toys we love: the sneaky, snacky squirrel game!

Ok, so it's technically a game, but it does involve a little toy squirrel and acorns.  Who wouldn't love a game with a little toy squirrel?!

This Christmas I asked the elves, aka Ella's grandparents and aunts, for games for her.  She is now about that age where I thought she might be able to get the ideas of taking a turn, waiting patiently for her next turn, and follow basic instructions with some basic concepts.  On most of these points, I was right on.  The "waiting patiently for her next turn" is one we will continue to work on!  But it has been fun, in any case, to play a few rounds of this game with her and watch her get better every time!

The basic premise of The Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel Game! is this: spin the spinner, use the squirrel to pick up the acorn from the tree that corresponds to the color indicated on the spinner, and place said acorn onto your individual tree stump in the correct spot according to its color, then wait patiently until it's your turn again.  There are few special spots on the spinner designed to trip up a happy toddler.  I especially like (I mean dislike) the one that requires her to dump all of the acorns she has accumulated thus far back into the tree.  There is also one that allows you to steal an acorn from another player (the sneaky part of the game).

The design of the game is fantastic.  The concepts are easy to grasp and the graphic design is clear and, dare I say, pretty.  Ella also received the classic Chutes & Ladders and Candy Land games, but their newer boards are so convoluted that we've been sticking with this game more often than not.