Close Up Mystery Pictures

Since I was young, I've enjoyed the kind of books where an extremely close-up photograph is shown and you have to guess the larger object of which it is a part.  Recently, when I was reading Look Closer with M, it struck me that it wouldn't be that difficult to make a book like that of my own using a digital camera. 

 I took a close-up and a regular distance photo of lots of familiar things from around the house (toys, appliances, etc) some hard, some easy.  I printed them out and turned them into a little blank board book, but it would work just as well to leave them loose and use them like flashcards.  M enjoyed the activity, and G actually guessed some of the pictures too!

Review: Puerto Rico

CSN, an extensive network of online stores, (and a good place to look if you are in the market for a swing set right now) recently gave me the opportunity to review one of their board games, Puerto Rico.  I was pretty excited to do the review because Puerto Rico belongs to the same genre of German board games as Settlers of Catan- a huge favorite with my family and me.

Basic Idea:  The players go from round to round, choosing different roles for themselves and intiating the associated actions.  Players build plantations and buildings.  They produce goods and sell or ship them. Points are added up at the end to determine the winner.

For ages 12 and up.  3-5 players

What we liked:
1.  Like Settlers, there is very little down time.  Each person's turn still leaves all the other players involved and interested. 
2.  Choosing a role for yourself each time it is your turn is FUN!  The choice makes such a a difference in the outplay of the game that it kind of feels like a choose-your-own-adventure story. :-)
3.  It is a fun game even when you are not winning because you can work toward little goals.  Also, a person can come from behind at the beginning of the game and still win with a little careful strategizing.
4.  There are multiple winning strategies.  It's interesting to see what strategies different personalities gravitate toward. 

What we didn't like as much:
1.  The game takes a loooong time to learn, (longer than Settlers) and the game lasts awhile too.  (Generally 1 1/2- 2 hours)
2.  Each game is different because people make different choices, but the board varies very little from game to game (unlike Settlers).
3. Because it lacks any trading element,  Puerto Rico involves less psychological manipulation and teamwork than Settlers.  (Some people might consider than a good thing, but I always liked the interpersonal elements of Settlers)

Bottom Line:  Puerto Rico is great for a group of adults (or teenagers) who are willing to invest 2 or 3 hours several times within a few days in order to really learn the game. For our family, this kind of game is a really good fit for our holiday get-togethers.   It becomes really fun once you understand the strategies and makes for great bonding.  

We all pretty much agreed that it's not as good a game as Settlers of Catan, but for a group of people who have already played Settlers quite a bit and would like to try something different, Puerto Rico is a fun option. 

Upcoming Review: Puerto Rico

Be on the look-out for an upcoming review on the family board game Puerto Rico. The company giving me an opportunity to review this game is CSN Stores- which is actually a network of online companies. Besides being able to buy a wide variety of board games and toys there, you can also purchase of decor and accessories for your child's bed.

Puerto Rico, from what I hear is a complex German board game supposedly enjoyable to the same crowd as enjoys Settlers of Catan (and our family loves that one! see my review of Settlers here). Our family is very interested to try this new game.

Have any of you played Puerto Rico? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

13 Yes/No Riddles

Flikr

If you have a group of people who are stuck together with a lot of time on their hands, a yes/no riddle might be just the thing for you! The riddles are especially fun around a campfire or fireplace late at night. 

Game Review: Settlers of Catan

We LOVE this game and have introduced it to countless of our friends and family. So far, just about everyone we have taught has gotten hooked. The game was created in Germany and won Best Game of the Year there in 1995.

Number of Players: 3-4 unless you buy the expansion kit which makes it possible for 5-6 to play.

(expansion kit link)

Length of Play: 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours (longest times when you have many players)

Things we love about it:

1. Great family game. Ages 10 or so and up will be able to play, and adults won't get bored with it.

2. There is strategy involved, but everyone stays involved and interested in the competition up until the end (unlike Risk where players are eliminated).

3. Even when it isn't your turn, there are still things you can be doing that make it fun.

4. It is a good game for getting to know people. Seeing how people interact with the other players when they trade and work in league can be very revealing. Observe my husband here being a shyster:


5. Every game is different. The board arrangement changes every time, which means one's strategy is constantly changing also.


Things that aren't as great:

1. It takes a long time to learn the rules.

2. Games can sometimes last a long time (not as long as Monopoly but definitely longer than, say, a round of Skip-bo)

For more good Christmas present recommendations visit here.