This week marks the last of the reviews of Uncle Milton National Geographic Outdoor Explorer Toys and Nat Geo Wild Toys and Games. In Week 1, I reviewed the daytime Outdoor Explorer Toys; in Week 2, I wrote about the nighttime Outdoor Explorer Toys; and last week I told you about the Nat Geo Wild Puzzles. This week's review is about the Nat Geo Wild Games and the Anteater Bug Vac.
Let's start with the tin of four classic card games. These were probably our favorite of the Uncle Milton National Geographic items that we were lucky to review (both mine AND my kiddos')! The first of the four games is "Crazy Apes," which is like Crazy Eights. Each number card has a color photo of a primate (gibbons, tarsiers, squirrel monkeys, and so on). Instead of suits (hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs), the cards have different colored shapes. My 6-year-old picked up the game quickly and we have been having fun playing it. The second game is "Go Divin'," which is the Nat Geo WILD version of Go Fish. Once again, the photography is awesome, featuring close-ups of various sea creatures, from Great White Sharks to Seahorses. My kiddos were able to play this game with each other without my help, because there was no number recognition required. It was so fun to watch them laughing and being good sports while playing this game. Also included in the tin are "King of the Jungle" (played like War), where the lion of course trumps all, and "Old Ellie" (Old Maid), with pairs of African animals and one Old Ellie card (an elephant). Too cute!
Next we got to have fun playing the Baby Wild Animals Memory Match Game. This is your standard memory game, with 48 square, cardboard (i.e., heavy duty) cards with matching photos of wild baby animals. The whole family played this game. The best thing about this game, for me anyway, is that it's something my 4-year-old is awesome at! You know how each child is unique and has different strengths? Well my little man totally has the spatial thing going on and he blew me away with how great his memory was in this context. Cool!
My kiddos were really excited to try out the Anteater Bug Vac. It's a battery-operated mini-vacuum that sucks up bugs through its nose and into its stomach. The stomach is clear, and your kiddo can remove it from the anteater to examine his/her bugs - with no worries about the bug attacking...or whatever it is that icky bugs do. We found that we had the best luck vacuuming up the bugs from the sidewalk; there did not seem to be enough power to get the bugs off of the lawn. Even so, my boys thought it was fun to search for and collect various bugs.
If you have any specific questions about any of the Uncle Milton/Nat Geo Wild toys and games, feel free to contact me. There is such a variety in what they offer that you're sure to find something your child will enjoy!
Uncle Milton is a Macaroni Kid sponsor. Even so, the opinions in this review are my own.
