We have previously reviewed BrainBox My First Picture and we really loved it. It is simple yet fun to play and exercises those little brain cells! BrainBox has also kindly given us ABC for review. It is suitable for four years and above for one or more players. BrainBox ABC is full to the brim with fantastic images to help children recognise objects beginning with each letter of the alphabet as well as the more common blends.
The object of the game is to study a card for 10 seconds and then answer a question based on the roll of a dice. If the question is answered correctly, the card is kept and the person with the most number of cards after 5 or 10 minutes is the winner. This simple concept can be played by all ages and in large groups as well as a 1 person game.
Inside the magnetic cube box, it contains:
- 53 playing cards
- 1 rules card
- 1 sand timer
- 1 dice
BrainBox ABC set includes the alphabet A to Z, but additionally they also including sounds like “sc”, “sh”, “sl” etc. It helps younger children recognise basic letters and learn the words through phonics. Ms C finds this game more interesting as she is able to read the letters. Mr K finds it challenging.
Besides letting Ms C remember the picture, I also teach her to speak and recognise the words.
Ease of Use – 5 stars out of 5
The structure of the questions are very simple and easy to understand by a young four year old. The pictures and words are simple and beautifully illustrated. The face of the dice is shown with numbers of dots so it encourages them to count if they are unfamiliar with dice.
Durability – 4 stars out of 5
The playing cards are made from a minimum of 70% recycled material. They are acceptably durable and it should last for a long time. The magnetic cube box is sturdy and great for storage.
Value for money – 5 stars out of 5
This game is excellent value for money especially given the broad way it encourages family play, independent play, mental challenge/memory training. It is a perfect early year’s educational game.
Fun Factor – 5 stars out of 5
Both kids wanted to play this game again and again. They love that it is easy and the pictures are less complicated. Ms C was able to learn new words and Mr K able to practise his reading.
I intentionally made this game less competitive and more enjoyable by giving them the playing card even if they didn’t answer all the questions correctly. When both are older, I could introduce the sand timer into the game to make it more challenging.
Overall, we all love this game. It is very educational, fun and engaging. It comes in a very neat box for storage. It can also be taken out to play on a long road trip. This is what I intend to do when I go back to Singapore which is a 13 hour flight. Just pop all the playing cards and dice inside a zip lock bag for extra convenience!
This is a video of the children trying to answer the questions:
Please read the BrainBox My First Picture’s review here.
Disclosure: We received the sample for the purposes of writing this review, however, all thoughts and opinions remain our own.