As you know we have kids across quite a few age gaps. There is 12 years between Cameron and Kiara which means it can get challenging to try and find activities we can all enjoy. Board games are one way activity that can work across this age gap because it is possible for the older kids to team up with the younger kids. We can also get a little creative with some of the rules to accommodate the younger ones!
I am always on the look out for games that are fun and will keep everyone entertained. Prima Toys recently sent us there 20 Questions game to try out. While this game is officially aimed at kids from 8 up (because of the reading I think) we can play it with the younger two.
What is 20 Questions? Well it is exactly what the name implies. It involves asking a set of 20 Questions with the aim of trying to figure out what the person, place or thing is. 
There is a board and a series of cards. Each card is either a person, place or thing and has a series of 20 questions with clues. So for example “I am a Hamburger”. The reader of the card, then reads one question to each player, for example “I can be held in one hand” and “I am a good”. Each player then has to try to guess what the answer is.
I am a fan of these kinds of games because it helps kids with their general knowledge. (If you watch that video doing the rounds where a group of Americans where asked to name one country on a the map you will know that general knowledge is VITAL!). It also helps develop their reasoning skills by being able to put together all the clues like the pieces of a puzzle.
There are some places that were a little harder for even the older kids to guess the first time around but the more we play the more the figure it out. 
A big bonus for me is that this game moves quickly and keeps your attention. You have to pay attention to each round to listen to the clues so it engages everyone, all the time.
It is also a pretty cool game for an games night with friends at a braai or dinner!
I have mentioned a few reasons why I enjoy playing games like this but here are a few more reasons the Prima Toys team came up with.
- You have fun and, as a result, feel good. One of the things that most often happens while we play is that we laugh, at ourselves and with others. As someone once said – “laughing is the best medicine”. Think Anti-Monopoly, Hotel Tycoon and Rummikub.
- It creates good family time. Spending time with the family, with no interruption and no distractions is one of the key benefits of playing boardgames. Switch off the TV, put cellphones on silent and gather your kids for a few hours of face to face fun! As a parent, it helps you teach your children fundamental skills such as strategy, being a diplomatic winner and a good loser.
- Memory formation and cognitive skills. Allowing your kids to play a board game helps them practice essential cognitive skills like problem solving. It stimulates complex thought and memory formation, especially if you’re playing games where children need to match a card with another. Games include Frozen Matching Game, Lion Guard Matching Game and Peppa Pig Dominoes.
- Speed up your responses. Get yourself a game like Rubik’s Speed Cube, Flipside or 20 Questions and you’ll get better at remembering and arriving at the answer or the objective of the game quicker.
- Child development: Board games can help with the development of logic and reasoning skills, improve critical thinking and boost spatial reasoning. Encouraging children to play different types of board games can also increase verbal and communication skills, while helping develop attention span and the ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. Games for developing these skills include Twist & Turn, L.O.L. Surprise Game and Minnie Play & Learn Educational Game.
This review was part of the first ever Prim Toys Games Festival
The Prima Toys Games Festival is about bringing everyone together and finding every excuse under the sun to play a game or two. Boardgames can be played indoors near a roaring open fire, they can be taken on a picnic on a gloriously sunny Sunday afternoon, they can be played on date night, at book club or at a party. Invite your mates over for dinner and a game because boardgames are the perfect reason to bring family and friends together. This year there are games for every age from toddler to grandparent, making them ideal for holiday time, weekend time or any time, for that matter!
“Boardgames and games are a wonderful form of entertainment and this year, to showcase Prima Toys’ amazing products, we are very proud to be launching the first ever #PrimaGamesFest
2 Responses
I’ve never heard of this game. Definitely sounds like fun.
I think this would be a great choice for our family. We have a big age gap between kids as well!