I recently needed to spend a few more bucks to qualify for free shipping on an Amazon order (well, I guess I didn't technically need to, but it would be silly to pay $5 for shipping when if I spent another few bucks, shipping would be free, and I could get something else I could surely use.) So, I added SET
to our order. SET is an award winning card game that sounds simple enough, but proved to really get us thinking. It's sort of a matching game, but there's more to it than simple shapes, colors or patterns.
You start with 12 cards and have to find a "set" of three that is either all the same, or all different in the four categories of shape, color, pattern, and number. The thing is, there are countless variations on how to make that happen. A "set" might be all the same color and all the same number, but all different patterns and shapes. Each category has to be all the same, or all different though. If it's all different in every other way, but two of the three cards have the same shape, then it's not a set.
. We haven't yet used the penalty violation for calling out false "sets," which is probably a good thing, as we've all excitedly called out dozens of times, only to realize one thing out of the four was wrong. I'm sure that as soon as husband joins in the game, the actual scoring will start, cause that's just how he plays. The game is definitely a winner in our house for thinking skills and addictiveness. It's easy enough to understand for a 6 year old to play, but challenging enough to keep bigger kids and grown ups interested as well. We play a lotta games at my house, and the same old things on the game shelf can get old. I'm glad we added this to our collection of low tech family fun.
What are your favorite family games?
That sounds like a pretty cool game. Now that my oldest kids are on their own, I play games like Candyland with my 17 y/o, who has Down syndrome. But when all the kids were home, Mancala was one of our favorites. Labyrinth was another favorite; my 27-year-old recently borrowed to play with friends :)
ReplyDeleteWe haven't played Mancala in a while, but since we've been reading a lot about Africa lately. I think it sounds like a great time to get it out again. Thanks for the reminder!
ReplyDeleteWe love set...Cohen has beat me several times (mostly because I love him & want him to enjoy the game :) I am amazed that a 5yo boy can come up with so many different sets. It has been joyous to watch him learn (which I would TOTALLY miss if he were in school). What I love about this game is that you can also play it by yourself. Sometimes trying to "beat the clock" is a great way to spend one's time if everyone else is busy.
ReplyDeleteI was also amazed at how well this game worked with a wide variety of ages. It's tougher than it sounds, but simple enough for young ones to do well.
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