Games Kids "Get"

I have spent many an afternoon trying to teach various board games to my three-year-old, and it usually ends up the same way: he gets impatient, I get frustrated, and we end up calling it quits before anyone reaches the "finish" square.

The creators at I Can Do That! know kids. And they know parents. Their Dr. Suess-inspired games get kids up and out of their seats—running, jumping, and following directions. They understand that games for the preschool set need to be simple, engaging, and easy-to-follow. Even better, they seem to have created toys that kids can actually play BY THEMSELVES. Yep, every parents' dream.

Our family favorite is the Green Eggs and Ham Speedy Dinner Game. There is no complicated gameboard here, and no reading involved. There are three "dinner plates" for three different diners, shaped and color coded food items, and a rotating menu that kids can operate themselves. At each turn, the menu instructs kids as to the order of each of the three diners. And then the kids scramble to serve up those foods to their restaurant patrons. Simple!

My kids (3 and 2) both had a blast with this, and were running around the living room laughing and screaming. My 3-year-old is able to follow the directions and play along, but the beauty of this game is that it allows younger children to feel like they are participating. And once we were done, my oldest sat and played by himself!

Some other highlights:

  • the menu recognition encourages early reading
  • kids have to listen and follow directions
  • more difficult cards promote counting and number identification
  • the menu items reinforce shape and color matching
  • it gets kids moving!

If you are a Dr. Suess fan, you will love the variety of games offered at I Can Do That!

We also love:

  • The Cat in the Hat I Can Do That Game - The high-energy game that combines balancing, jumping, sliding, giggling and more to celebrate your child’s “I Can Do That!” attitude! This is a super silly game that helps foster following simple instructions and confidence as kids accomplish a task!
  • Horton Hears a Who! - Go on a wild adventure to save the Whos! Put on the Horton hat and race around the house to find the clovers where the tiny Whos live. Pick them up with your trunk—then hurry back before time runs out! The player who rescues the most Whos is the winner!  
You can find these games at Toys R Us, Target and other Toy Retailers.

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