Exclusively Available at Target . . . 'Spot It! Fire & Ice' Family Game

Thank you to Blue Orange Games for providing a sample Spot It! Fire & Ice game for us to base this review upon. All opinions expressed are my own.

Since our first game received from Blue Orange Games, we have been in love. This company makes fun, quality games that my family loves to play. When we were offered their newest game, Spot It! Fire & Ice, I knew this game would be another one we would love. I was right.

Spot It! Fire & Ice is a Target exclusive game, meaning it will only be available to buy in Target stores. It features the same basic concept as the other Spot It! games, but with several variations that give it a twist. The object of the game is to run out of cards by rapidly playing those in your hand by matching one symbol from each card. In Fire & Ice though, there are “burn” symbols that give you the chance to push the included timer and get to free play all by yourself. This gives the game a twist that my boys just loved to take advantage of.

As with all of the Blue Orange Games, this game is well made with high-quality materials. The 55 cards are made of thick cardstock-type paper and the holder is thick, dense plastic. This game is recommended for ages 8 and up, but my 7 year old had no problem playing against his big brother and parents. It’s also designed for 2-8 players, so the whole family can play along. With its fast-paced timing, colorful cards, and convenient storage case/timer, this game is a great find for any family.

We’ve had so much fun playing this game already and I know that it will be a long time favorite of ours. From now through the end of November, you can purchase Spot It! Fire & Ice on sale for $17.99 at your local Target store. To learn more about Blue Orange Games, visit their website at www.blueorangegames.com.

Have Fun Strategizing with the New Battle Sheep Board Game!

Thank you to Blue Orange games for providing a sample board game for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Our family loves board games, and we’ve always had great experiences with Blue Orange Games. Their newest family board game, Battle Sheep, combines logic and strategy with fun. Once you build your board, players take turns moving their stacks of sheep in straight lines and trying to block their opponents in. It takes some serious thought to accomplish blocking the other players, but it’s all very entertaining so no one gets frustrated.

Battle Sheep contains 16 pasture boards, 64 sheep tokens, and illustrated rules, all in the handy box. The game teaches social play, out-of-the-box thinking, and strategy.  It also helps improve focus and attention. It’s a great game for fun as well as thought provoking. It is recommended for ages 7 and up, from 2-4 players, and game play takes as little as 15 minutes, so it’s a great, quick game to play.

We’ve already played Battle Sheep a handful of times. From my 7 ½ year old on up to my husband, we’ve all had a great time playing. It’s fun for all ages and really gets you using your brain. It is made of sturdy materials too, like dense cardboard and thick plastic, so it’s sure to hold up for a long while.

You can learn all about Battle Sheep and all Blue Orange Games at their website, www.blueorangegames.com.

Have Some #FrozenFun with This DIY Disney FROZEN Castle Bingo Game (Free Printable) #shop #cbias

I am a member of the Collective Bias® Social Fabric® Community. This Walmart toys shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper amplification about FROZEN toys for Collective Bias and its advertiser.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Whether your children have had the chance to see FROZEN the movie by Disney in the theater or not, it is likely that an Olaf toy, an Elsa toy, or an Anna toy is on their wishlist.  We were saving a trip to see this film as one of the family activities we could do to celebrate our daughter's birthday this month.  Still, even not having seen the film yet, she was super-excited when we went to shop at Walmart for FROZEN toys.  I was particularly looking for a variety of figures from the movie to do a photo bingo game craft for my children, but there were not enough different figures in stock to do what I wanted.  Then we saw the Disney FROZEN Castle Play Set and decided to purchase it because my idea began to evolve.  Plus, who could resist this pretty-pleeeeeeease face . . .

Since the play set only comes with an Olaf figure, we agreed that our daughter would use her own Christmas and birthday money to buy the Anna and Elsa dolls to go with the castle.  In the meantime, the castle will be used with her other fashion dolls and may very well be turned into an evil lair or a secret hideout by her two brothers at some point.

After we shopped that day, we stopped into the Subway at Walmart for lunch. Along with their Fresh Fit Kids Meals, the twins received an Olaf keychain (a Walmart Subway exclusive), a FROZEN jigsaw puzzle, and their meals came in two different styles of FROZEN-themed reusable bags.  The twins were wondering what they could put in their new bags, but I already knew what they would be perfect for . . . our DIY Disney FROZEN Castle Bingo Game!

What you'll need to make your own FROZEN Castle Bingo Game:

• Print out pages 1 and 2.  Then cut out the 4 bingo boards.
• Print out page 3.  Then cut out each individual bingo calling card.
• (Optional) Print out page 4 if you would like a reference for the names of the items shown in each picture.
• Small items to use as bingo markers (see suggestions below)
• A paper or reusable lunch bag to store the bingo calling cards (bag should not be see-thru)
• A sandwich bag to store the bingo markers
• A small tote to store all the items above

TO PRINT:  Be sure your printer is on and ready to print.  Click on the desired image to enlarge.  Then right-click and select print.  Use your browser's back arrow to return to this page.

What can you use for bingo markers?

I really wanted bingo markers that were fun and went well with the theme and colors of the bingo boards.  I wandered around Walmart for awhile and then I found this set of 4 faux gem elasticized bracelets in the party favors section for just $2.97.  That's when I got the idea to cut the elasticized string and use the individual gems as bingo markers.  I also had some sparkly pompoms I had picked up in a craft store and thought those looked like they could be snowballs.  I really could not decide which bingo markers I liked better, so I decided to use them both!

Some other ideas for small items to use as bingo markers would be blue and white M&Ms, buttons, foam shapes, and pennies.  What else could you use?

Making this bingo game was easy, although a little time-consuming.  All I had to do was take photos of different things in the Disney FROZEN Castle Play Set.  Then a resized the images, cropped them into identically sized squares, and digitally pasted them onto a large solid colored square.  To make the calling cards, I just used the same images I used on each bingo board and digitally pasted them onto one page.  You could really make this bingo game with any theme as long as you have enough items to photograph.

In addition to enjoying this DIY Disney FROZEN Castle Bingo Game with your children on a rainy or snowy day, it would also make a fun inexpensive party favor for a FROZEN-themed birthday party.  You can just print and cut out a set for each guest and include a little bag of M&Ms to use as bingo markers in the goodie bag!  What do you think?!

Timeless Toys for Children

This post has been brought to you by Jennifer Viloria.

Choosing toys for you children can seem a daunting task especially with the range of options on the market. Toys go in and out of fashion every year, but there are some staple toy and game designs that have stood the test of time. Let’s take a look at some of the toy classics that seem to stay at the top of the charts, year in and year out.


The world of Lego . . .

Lego has come a long way since the company was first created in 1932 in Denmark. The brightly colored interlocking bricks are a firm favorite with children of all ages. Lego sets inspire and encourage children to use their imagination, developing their artistic creativity.

There are literally thousands of different sets of Lego toys available with a variety of themes including robots, outer space, the Wild West, towns, and cities, but you can still purchase a basic set for under $20. The company has also branched out with its range of video games, which can be enjoyed by children of all ages and can be played by the entire family.


Board Games to keep everyone happy . . .

Board games have always been a great choice to help children engage with others, learn skills such as letter recognition and reading, as well as helping to improve manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination. One of the main attractions is that these games promote a fun way of interacting together as a family, no matter the age range.

The good news is that despite the apparent technological takeover in terms of mobile interactivity and video gaming, favorites like Monopoly, Scrabble, and Hungry Hungry Hippos are still up there as some of the most popular pastimes available for families. It’s not hard to see why: these games provide lasting entertainment, even as your family grows and changes, providing plenty of value for your money at the same time.


Pocket money toys . . .

All toy shops carry what is known as pocket money toys. These are individual toys or toys that are part of a collection; think magic kits, Barbie toys, sticker sets, painting packs, and Play-Doh.  The list is virtually endless. These toys are not only fun for kids to collect but are cheap enough to be bought with your child’s allowance, meaning kids learn the value of money and saving from an early age.

Sometimes even the simplest toys are the best way to challenge a child, feed their curiosity, and boost their practical and mental skills. From building blocks to prompt a toddler’s hand-eye coordination to the most complex doll houses and space stations to fire up the imagination, these timeless toys are much more than easy entertainment.

Disruptus and Arrazzles . . . Two New Out-of-the-Box Thinking Games from Funnybone Toys

Thank you to Funnybone Toys for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

Funnybone Toys is a leader in toys that not only are fun, but are artful and thought provoking as well. We have received games from them before and have loved them and still play them now. So when Funnybone offered us two more of their new games, Disruptus and Arrazzles, we knew they would become favorites quickly.

Disruptus is a hard game to explain, it’s more of a learn-by-doing game, but in a nutshell, you take two things and create something new and then everyone has fun rethinking the idea and making something new and/or improving upon it.

Please take two minutes to watch this video demonstrating the logic behind Disruptus.  It takes innovation and disruptive thinking to play and master this fun and entirely unique game. We had to adapt play to suit my 6 year old, but we all had a blast with this interesting game.

Arrazzles is a different kind of game because free thinking and design is how you play. Each octagon-shaped piece is slotted and features one metallic color on each side and they even have a hole in the middle to help you design with pipe cleaners, pencils, or whatever else you can find. Once connected, the colors bounce off one another and make the designs even better. To play, you can split the pieces up, or just place them all in the middle and have at it, designing whatever you want. Then, other players can try to figure out what you created or you can set themes and have everyone make something related to it.

This free play method really builds imagination and lets everyone get their creative juices flowing. These pieces are also really well built and thick so they are sure to stand up to many hours of play. We really love creating with this and this has found a permanent place in our living room because we pull it out so often.

Both Disruptus and Arrazzles retail for $24.99 on www.funnybonetoys.com.

Living Green With Jerinda: Gobblet and Fastrack . . . Two Fun New All-Wooden Board Games

Thank you to Blue Orange Games for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon.  All opinions expressed are my own.

We have long loved Blue Orange Games. They are a company that strives to be eco-friendly and provide games that are fun, long lasting, and usually compact as well. So when Blue Orange offered me the chance to review more of their amazing games, I naturally said yes.

Gobblet is a wooden game that reminds me of a mix of checkers, tic tac toe, and Connect 4, but with a fun twist: the wooden pieces can “gobble” their opponents smaller pieces in order to win the game. This game is fairly simple to learn but mastering the strategy could take years! Both my kids (11 & 6) love playing it even if they are not evenly matched. This game is very well made of solid wood that will likely never wear out with proper use. This game has quickly become a favorite in our home.

Fastrack is super fast paced game where you launch wooden discs and try to get them through the hole to your opponent’s side before they launch all of theirs onto your side. Both players play at the same time and the fastest fingers win! Again, both my kids love playing this one and Quinn (the 6 year old) is surprisingly better at aiming on this game than I would have thought. It is also well made from wood but the elastic band could wear out over time and use.

Both Gobblet and Fastrack can be purchased on Blue Orange Games website, BlueOrangeGames.com. Gobblet retails for $29.99 and Fastrack retails for $19.99.

How to Have a Fun Family Game Night Pretzel Party with Snyder's of Hanover and Mattel Board Games

Thank you to Snyder's of Hanover and to Mattel for providing complimentary product samples to help us plan our event.  All opinions expressed are my own.

You've probably heard me complain before about how infrequently we get to plan a Family Game Night at our house.  When I was invited to plan a Family Game Night Pretzel Party with the help of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels and Mattel board games, how could I refuse?  After all, they did all the hard work for me.

Step 1.  Be sure you have a large assortment of pretzels.  You'll want to choose some old favorites (like the Snyder's of Hanover Peanut Butter Pretzel Sandwiches and the Honey Wheat Braids), some pretzel varieties that your family has never tried before (such as the Cheddar Cheese & Cracked Pepper Flavor Doubles or the Bacon Cheddar Pretzel Pieces), plus some plain pretzels for dipping.

Step 2.  Choose a variety of age-appropriate games.  We had received the Apples to Apples Party Box, which was for ages 12 and up, and the Uno Power Grab, which was slightly out of the age range of our twin kindergartners.  We ended up playing the Parrot Pile-Up Game followed by the Uno Card Game, both of which were the perfect age for our twins and their 9 year old big brother.

Step 3.  Make one or more of these super-easy marshmallow pretzel dips.

Step 4.  Invite your children to enjoy the pretzels and dip before you bring out the games.  This will allow you to get all the stickiness out of the way first.

Step 5.  Bring on the games!

We started with the Parrot Pile-Up Game because we had never heard of it before and the parrot on the box looked super-fun.  This game does not require any skills other than a steady hand, which put players of all ages on a pretty even playing field.

All you had to do was add a piece of cargo to the pile on the raft and push the raft with one finger only to its next stop without letting any cargo fall off the raft.  The higher the pile of cargo got, the more fun and laughter ensued.  Parrot Pile-Up was a surprisingly entertaining game for the whole family.  It turned out our 6 year old daughter had the steadiest hand out of everyone.  She won the game by getting rid of all her pieces of cargo first.

Next, we moved onto the Uno Card Game.  This is a great game for children ages 6 and up.  The players need only to be able to match numbers or colors with a few specialty cards thrown in.

Our daughter ended up winning this game too, so she got to sit back and watch the rest of the game while munching on more pretzels.  She just could not get enough of the Bacon Cheddar Pretzel Bits and the Honey Wheat Braids dipped in the chocolate marshmallow dip.

The rest of the game went on for quite some time until it was down to my husband and our 9 year old son.  There was quite a bit of good-natured ribbing going on between them.  It just made us all laugh watching them carry on the way they did.

I think we made some great memories that night.  If you'd like to plan your own Family Game Night Pretzel Party, start off by picking up some pretzels.  You can look for specially marked bags of Snyder's of Hanover pretzels that have a coupon for $1.00 off any Uno brand game.

Visit SnydersOfHanvoer.com and Mattel.com for more items to make your Family Game Night a fun and memorable one.

Ring Bling . . . a Crazy Fun New Game for the Whole Family

Teaching children to follow directions is always a good thing and the new game, Ring Bling, from Super Duper, Inc. helps to reinforce this positive lesson.

Ring Bling is a simple game in which children take turns choosing a “Happy Hand” for which to place their rings on. They then choose a card, follow its instructions, and spin the spinner to get one or two rings or possibly even give away a ring to their friend. The cards have simple, imaginative instructions like, “Kiss a slimy frog” or more complex, outlandish ones like, “Before you play the drums, play the guitar with your teeth.” Teaching children to follow these abstract directions gets them working many different parts of brain and gets those imaginations turning as well.

(Click any photo to enlarge)

I have to say that my whole family really liked this game. The fun, crazy instructions were fun for us all to act out and we had a blast laughing and pretending together. My kids were especially thrilled with it because it’s unlike any game we have ever owned. It is simple yet fun, unique yet entertaining. We highly recommend it.

Ring Bling can be purchased at www.superduperinc.com for $29.95. You can browse the Super Duper Inc. eCatalog to view their full selection of learning and developmental poducts.  Also, Super Duper, Inc. is giving 3G2S readers an exclusive coupon code for 15% off their purchase when used on their website. Please use coupon code KSBLOG1323 to take advantage of this deal. Coupon expires March 31, 2013.


Thank you to Super Duper Inc. for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon and for providing a gift certificate for our contest prize.  All opinions expressed are my own.

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Review: Learn About the Great Outdoors with the CAMP Board Game

Bring a little bit of nature to your board game night with Camp, the new board game by Education Outdoors. Camp is the game where both children and adults can have fun playing and learning about the outdoors and its creatures. The game is designed to be age-appropriate and entertaining for children age 4 through adults with their leveled play using questions specially recommended by age and skill level. The beautiful game board is engaging and the rules are simple to master and follow: get from the campfire all the way around the board and back to the safety of the campfire again. You do this by rolling the dice and then answering questions based on the great outdoors.

This game was fun for all of us and we thoroughly enjoyed learning new facts and trivia about animals and other outdoor information. Quinn (almost 6) didn’t get frustrated because his questions were simple, Avery (11) had harder but still fairly easy questions, and my husband and I did the level 3 & 4 questions to test them out. All the questions are multiple choice, regardless of play level, and that just lowers frustrations even more.

The unique design of the cards also requires a “decoder” to reveal the answer, which the kids just love. The game is similarly made to other board games, so it should hold up with regular use.

Camp includes 1 game board, 199 game cards with almost 500 questions and fun facts, the decoder, 8 animals game characters, 1 die, 16 level cards, and 1 compass card. You can purchase Camp from the Education Outdoors Store or on Amazon for $24.99.

Thank you to Education Outdoors for providing a complimentary product sample for us to base this review upon.