Tag Archives: minds

ThinkFun games for the holidays

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The family that plays together stays together.

Take it from me, who grew up watching my mom and Auntie Barb play Chinese checkers on the beach at the Jersey shore. Then we would head back to the house and play Yahtzee. And then pinochle.

This year, I enjoyed a rousing round of Scrabble at Thanksgiving. Getting in the game is a good thing!

Here are three games from ThinkFun designed to get your gray cells firing and your family together. That includes yoga poses. These are challenges that reward players for thinking and acting together, not just participation.

cluem-1521-hiresspillStrategic Thinking + Stimulating Play = Perfect 4 Tweens, $12.99
Clue Master  – Your goal: Help Tippy the dog return to his dog house! Young players use deductive reasoning to place Tippy’s chew bones, tennis balls, and food bowls in the correct order to unlock the secret door and send Tippy home. The more you play, the more deductive tricks and strategies you’ll learn as you reason logically from the clues you’re given! (Ages 8+)

yogaspinner-1842-hiresspillActive Minds and Bodies + Multiple Players = Great Stocking Stuffer, $14.99
Yoga Spinner – Simultaneously stimulate and calm the mind while encouraging teamwork and physical activity. Yoga Spinner players give the spinner a whirl, choose the corresponding card, and perform the pose pictured to win the pose card. To win the game, players need to collect a card from each of the four categories of yoga poses. Yoga Spinner was recently the recipient of an Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award and a National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA)  (Ages 5+)

balan-1140-hiresspillVisual Math + Balance Board = Best Educational Gift Under $20, $17.99
Balance Beans – Balance Beans is a logic game and math game all in one. Use the Challenge Card to arrange the Red Beans. then carefully place the blue, yellow, or orange Beans on the Seesaw to keep it from teetering. When you balance the Seesaw, you are actually balancing an equation! This bean-filled logic game is a fun way to introduce young learners to elementary algebra. Balance Beans was recently named an ASTRA Award winner. (Ages 5+)