We’ve been having a great time hanging out in the kitchen with our kids and putting out nuts for the squirrels. We’ll hate the squirrels when they’re scampering around on the roof during the summer, of course. For now, though, we’re enjoying watching our children turn our backyard nuisance into pets–while also learning about how animals put away food for the winter. Not that these squirrels had to worry. We’re feeding them plenty of nuts. We still think our kids get the point that nature isn’t always charitable.
Anyway, we went looking for a way to keep the fun going after the early sunsets, and came across The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game. Meant for children ages 3 to 7, this fun game develops skills in sorting, matching, and hand-eye coordination. There’s also some strategic thinking involved, and pre-handwriting skills and fine motor skills. The idea is to fill your “log” with acorns to feed your hungry squirrels over the winter. The first player to fill their log with an acorn of each color wins. To “get” an acorn, each player takes a turn with the spinner. Some of the moves on the spinner are “pick an acorn, “lose an acorn,” and “steal an acorn.” It teaches young children how follow instructions, strategize, take turns, learn colors and be good losers–such as when they have to give up an acorn or an acorn is stolen from them.
Acorns are moved using a squirrel tweezers that has to be held properly or the acorn will slip out of the grip, helping to improve small motor coordination. The top of the game storage box is part of the game and the pieces are made of sturdy plastic. While the recommended starting age is 3, most parents found that their 2 year olds had no problem grasping the rules while their 6 and 7 year olds tended to get bored faster. This game is loved by 2- to 4-year olds–and their parents and grandparents, who find the simplicity of the game a real attraction.
