Catch and Count Game

Catch and Count Game – a review

Catch and Count GameAs you know we’re big fans of Orchard Toys here; quality games and puzzles for children and a UK company too. They all have an educational lilt, and are full of fun.  We’ve been sent two of their latest offerings for Monkey to try.  Firstly we’re looking at the Catch and Count Game.

Catch and Count GameMonkey has been learning about the creatures that live in the sea at Nursery School recently, so the Catch and Count Game arrived at the perfect time.

Aimed at children aged 3 years and over, this game can be played with 2-4 players.  It’s a great game to help with counting and number recognition skills, as well as turn taking.

The game comes with 4 playing Jar boards, a 3D Octopus spinner, 30 bubble cards and an instruction leaflet.  We love the 3D Octopus spinner, it adds a new dimension to play, quite literally!  It’s very easy to put together, and then take apart at the end of the game for storage. Monkey seems to find it easier to spin than his normal spinners too.  Anything that provides less frustration is a good thing!

Catch and Count Game

As we’ve come to expect from Orchard Toys, the play pieces are made of thick board, with brightly coloured graphics.  This game engages children from the very start.  We talked about the octopus and the various sea creatures on the Jar play boards before we’d even started to play the Catch and Count Game.  Colours are a big thing here at the moment too (more on that soon), lots to talk about, lots for children to observe.

Catch and Count GameThe idea of the game is to catch as many fish as you can in your jar.  Fish?  Yes, each bubble card has a fish on the reverse (if you are lucky!)

Place all the bubble cards randomly on the table, bubble side up.  Monkey got to spin the Octopus spinner first.  As there was only the two of us playing we decided to have two jars each.  When the spinner lands on a number the first player picks up a bubble card with the correct number of bubbles displayed.

Catch and Count Game

If you are lucky, when you flip your bubble card over it will show 1, 2, 3 or 4 fishes and you can place them in your jar.  I did think the bubbles were pearls to start with, wishful thinking on Mummy’s part! Play passes to the next player and the game continues until ….

Catch and Count Game

….. you catch a Shark!  Then, the naughty beast eats all of your hard caught fish, and the player’s fish and shark card are removed from play.  Monkey wasn’t too impressed with this idea!

Play passes to the next player and continues as before.  If you spin a number but there are no relevant bubble cards remaining, then play passes to the next player.  Play continues until all the bubble cards have been collected.  The player with the most fish wins the game.

We’ve had lots of fun playing the Catch and Count Game.  We’ve even changed the rules slightly.  If you pick up a Shark card it eats one of your opponents fish – pesky shark has eaten all of my fish again today!  We’ve used the bubble cards for a quick game of snap too.

Priced at £7.50 I think the Catch and Count Game is a bargain, we love the theme and I think this will be a favourite for some time to come.

disclaimer:  we were sent this game in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

16 thoughts on “Catch and Count Game – a review

  1. I cannot wait until LP is very slightly older so that she can enjoy Orchard Toys, every game looks great! x

  2. We love Orchard Toys games. This looks like another fantastic product from them. Learning through play at its best!

  3. This looks like a great game, love all the sealife in it, my 2 regularly visit our local aquarium and love anything fish related as well as playing games.

  4. What a fabulous game! this is a great way to learn and it’s fun too! When you get both in an activity, that’s priceless. Great post, thanks a lot

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