This past weekend was pretty incredible. I remember taking a step back and looking at what was happening in the dining room. At one point, my teens, school age kids, and preschooler were all intently playing The Game of Life. Literally, the board game. The youngest one was struggling a little bit, but he made it through the entire game and had fun with it! He even was a good sport when it came to clean up time. Later in the day, I saw my teen and school age son playing a game of Monopoly. I had to laugh as I thought back to when my kids were all younger and couldn't even make it through a game of Candyland without throwing the pieces everywhere if they lost.
Teamwork is a life skill and as parents, it is up to us to instill that in our children. It doesn't happen naturally. Some families use sports to teach their kids teamwork. They enroll them in soccer, hockey, baseball, and basketball so they have the opportunity to work with others and work out their differences in a peaceful manner. Some parents, such as myself, use board games. My husband and I are not into sports and to be honest, my husband is not into board games either, but I am! Even though it isn't his most favorite activity in the world, he would rather see his kids partaking in this activity than being lost on a device all day. Physical, handheld games make me smile for that very reason. These games are great tactile learning tools, perfect for the hands-on learner. Our home is filled with books and games, as many homeschooling homes are. Yes, we have structured curriculum, but we also have learning materials available and ready for the kids to use on their own time.
Quixo is an entertaining and educational, hands-on game that is part of the Timberdoodle 4th Grade Curriculum Kit. My kids love having this game around, even my four-year-old asks to play it once in a while!
I initially got this game for my older teens and they absolutely love it. Created for ages 8 and up, my six and four-year-old also enjoy this game. It is perfect for kids of all ages.
Quixo can be played with two to four players but my kids prefer to play two by two rather than on teams. Each game takes about fifteen minutes—perfect for kids with short attention spans! One player chooses to be "x" while the other will be "o." The goal of the game is to create a row completely with your letter. Tic-tac-toe, five-in-a-row is the best way to explain it.
Of course the way you play the game is much more complex than simple tic-tac-toe! Players work at changing the blank cubes to their own letter, letters get pushed off the board, and replaced, and strategy is of the utmost importance!
Keeping track of the 25 cubes is easy when the game is over. Simply place in the cloth pouch and store in the sturdy box. The wooden base that the game is played on is high-quaity, as are the cubes. This game is sure to be hit in your homeschool! Be sure to pick up Quixo to add to your homeschool game collection—or to start one if you have yet to begin!
Disclaimer: I received the above product in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.
