Educational Insights' Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Review

I was thrilled when I was given the opportunity to review a game from Educational Insights recently. I think their products are great for learning through play. Have you heard of Educational Insights yet?
If not, here is a little information about them from their site:

"Based in Southern California, Educational Insights, is the manufacturer of playful products with serious educational value, including subject-specific classroom products, teacher resources, educational toys, and games. Our products are designed by seasoned educators and parents who know that, first and foremost, learning must be fun. "

We had given the girls quite a few Educational Insights products for Christmas last year. I especially want to get them things that will help with our homeschool. When they have fun games and toys to play with, and are learning at the same time, you know you are doing something right.
I loved the look of Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game. I am a sucker for squirrels, so that helped. I also thought it was the perfect time of year to be playing a game where a squirrel is gathering acorns as we are learning about leaves and fall.  Additionally, I love all the different educational benefits of this game. Sneaky Snacky Squirrel can help children recognize and match colors, recognize numbers, count, improve their fine motor and hand-eye coordination skills, and work on strategic thinking.

Here is what you will find when you open the tree shaped box.

The tree shaped box is actually a part of the game; it is the game board.

There are 4 logs, 1 spinner, 1 Squirrel Squeezer, 20 colored acorns and an instruction guide.

The object of the game is to be the first one to secure all 5 acorns in your log. In order to do so, the players take turns spinning the spinner and gathering or losing acorns. If the spinner lands on a colored space, you get that color acorn. However, if you land on a number space you get to pick what colors you need. Of course, a game wouldn't be fun without some adversity, would it? So, if you land on the sad squirrel, you lose a turn, if you land on the storm cloud you lose all your acorns, and if you land on the sneaky squirrel you get to take an acorn from another player. Of course, this is where the "strategic thinking" comes into play, gotta make sure you take the correct color. And of course, you would want to take from the player who has the most acorns providing the color you need is available.

I think it is ingenious that the box was made to be a part of the game. The box is quite sturdy and is a great place to rest the squirrel tweezers between turns.  The tweezers are the cutest things to work with. They feel a bit bulky, but they are fun to use once you get comfortable holding them.

The girls loved this game. It is a bit of a struggle to pick up the acorns with the tweezers at just the right angle to get them to go into the log without assistance of bare hands. The trick is to grasp the acorn by the stem.

Hannah really got into spinning the spinner. Now, it did take a few turns for her to learn to hold the squirrel in the right spot so she could actually squeeze. At first she kept trying to squeeze the tail.

This game is ideal for younger children because it is fast moving. Even with the "adversities" in the game we still finished our first game within maybe 10 or 15 minutes. Perfect for their short attention spans. Of course, it is recommended for ages 3 and up because of the small pieces (i.e. the acorns).  Hannah was able to participate, but I watched her closely. I love that it is reinforcing the colors and counting for Hannah. It is the strategic thinking that I am finding beneficial for the older two. They need to focus to see which acorn(s) they need in order to win.

I also added a bit of a twist for the older girls. Tabitha actually won the game according to the instructions. However, as it was over so fast I decided to say she wouldn't be the official winner unless we went around each player one more time and she still had all her acorns when it got back to her. This left it open for more than one winner. In fact, she didn't have all her acorns when it was again her turn. She had lost one acorn when her sister landed on the Sneaky Squirrel space. Here again is another great way to incorporate strategy. Her sister had to know to take the acorn from her log instead of mine or Hannah's. 

So in the end, Amelia and Tabitha both had a turn to win.

I would highly recommend this fun learning game. 

Check it out at the Educational Insights website where it sells for $21.99.

You can also follow Educational Insights on Facebook and on Twitter.

But wait, there's more!!

I have been given the opportunity to offer my readers a giveaway!

So, don't forget to stop back for your chance to win this great game.

Click here to enter the giveaway.

Disclosure: I received a Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game from Educational Insights for free in order to review it. This did not in any way influence my review. I only recommend products I use personally and feel will be a good products for my readers.