Dad's Ink, Ltd.
www.toadsoffun.com
6636 Foster Street
Morton Grove, IL 60053
847-470-3212
Toads of Fun is a simple board game for children 4 years and older that reinforces six basic colors and the numbers 1 through 6. It also gives kids practice in following directions and taking turns. The object of the game is to be the first person to catch and keep six flies with your "toad" game piece. The game can be played by two to six players and comes complete with six toads (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple), 36 flies (six of each color), one bee, a double spinner board with a numbers spinner and a colors spinner, and a game board featuring a pond scene with lily pads, "splash spots," and logs.
Each lily pad is one of the six different colors and is divided into six sections. Before play begins, all of the flies (as well as the one bee) are placed randomly on the lily pads, with no more than three to a section. Each player places his toad on the log that corresponds to the toad's color. In turn, each player spins both spinners to determine which lily pad (and which section) he or she will land on. When landing on a spot, the player collects the flies that are there. There are numerous "twists" in the game (e.g., landing on the bee, landing on another toad, spinning a "lucky leap," being sent to the "splash spot," etc.). These twists might allow you to take over another player's spot, send the bee to an opponent's spot, or send an opponent's toad to its log and claim all of his flies for yourself.
Game play is fairly short with just two players but would lengthen with additional players. I imagine one could lengthen the game or increase difficulty by requiring players to collect only the flies that match the color of their toad.
Our family found Toads of Fun to be loads of fun, as the creator boasts. Even my 15-year-old thought it was a cute game that she would be willing to play with her younger siblings. It is fairly simple to play, but we did have to refer to the instructions several times until we became accustomed to the various twists. The game does support the learning of simple colors and the numbers 1 through 6, and it is enjoyable even for older students who have a firm grasp on their numbers and colors.
If the "twists" are too hard for your child to deal with, you could remove the bee altogether. Younger students may resent the loss of their flies when they are bumped from a lily pad during game play. As with any game, Toads of Fun provides a chance for students to gain social skills as they deal with frustrations like this.
It is easy to see why this game has already won awards as a great game for children. I do wish it had not been limited to only the numbers 1 through 6, as it seems to me that the numbers 1 through 10 could have been presented just as easily. The price is reasonable for a board game, particularly one with educational value.
I recommend this game for families with young children as well as for those with a range of ages in their children. My children will be receiving this game as a gift, and it will be used for many years to come as our younger children grow up.
Product review by Donna Campos, The Old Schoolhouse Magazine, LLC, November 2006
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