Game + Educational = Happy Ohana
I am going to admit right now that my ohana are game junkies. We have a jam packed closet full of games and play them a lot....a whole lot! We have all different games, but our favorites are the ones that are also educational. We love games that challenge the player to use their brain muscle, strategic skills, teamwork, and creativity. So, welcome aboard Wise Alec Nature Nuts Travel Game and Expansion Set!
When Nature Nuts arrived, I was pleased right away with it's slim design and portability. It's about the size of a large pencil case. The lid has a magnetic closure so it is pretty secure. I knew it would stand up to some jiggling around in my purse or tote bag. The instructions to play are printed right on the inside of the box, so you don't have to worry about losing a piece of paper. There is a plastic covering over the cards and die to keep them secure inside and clean.
Included in the box are 1 die, 3 decks of trivia cards, and 1 deck of Wise Alec cards. There are 300 questions to test your knowledge of animals, plants, and the Earth. Each card has 2 level questions, 3 points or 7 points. We really liked this feature. Whether you are a novice scientist or a pro, there is a question for you! If you are up for a challenge then just go for the 7 point questions all the way! The Wise Alec cards will have you doing tongue twisters, brain teasers, and exercises! Did you pick an Action card? Then maybe you'll have to walk like a penguin for 3 points. Or, say "Purple puppies poke and paint purple people" 5 times to earn 5 points. You might even lose points with a Wise Alec card, so watch out!
There were a couple of things we did not like about the Wise Alec cards. For example, there was a card requiring the player to do a Yoga pose. I don't mind my son stretching or exercising, but we don't follow the spiritual influence of Yoga. Another example is the Brain Teaser cards. The questions are great, like "Name 5 types of amphibians". But, the answers are not provided. That could be frustrating in determining if a player got it right. If these two issues bother you, the Yoga or Brain Teaser cards. Then, just remove them from the deck. There aren't too many of them so it won't make a difference in your pile. There were only two other things we did not like about the game. The cards are thin. They bend easily and will likely fray at the edges after a little more use. The design of the box also presents a challenge. The cards are very difficult to remove from the box. We have to tip the box upside down to get all of the cards out. But, then the cards can easily all fall out together and get mixed up.
The game is quite easy to play. Griddly Games made the rules simple. Players can keep points or just play for the fun of it! It's the perfect size to bring in the car or play while at a restaurant waiting for your food to arrive. When we did this we just took turns with the questions and didn't keep score. It was still fun! You can take a peek at the rules HERE or take a minute and watch this video...
You can get Nature Nuts from a variety of retailers. Click HERE to find a location where you live. Or, just click HERE to order it from Amazon. It is currently $14.99 on Amazon with free shipping. But, why stop there? You can get the same game in two other themes! Sports Buffs and Civilize This will continue to keep your family entertained for hours.
If you want to read what my fellow TOS Crew members are saying about Griddly Games, then click HERE to read their reviews.
Any products reviewed by me as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew have been given to me free of charge in order for me to provide you with an honest review of the product and/or how we used the product within our family. I do not receive any other form of compensation for the reviews posted on this blog.
