Tag: Game

Calling All Gamers

In this house, we game.

My husband and I play board games all the time. We like them all. You name it, we’ve probably played it, or at least heard of it.

For awhile now we’ve been on the hunt for a new game. We just need something fresh.

 

 

We’re both so thrilled that we found a new one!

Chickapig is just what we were missing.

This new, fun game is perfect for anyone who loves to play games. It’s fun, so easy to learn, and can be strategic or not. It’s perfect for anyone, really.

Brian Calhoun is a custom guitar maker to country and rock legends in the music biz. He is the brains behind this new, great game. Brian joined forces with his buddy Dave Matthews in an effort to get his game to tables across the country.

Yes people, you read that right. Dave Matthews is one of the creators of this game.

Pretty cool.

 

The Design:

Chickapig is one of the prettiest designed games I’ve played. My favorite part of the game is the pieces.

 

 

They’re made of wood.

Literal, actual wood.

So cool.

The pieces are durable too; the thickness gives them a nice, hearty feel.

 

 

I like the design because it’s simple and farm – like. Wood pieces, simple art work, rustic color and style; it’s great. Just as their slogan states: A farm to table game.

 

Quick recommendation – read the directions throughly. My husband was in charge of reading, learning, then explaining to the rest of us. He failed. To give him the benefit of the doubt; there are a lot of small little rules where, if you have them slightly wrong, the game changes drastically. We were playing wrong here and there, but kept the directions close so we could check if we had a question.

 

The Play:

Check this video out for a quick guide on how to play.

 

 

So, you totally get it now, right?

You can take my word for it when I say this game is easy to learn.

 

 

See those green rectangles? Those are like goal posts; you’re trying to get your corresponding pigs (green, in this case) through the goal.

Similarly to chess you start across the board and move towards your goal. Just roll the die to see how many moves you have. Then get your Chickapig to the other side!

The catch though, the other players are trying to keep you out of your goal AND get their pigs through their goal.

 

 

The other catch – there’s a cow that can poop on the board.

Nobody likes poop, amirite?

The pooping cow causes a player to pick up a poop cards. Poop cards are bad; they force you to do something that will hinder your chances of winning.

Not cool.

 

Good news is you can get a flower card.

This card is super good and gives you a great advantage over the other opponents. When you roll a two you have the option to move two spaces OR take a flower card.

Always take the flower card. Trust me.

 

 

Not only is Chickapig easy to learn, it can be played quickly.

In about 15 minutes me and three others were playing the game and understanding it well. The first game took about 25 minutes. We started out a bit slow, as we were learning, then by the end we felt we had a pretty good hang of it.

 

 

I like the game because there is some offense and defense that needs to be played. Play too much offense and you give someone the upper hand, play too much defense and you’ll never win. They’re gotta be balance, I like that in a game.

I also really like how you can work together with your opponents to accomplish a task. Whether it be blocking someone, or making the cow poop; if you just play an individual game it’s pretty hard to win.

 

 

Do me a favor and give Chickapig a try. It really is a great game that will entertain you and give you a laugh. It’s easy, fun, and quick!

 

Check out Little Joe Chickapig too. An adorable, rhyming children’s book, written by Brian, that was just released!

Our New Friend Leo

We have a new friend and we hope you are as excited to meet him as we are!

If you haven’t heard of ikiki shoes then PLEASE pop on over to read our ikiki review we did in the fall!

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Thanks to our ikiki shoes leaving the house has been fun, simple, and extra comfortable. We finally have shoes that are easy to put on, made for developing walking feet, and inspire my independent free spirited children. So when we saw they were releasing new friends we knew we needed to add them to our ikiki zoo!

This spring ikiki released a new friend Leo Longfire.

The moment my son saw Leo’s lime green skin with cool spikes he was ready to take him on an adventure.

 

Leo’s ikiki Adventure

On a bright sunny day Leo heard a cry for help from his home of iron and rock. 

As he listened closer he recognized it was Princess Patty Potamus!

She needed help!

Leo quickly jumped into action to save his precious friend.

With high tops, breathable skin, and durable soles he knew nothing could stop him on his voyage! 

Leo quickly suited up and tightened his velcro.

Then with an ikiki battle cry, he began his quest to save Princess Patty.

With strong ankle support he charged up the green mountain towards the magic castle. 

With every squeak he knew he was one step closer to seeing Princess Patty’s glittering soles! 

When he arrived to the castle he spotted Princess Patty!

She was squeaking for help from the top of the castle’s tallest tower.

But the castle was full of challenges and obstacles to trip Leo up!

First Leo turned off his squeakers in order to not attract any bad guys.

He quietly descended the steep shoot without leaving a trace of evidence by using his white nonskid bottoms. 

Then with his breathable skin, Leo kept cool while crossing the firey lake of lava.  

With durable rubber soles Leo conquered each step up Slipper Slope Mountain.

At last he met his final obstacle!

With flexibility Leo grasped each stone rung to climb the giant beanstalk.

Princess Patty was saved!

Princess Patty and Leo were finally reunited to make the perfect ikiki pair! 

The End

We hope we’ve inspired you to find your little one their ikiki solemate and take them on a wild adventure!

 

 

Crayola Outdoor Collection Review

Outdoor review

Crayola Outdoor Collection Review

Crayola asked me to review several outdoor items for them this spring. While I was excited to receive our goodies, I believe my daughter was a tad more excited. “CHALK!!!!” She yelled when she saw what was in the package. These Ohio winters are beautiful but a kid needs to get outside and soak in the fresh air and sunshine. Now with spring slowly approaching and as the days hit a balmy 35 we coat up and head outside. Yes, 35 degrees Fahrenheit is outdoor weather is Ohio 😉

Crayola Sidewalk Chalk Mega Pack

The Crayola Mega Pack comes with 4 types of chalk: glitter, neon, color core, and tie dye.

  • Glitter : Razzle Dazzle Red, Sparklin’ Orange, Gleamin’ Green
  • Neon: Laser Lemon, Shocking Pink, Extreme Blue
  • Color Core: Imbedded Red, Sunny Side Up, Inner Blue-ty
  • Tie Dye: Flower Power, Right-On Red, Groovey Bloovy

My children and I enjoyed all of the 4 varieties that were included in this pack. Each had its own fun and unique characteristics.  The glittery really puts glitter on the ground! I thought the sparkle was just a visual effect on the chalk stick, but to my pleasant surprise the glitter is mixed in such a way that it appears on the sidewalk as you draw. The neon is just what is says it is, neon! Bright, bold and full of excitement. Color core has a colored center and a while outside. This gives your drawling a boarder like feeling; giving them depth and a new twist on sidewalk art. Tie dye goes from one color to another, a true to life tie dye effect. Purchase this set here.

Mega Main

Sidewalk Chalk 48 ct.

“Create BIG outdoor art with the ONLY sidewalk chalk in bright, bold Crayola crayon colors! The Anti-Roll shape keeps sticks handy without rolling away and produces fine lines or broad strokes that simply wash away with water. Includes 48 Sidewalk Chalk sticks in exclusive Crayola crayon colors.”

This huge box of chalk has every color your little artist could dream up. From basics like red and green, to dandelion and wisteria, along with their new additions: pink flamingo, sunset orange, sunglow, fern, caribbean green, and pacific blue. Anything is possible with this large collection of chalk. This set of 48 features the anti-roll feature, which is such a treat. With traditional chalk, being barrel shaped, it has a tendency to roll off under the car, into the muck, or, heaven-forbid, into the street. This set of chalk is specially designed having 4 sides so that they chalk will not have the opportunity to roll off. This also makes it easier for small hands to hold. And in true Crayola fashion, it’s washable! Purchase it here.

48

Chalk Grab ‘N Go Games: Bean Bag Toss

“Dominate the driveway or sidewalk with this challenging Bean Bag Toss game! Includes chalk, instructions and 2 bean bags – everything you need to create & play.”

Bean bag toss, corn-hole, bags…whatever you call it, you know you want to play it. More importantly your children want to play it too. This easy and fun Grab ‘N Go Game is perfect for your children this summer. When the adults are playing in the yard you can give this perfectly priced ($6.99) kit to your kids and hours of entertainment is at hand. They simply use the chalk (4 chalk sticks included) to drawn a board on any chalk-safe surface. The kit includes 2 child-sized bags. The bags are just under 3 inches x 3 inches. The perfect size for any toddler or child. Being smaller in size also makes them lighter and easier for a child to toss.

Simply draw the boards allowing for one or two targets. Assign point value for each hole & area of board. Use the chalk to keep score right next to your board. If you children are just don’t even worry about keeping score! Just tossing those bags around is the fun part for them. And as always, it’s washable! Wipe your score and start a new game. Easily many hours of entertainment.

This is a great way to challenge kids and allows them to by physically active. Active play is an important key to a healthy future. Purchase this game here.

Bean Bag 3

Chalk Grab ‘N Go Games: Obstacle Course

“Test your skills on your own custom obstacle course with Crayola’s Sidewalk Chalk Grab ‘n Go Games Obstacle Course! Includes 4 sticks of Washable Sidewalk Chalk, detailed instructions and 4 course markers – everything you need to create, play and compete on your driveway or sidewalk.”

My kids love to GO! They are movers and shakers. Staying still is not in a 2 or 1 year old’s skill set. This is the perfect activity to keep those little bodies playing in a safe, fun and healthy way. You can purchase this game here.

Take the chalk which is provided and draw your own fun course as you and your child see fit. We made a curvy line. The orange squares are where you stop to touch your toes. The yellow circles you stop and hop up and down. Collect the cones as you go. My daughter likes skipping back and forth the most. Create the game however you see fit! Endless entertainment and you can be as creative as you desire.

obsticle course

Now that you have seen how awesome all these Crayola Outdoor products are, you have the chance to win some swag of your own! Enter here for a chance to win all the items reviewed above!

Crayola Outdoor Giveaway