Holiday Gift Guide - Part 3: Games and Giveaway!!!!!!

UPDATE:  The Giveaway is now closed.  Tara was the winner.  Check out Amazon - see links below - for the games you are interested in.  Thanks everyone for participating.

This is the first ANNUAL Holiday Gift guide for The Grandma Chronicles. It is so big that I am going to present it in a separate post for each section:

•  Little Ones – Baby, Toddler, Pre-School:   See it here.
• Older Kids – Kindergarten and Up:  See it here.
• Games:   This is today's post
• Brings Back Memories – Toys, Some Updated Your Kids Played W
• Christmas Themes
• Over the Top - Only a Grandparent Would Consider 

 It is a little different than many of the other holiday guides. Here’s how: 

All the gifts are ones that a grandparent will be interested in. Grandparents tend to be interested in value, something their grandchildren will appreciate when the Christmas wrappings are cleared and doesn’t depend too much on batteries and apps.  You’ll find those things on this list especially in this Games section.

It is homey and down to earth with my informal and informative commentary. 

I have personally seen everything on this list - many out of the box and some I have even played with my grandson.  They offer quality and value and the toys are the sort of things that become favorites.   

The pictures shown have been taken by me.  I either took the pictures at a show display or in my kitchen.   

If you are like me you don’t really relish a trip to ToysRUs so everything on this guide is available at Amazon.com.  I suggest you check out other online options for price comparisons but don’t forget to evaluate shipping costs in your price comparisons.  You can also do a price comparison at the Time to Play website for some items.

Now for something really special.  I love Wonder Forge games because they are well designed, appeal to my grandson and other children I have given them to, feature current and classic popular characters and are value priced.  I am excited that Wonder Forge is sponsoring a giveaway with this post and offering not one, not two but 3 games to the winner!!!!!  Giveaway details are at the end of the post.  Now for the recommendations:

Some of Zach's matches

DC Super Friends Matching Game or Disney Frozen Matching Game– These are your basic matching games but if your grandchildren are fans they will love playing games featuring all their favorite characters.  Here’s my grandson with our game. There was a big exclamation with each character that was turned over – a lot more fun than just a cat or dog. We had a great time playing this together.  ALL of the superheros and their adversaries are included and the female characters too. (They are too frequently absent from the superhero stuff.) Both versions have 72 tiles so they are good for kids a little older too.  You can always choose selected tiles and play with a younger child.  From Wonder Forge

Many of the games I have given my grandson stay at our house but he insisted on bringing this one home and it is a favorite to play with his parents.  By the way, lots of men are super hero fans and some Dads will really enjoy playing this with their child.  There is also an app you can download to have even more fun with this game.

Zach and Grandma playing DC Super Friends Matching Game

Pictopia Disney Edition– I have received a sample of this game and I haven’t tried it out yet but it gets raves reviews at Amazon and ToysRUs.  If your family is a fan of Disney movies, they will love this game.  It is a game that adults and children both enjoy – especially if they remember scenes and characters from the Disney movies.  There are 200 cards and 1000 questions.  You can play in groups with group and individual questions and that evens out the impact of ringers. Even a young child who has seen a lot of Disney movies can be good at Pictopia. I love games that work intergenerationally and this one gets lots of kudos for that.  This game is a Time to Play People’s Play Award nominee and you can vote for it here.  There is also an app that you can download to add to the fun with this game.  

Disney Pictopia by Wonder Forge

Disney Frozen 6-in-1 Games- Just like the title says, there are six games - all with the Frozen theme  (what more could any little girl want?) in the box.  The games are all classics that grandparents already know and can easily play adapted to the Frozen theme.  The games include bingo, go fish, crazy 8's, Four-in-a-row, dominoes and matching.  The picture below shows you that there are many play pieces - different games use different pieces.  The game board has four sections that can be taken apart or put together depending on the game.  Lots of variety all in one box at a reasonable price. Another winner from Wonder Forge.

Back of Disney Pictopia Box-See Numerous Pieces

Richard Scarry's Busytown -

Busytown by Wonder Forge

This isn't a new game but my grandson has loved playing with it for the last two years.  I must warn you that this is a down on the floor and move around game so if it going to be played with an adult, they need to be willing and able to do so.  The game board is over six feet long and it is filled with busytown scenes.  What I love about this game is everybody wins.  You don't need to consider letting a young child win.  You use little spyglasses to identify things to advance to midway in the game.  Then you wait until all players get on the boat to advance together.  If "pigs eat" all the food before you get to the end they win, if they don't all the players win.  I really, really like this concept of playing a game and we win together - even if getting up from the floor is more of a project these days.  

This picture taken on my kitchen floor gives you an idea of what you might be in for!

Mancala and Mancala 4 from Square Root - I loved playing Mancala with my kids and there was a set on every summer vacation to the Jersey shore.  We played in the late afternoon when it was time to get off the beach and on rainy days.  It was our go to game.  I was delighted to see the beautiful Mancala and Mancala wood games by Square Root at Toy Fair in February.  If you are ready to introduce your grandkids to mancala, this is for you.

Mancala 4 by Square Root

They Are Made in the U.S.A.

Pairs in Pears and  Appletters from Bananagrams - I know that some of you are hooked on Bananagrams.  Well, maybe its time to introduce your grandkids to other games from the same company.  Here are two that can be adapted for various ages.

At age 3 - I made pairs of words, Zach paired letters

Giveaway Details

Wonder Forge has generously offered the winner of this giveaway the following 3 games - DC Matching Game, Frozen 6-in1 Game and Disney Pictopia. 

It is easy to enter and there are two ways. Both ways count as an entry so you get two entries if you do both.  I need to be able to contact you if you win. If you enter -  email me with your email address at marion@grandmachronicles.com.  I will not use your email address for anything except to notify you if you win.  Grandmother’s Honor.

1.      Leave a comment here on the blog 

     and/or

2.      Like The Grandma Chronicles facebook page - click here.

You can have two entries by doing both.  Deadline to enter:December 1, 2014 at midnight. The winner will be selected using random.org.  This item can be sent to US addresses only.

Full Disclosure:  This review is completely my own opinion and I was not reimbursed for it.  I did receive a review sample for some items.