Sneak in Some Learning this Summer with Board Games by SimplyFun

SimplyFun provided complimentary games for review.  All opinions are 100% my own.

You remember SimplyFun, right?  We’ve featured them a few times because it’s my very favorite place to get board games for the kiddies.  Why?  They’re the experts in engaging and educational games that will get your children learning and your whole family connecting!

School is almost over, and I’m already anticipating those days when it’s too hot to spend a lot of time outside and the kids will be complaining about being bored.  In an effort to avoid too much TV time, I try to have other activities ready to go for them, and that is where SimplyFun comes in.  I plan to rely on two of their newest releases for those summertime “Mommy, I’m bored!” moments:  Whirly’s World and Expanders.

Both of my kids are in love with Whirly’s World, which is designed for kids 6 and up.  It’s their latest obsession, and not just because the snails are super cute.  Playing is easy; up to 6 players glide along the adorable, snail-shell-shaped game board while rolling dice and completing odd & even cards and gathering Whirly tokens.   The first snail to join Whirly in the center of the garden is the big winner.

I honestly wasn’t sure how they’d take to a math game since we’d never tried one before, but they have been having so much fun that they want to play every day–and they’re really learning too.  We’ve had this for a few weeks now, and my 5-year-old son has learned more about numbers from Whirly’s World than he has in two years of preschool.  He now knows all about odd and even numbers, and his ability to add and subtract has really improved.  My favorite part is that he can tell how much better he’s gotten at math since we first started playing, and he’s really proud of himself.  I can’t tell you how great that is for me to see.  And isn’t he cute when he’s counting?

Whirly’s World is mainly a math game, but it also manages to work in some word play too.  Some of the cards you draw ask you to name an “S” word in exchange for a Whirly Token (which are very helpful in winning the game), and there are Whirly Word spaces on the board that gain you a Whirly Token if you can name a “W” word.  And yes, that’s me playing the game in that picture.  I admit it:  I’m a Whirly girl.  Hands off the pink snail–that one’s mine!

Expanders is also a math game, but it’s a bit more advanced; therefore, it’s aimed at kids 7 and older.  My daughter isn’t 7 yet, but she’s such a smarty pants that I figured she’d enjoy the challenge.  (And I was right.)  To play Expanders, you need to find numbers and the connected numbers that add up to their sums while blocking your opponents and claiming the most territory on the Mainframe.  It strengthens reverse addition, spatial reasoning, and critical thinking skills while keeping the kids (and daddy) entertained.

There are a lot of things I want to do with the kids this summer, but there are always those days when you’re stuck in the house, and I’m so glad I have SimplyFun to help make that time both enjoyable and productive!  Summer Learning Loss?  Pfffft.  Not as long as I have SimplyFun to depend on.

Whirly’s World and Expanders are just two of several new educational games SimplyFun has added to their growing collection.  Head over to SimplyFun to see these and the other games they have available.  Their Advanced Search makes it easier than ever to find the games that are just right for your child.

P.S.:  A little birdy told me that SimplyFun might just be having a sale very soon.  Stay tuned for an opportunity to snag some huge savings on some great games.  Believe me, you’ll appreciate having some of these on hand for the summertime!