I love playing board games, card games and open-ended puzzles with the twins.
Other than having the excuse to sit down at the table or lying down on the bed to rest and play with them concurrently, these games build their characters and give them opportunities to stretch their brains.
These are a few of the games that we always enjoy and sharing them here.
Sequence For Kids
Sequence For Kids* is my 3-year-olds’ first board game officially. It is something that they can grasp and play with understanding.
The rule of the game is straightforward – the first person who makes a straight line using four chips is the winner, a game that is very similar to Connect 4*, but much more little kids-friendly.
Each player takes three cards to start and arrange the rest into a stack at the side of the board. Each player takes a turn to place one chip on an animal on the board corresponding to a card that she is holding. Discard the used card, and the player takes a new card from the stack of the remaining cards.
There are two types of mythical creatures in the cards, namely the dragon and the unicorn. These creatures cannot be found on the board. The unicorn is used as a wild card, i.e. the player holding the unicorn can place her chip on any unoccupied space on the board. The dragon is used to remove the opponent’s chip on the board.
The twins always cheer when they receive either the unicorn or dragon though I need to prompt them on when to use the cards.
I like how Sequence for kids* helps the kids to cultivate patience to take turns. Strategising to win 4 in a row is still too advanced for them, but still, the board game allows them to play independently with their elder siblings. Nonetheless, things get messy when one of them decides not to abide by the rule and squabbles begin.
I only regret not selecting Sequence Letter* as it would have helped to familiarise the twins with alphabets too. Or perhaps I should get one more set. Also, I will be happier with a stronger paper material used for the cards which can be easily damaged with the twins’ handling.
Smart Games – Three Little Pigs
The Three Little Pigs* is one of our evergreen puzzles we love.
My twins are intrigued by how the adorable pigs fit perfectly inside the houses.
There are two modes in this game. In the play mode, arrange the houses such that the pigs can play outside.
For a start, the twins were more interested in getting the pigs into the houses. After a few demonstrations stretched over a few days, they gradually conquered the first few puzzles of Starter Level.
In the wolf mode, the little ones arrange the houses to help the pigs stay safe inside their homes.
We have this set for many years, probably 6? And it is still sturdy as even.
The photo below shows one of our favourite versions of The Three Little Pigs book* which is non-violence—introducing the story before the game gives the little ones a better understanding and hence appreciation of the Little Three Pigs Puzzles from Smart Game.
Smart Games – The Little Red Riding Hood
We received another similar and yet different excellent puzzle game as the twins’ birthday present earlier this year.
This version is a little harder for the young 3-year-old to understand. I recently reintroduce the toy and they finally got it. Help Little Red Riding Hood find a path to reach Grandma’s house.
There are 5 paths in this set. There are hints available to help the little ones solve the puzzle. In the puzzle below, only the path with the pink flower is required.
Master Level is tough. Even my 9-year-old took a couple of minutes and a few tries to complete the path to Grandma’s home.
I appreciate how the Three Little Pigs and the Little Red Riding Hood stretch the little minds, builds focus and patience.
Similar to the Three Little Pig game, I introduced the Little Red Riding Hood story before playing the game to help them understand the game better.
In this toddler-friendly version of the Little Red Riding Hood* book, the wood-cutter did not cut open the wolf’s stomach to save Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma. Instead, Grandma ran away to call for help. The woodcutter saved her before nasty things happen.
My twins love the illustrations and ‘read’ both books over and over again on their own.
Orchard Toys – Crocodile Snap Mini Game
We are fans of Orchard Toys too and collected a couple of their games over the years.
We play the Crocodile Snap Mini Game* in 2 ways.
First, the traditional snap, a sure way to get little kids excited.
Second, the memory game. There are 32 sturdy cards in total. With all the cards facing down, the twins take turns to flip two cards facing up and collect the matching cards.
The twins enjoy the memory game. They can go on and on before feeling bored or tired. A Maths element I add to the game is to allow each twin to count their winnings and discover who the winner is. Tiny details like this get them excited too.
Orchard Toys – Shopping List Memory Game
There are so many ways to use the shopping lists and its cards*.
For us, the twins first started with just matching the items to the shopping list. There are also times when we used the cards for pretend play.
I introduced the official way of playing the game recently, that is memorising the items on the shopping list and then pretend to shop without referring to the list. The twins are probably not ready for it and I will reintroduce the game later.
What are your little ones’ favourite games? Share them with us in the comment box below.
You may also like the following posts:
Easy Bake for Little Kids – Gluten-Free Cornflake Cookies
My Little Climbing Room – We Love the Experience
Magnetic Tiles for Building Numbers
Tineco Floor One S3 review – A Wonderful Help For Busy Families
Don’t want to miss my posts? Subscribe here to get updates from me.
*contains affiliate links at no additional cost to you.
