A robust colurful toy to help children leran the names of animals and improve their memory
Disadvantages:
You will be palying this game over and over
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
I just love Orchard Toys; if you have read my review on Jack and the Beanstalk skip this bit about information about Orchard Toys.
Orchard Toys: Their toys, games and puzzles, are brightly coloured and teach the children something while at the same time the children are having fun so don't realise that they are learning. The toys are for children between 18months and 10years old. All their toys are made of recycled cardboard and have a wipe clean surface. I got my first Orchard toy about a year ago and you could hardly tell that the toy is that old considering it is played at least once a week. They must be doing something right considering they have been around for over 30 years and many of their products have won practical pre-school awards, Jack and the Beanstalk being one of them in 2005.
There are not many shops that stock their whole range, a few shops stock their popular games and puzzles like Boots at Christmas and The Entertainer. I am quiet lucky though that one of my toy shops is not a chain one and is an independent one and stocks virtually the whole range. It is not that more expensive than ordering direct from Orchard toys, no more than £1 per toy. If you don't have a toyshop that stocks these toys don't worry you can order direct from Orchard Toys via the website, the phone, e-mail, post or fax. All orders under £30 have a delivery charge of £4.50 and all orders over £30 are free. To see what they offer you can look at their website or if you contact them they will send you out a free brochure with all their products in.
Website: http://www.orchardtoys.co.uk/
Order phone number: 01953-859520
Fax number: 01953-423440
E-mail: info@orchardtoys.com
Address: Orchard toys Wymondham Business Park Chestnut Drive Wymondham Norfolk NR18 9SB
This was the first Orchard Toy I ever got for my little girl and she loves it. This toy has won the Gold award for Practical Preschool Award 2002.
Cost: £10 - Direct from Orchard £10.99 - From my independent toy shop Age: 2 - 6 years old Players: 2 - 4 players
The box: The box has the name of the game in big while letters across the top and a picture of the ark, with a couple of the animals on it. This ark looks like the one that is inside the box. There are also pictures of the cards you get with the game. It has a plastic carrying handle so your little one can carry the game around with them with ease; mine are all standing upright so my little girl can just pull them out of her toy box by their handle with ease. One thing which I like about the box is that so you can not lose the instructions as they are printed on the back of the box is nice clear white type. As I hate it when you have a game and you lose the instruction and as these games are made to last and you find you will give it away to another child or keep it for your next child you want the instructions and this way you will.
Inside the box you get: A large Noah's ark, this comes in already put together with a slit in the top to put the cards in and a hole at the bottom to get them out though I find it easier to undo the side and take them out. It also fits perfectly into the box 42 cards, there is two of every card - 40 animal cards and 2 rain clouds with a bright coloured background - each card is about 6.5cm x 6.5cm
How to play: 1. Remove the rain cloud cards and divide the remaining cards into two so there is one of each animal in each pile. 2. Divide one of the piles amongst each of the players, if there is some cards left you can give them to the older children or do what I do remove them from both piles so everyone has the same amount of cards. 3. Each player has their cards facing upwards in front of them. 4. With the other pile, place them all face down and mix them up including the two rain clouds. 5. With the youngest one going first, let them pick a card facing down. If they have got the matching card they place them both in the Noah's ark. If not place it back in the pile facing down. 6. Each player takes it in turns. 7. Once a player has put all their cards in the Noah's ark then they have to find a rain cloud and put it in the Noah's ark and they are the winner.
What it teachers: It teaches the name of animals and what they look like. It also helps to improve their memory as they have to remember where animals are if they have that animal and someone has already found it for them.
What my little girl and me think about it: This game can become repetitive and especial if your little one is anything like mine and wants to play it over and over again. When she was learning the names of animals I would only let her keep the pair of animals if she could name the animal. You could also change the game by just using the cards. You place all the cards facing down and then try and find a pair. Who can get the most pairs? This really makes their mind think as the children really have to remember where the cards are because they don't have to remember where one card but two cards.
The animals are in bright colours and have a cartoon look to them but they look like the animal they are suppose to be and are coloured in the correct colours for them. This is good I feel as I hate when you are looking at a picture and you have no idea what the animal is or they have coloured the creature in stupid colours and you have to try and explain what the animal really looks like to the children.
The game says it is for 2 - 6 years old. Depending on how much patients your little one depends if two is too young with your one, my little girl at two could not get the hang of this game but by 2 and half she got the hang of it and we play it at least once a week now. The eldest one was 6 when I brought this game and she found it to simple and repetitive so I say 5 to 6 is about right for the life of this game and trust the game will last that long.
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