enjoy equally well. It’s a race to see who can spot the matching pictures between cards, and several different variations keep the game fresh over the years. Spot It earns our highest recommendation and has become a …

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Our “Heavy” Review of Gravity Maze

Gravity Maze board with three towers and the Gravity Maze box in the background

Gravity Maze combines 3D building skills with logic and strategy to provide a unique “marble run” puzzle that pre-teens and adults will love. Gravity Maze is made by ThinkFun and is one of their most popular products; you’ll see why it’s a perennial best-selling logic puzzle in our full review, …

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