After seeing the first word Anti-Virus you might think I want to ask you about your computer protection. But that is not what I am here to talk about with you today. Instead, I’ve got a fun, unique, and increasingly challenging game to tell you about. Being a homeschooling mom of two kiddos that are in different grade levels can be challenging at times. Especially since now we have a high schooler and a 5th grader, the days of overlapping curriculum has faded away. This has led me to find some creative ways to keep my son (the 5th grader) engaged and at the table while I assist my daughter with her work. Long gone are the days of playdough and coloring, this led to the addition of quiet table games. We were excited for the opportunity to play Anti-Virus from Timberdoodle.
About Timbedoodle and SmartGames
Timberdoodle is a family owned, homeschooling company that provides so many curriculum options. From birth to grade 12 there are curriculum kits already created or you can build your own curriculum kit! Curriculum kits are faith based or nonreligious, giving access to great learning options for all families.
SmartGames is a company that provides many games that are not only fun but also enriching. Many games are single player games that provide hours of multi-logic fun. This makes the games a top choice for a homeschooling family like us!
Playing Anti-Virus
Contents:
- Block game board
- 7 colored game shapes
- 2 white game pieces
- A game booklet with the challenges and solutions
Okay, so do you remember slide puzzles? This game gave me flashback memories of those puzzles but with a couple twist. Firstly, the game is recommended for ages 8-adult. It is made of high quality materials, the board and pieces are very sturdy. The colors on the pieces are nice and vibrant. Before giving the game to my son, I did have to give it try to make sure I could explain how to play. There are 7 colored game pieces that when they are on the board you can slide them around. There are also two white pieces that when they are on the board they are not able to be moved.
The object of the game is to slide the pieces around, so you can get the virus (the red piece) out. However, you can only move the pieces in a diagonal direction and at first you might think “no problem, I got this”. Yeah, that is what I thought too–LOL! So when the game says ages 8-adult, yes even adults can be challenged by this game!!
The game booklet has board challenges in five levels; Starter, Junior, Expert, Master, and Wizard. Trust me when I say, start with Starter level and don’t be ashamed if you get stuck on a Junior level! Okay, but let’s talk about using this with your child because they will be the primary game players. Once you have learned how to set up the pieces and how to properly move them around, invite your child to solve the first challenge. Depending on your child’s ability with spacial reasoning, the first challenge might be solved quickly or it might take them some time. The wonderful thing about this game is there is no timer! Some challenges might be solved in under 10 minutes while others might take a longer session. If your child wants to put the game aside before solving a challenge, the game box will safely hold it in place.
Final Thoughts
Both of our children tried out this game, and it was out of pure curiosity too. While I was going to have them try it after I got a handle of it, leaving the game on the table sparked them to ask “what’s this? and how do you play?” I encouraged them of course to start with the Starter level but they thought they could handle to Junior level immediately. As they got very puzzled by the challenge, I again encouraged them to try a Starter level just to get an idea on how the pieces move around the game board. After accomplishing a few challenges, they began to get some confidence and again interest in the higher levels.
You can purchase the game itself on Timberdoodle here. It can also be found in the 7th grade curriculum kit.
Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this product from Timberdoodle. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The Life We Build 