I used to work retail in an educational toys, games and teaching resource store. I saw many toys, games, and products come through our doors. As a former teacher, a mother to three children, this store was my favourite place to work at, and shop at. I preferred shopping there to Toys R Us, which now carry many of these items that used to be strictly available at little toy stores or educational stores. Sadly this store is no longer in business.
While working there I fell in love with a particular games company. This company has many logic and problem solving games for a single player. From ages 2/3 to 99. They’re fun, and very well designed.
The company I’m going to feature is Smart Games. You can view their website, and even download an iPad app to try many of their games before buying them. Smart Games
I have two of their games for my youngest, who is now three and a half. Last year he received the Day and Night game and the Cars game . He mastered both very quickly, and enjoys their colourful wooden pieces, and puzzles to solve. His older brother and sister already had Airport, North Pole Camoflage, Chicken Shuffle, Penguins on Ice, Anti-Virus, and Anaconda . They loved these games too, and spent hours over the past few years playing them.
This year for Christmas I chose a new game for my youngest, ColourCode after trying it on their site.
Somehow I missed that it was for age 5-99. He is 3.5 years old. Undaunted, we tried it anyway. It has been three weeks since he received it, and he has already mastered a huge chunk of the puzzles on his own, and can do others with assistance. Colour me blown away.. I really wasn’t sure he would enjoy it, once I saw the age on it, but he has played it daily. We frequently go from the starter level to the expert level in a single session. He has a good memory, and good problem solving skills, even learning to turn pieces around, move them in front, in behind or in between other pieces as needed. Of course I am one proud Mama, but I cannot say enough about this game.
As I write this, he has just asked to play it some more, and is playing it now. In fact, he is working on Expert puzzle number 69. He needs minor assistance at this level, but tries his best on his own first and frequently comes very close.
The object of the game is to recreate the puzzle image by layering the coloured plastic pieces. It has allowed him to practice colour and shape recognition, and learn how layering these pieces create different images. He does get silly at times, but is always very proud of himself once he has solved the puzzle. He even enjoys creating his own layered images with the pieces.
It was a very simple game to learn, and for a 3.5 year old he picked up on the strategy of it very quickly.
Here’s a couple pictures of him playing it in the first week after Christmas.
This company has very brilliantly created games that kids of all ages enjoy, and adults too. I look forward to buying the other games for my youngest, and seeing him play them.
Keep up the great work Smart Games!
A Mama's Tried and True Picks 