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My twin, three-year old grandsons, Jake and Toby, watch as a I cut and tape together the mail truck for the Valentine Game I had created and published called "Find My Heart." I explain the object of the game. "On a windy February day, Valentine Heart Cards have blown out of the Mail Truck and are littering the neighborhood! Can you help the Teddy Bear Mail Carrier collect the Valentine Heart Cards and return them to the Mail Truck before he reaches it?"
Once the game pieces are cut out and the truck and die are taped, we sit on the carpet with the book open to the game board. (I know the rules by heart, so we don't need to read through them first.) I know that the game teaches cooperation, counting skills, and fine motor control, but mainly, I want the boys to have fun. They are fairly new to playing board games and I want the experience to be positive. This game was created for children ages 3 and up, and with Valentine's Day next week, it's the perfect choice!
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Jake rolls the die and counts the hearts. He moves the Mail Carrier three spaces and then places three Valentine Heart Cards in the Mail Truck slot. I love that this game fosters friendships because the players work together. In a cooperative game, everyone wins (or loses) at the same time. Research shows that cooperative games help prevent bullying.
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Photos by Emily Bush
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Now it's Toby's turn. He rolls the die and counts the hearts. He moves the Mail Carrier two spaces and then places two Valentine Hearts Cards in the Mail Truck slot. As the Mail Carrier moves along the path, each of them hopes to land on the special spaces. For a solid heart, an extra card is placed in the Mail Truck slot. For a broken heart, one is taken away and placed back on the game board. "Will all the cards be picked up in time?" Jake worries. The first time we play, we all win! I show the boys how to turn the truck upside-down and pour out the cards, scattering them around the path. The second time we play, we all lose. All the Valentine's Heart Cards won't be delivered, so we have to play a third time. We win! The Mail Truck zooms around the board. Everyone will receive their Valentine Card!
To purchase this game for $7.99, visit the Check Out Page. For a 50% discount, download and print the game yourself from your computer using any color printer onto regular-sized 8 ½ x11-inch paper from the HoutsHome online shop at Etsy.
To purchase this game for $7.99, visit the Check Out Page. For a 50% discount, download and print the game yourself from your computer using any color printer onto regular-sized 8 ½ x11-inch paper from the HoutsHome online shop at Etsy.
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