I was recently contacted by the team at Shuffle and asked if Monkey would like to try a couple of their card games. They have a whole range of games available for children aged 4 years and over. I’m always on the look out for games that we can take away with us, and the Shuffle series are perfect for this. We opted for Junior Monopoly and Trumps Cars & Bikes from Shuffle and waited for them to arrive.
Shuffle card games come in durable plastic cases, making them absolutely ideal to pop into a handbag or suitcase, when travelling with children. But they are just as much fun to play at home. It was time to introduce Monkey to my all time favourite board game with the Shuffle Monopoly Junior.
I was rather intrigued to find out how you could play the game with only cards. It was time to open the box and find out! Shuffle Monopoly Junior is aimed at children aged 4 years and over, can be played with 2-4 players and has a typical play time of 15 minutes – great for younger children with limited attention spans. The game consists of 4 token cards, pocket money cards in various denominations, property cards and an instruction leaflet.
The aim of the game is to be the first player to collect three full property sets (a property set is 2 cards of the same colour) in different colours.
You start the game by picking a token card and then shuffle the property and pocket money cards together and place in 4 equal piles, face down in the middle of the table. We started with Monkey taking the top card from one of the piles, he got a property card straight away. He placed his token on top of it and waited to see if I would pick a card of the same colour – then he could charge me rent!
If you pick up a pocket money card you keep that for your bank, to be able to pay rent as needed. If you don’t have any money and need to pay rent, you have to sell one of your existing properties.
It’s fair to say that a nearly 6 year old Monkey grasped the idea of Monopoly Junior quickly and he loved it.
The game encourages observation skills, counting and colour matching, and is easy for younger children to understand game play. I can see us playing this game a lot, especially over Christmas. You can also download a free app which includes a game play tutorial and extends play.
The Shuffle Trumps Cars & Bikes set is a bargain as you get two games for the price of one. You can play Cars or Bikes.
These games are intended for children aged 6 years and over, for 2 players and again, the average game plays lasts around 15 minutes.
Monkey is learning to read at the moment and needs a little help with category headings to play these games. There are two versions of the game – Classic Families for beginners, or the standard Trumps. We’re already used to Trumps, so with a little help with the headings, this is the version that Monkey has played. We take in turn to pick a category and whoever is fastest, newest, largest revs/min etc wins both cards and play continues.
Monkey had to really think with this game and it took him a little longer to get to grips with it. But again, once he’d sussed it, he was off and loved it every time he trounced his mother!
We had added fun with these games by downloading the free app to include the Trump Twister element, this was a huge hit.
Spin the Trumps Twister before each turn for an added ‘spin’ to game play.
I had to explain what each ‘spin’ meant, but the added element to game play really caught Monkey’s imagination.
I like the fact that you can play all of these games with or without the apps and have lots of fun. We’ll certainly be playing with our Shuffle card games at home and away in the coming months. I think Father Christmas might be adding to our sets too – you can see all of the available games on the Shuffle website.
Priced at £6.99 I think these games are great value for money, especially with the added app play potential. I’ve included my Amazon affiliate links below for your reference.
disclaimer: we were sent the items mentioned in exchange for an honest review
**************************
We’ve really enjoyed the Junior Monopoly and Trumps Cars & Bikes from Shuffle and I’m offering one lucky reader the chance to win both games. Just complete the Gleam form below for your chance to win – good luck!
**************************
Terms and conditions:
(Please note that all entries will be checked against comments for validation).
Only the first step of this form is mandatory, all other steps are optional. Only one entry per person is allowed.
This giveaway is for UK residents only.
Once a winner is randomly picked, I will check if the winner has done what was requested and I will contact them, if they do not reply within one week, the prize will be allocated to another person.
The giveaway will close on 15th December 2015 at midnight.
Brands would be cool, like a logo game set
I’d love to see some history topics – kings and queens, Egyptian pharaohs, and stuff like that. 🙂
Countries and flags,that would be interesting and educational.
Where food comes from – to help children lean what animals/birds produce which meats/eggs etc
Would love to see pokemon covered as my boys are mad about those little critters x
Space, because I suspect my 6yo would actually beat me!
Dinosaurs
Food, healthy/unhealthy – that sort of thing.
transport
TV shows as something the whole family would know
Gymnastics, as my 3 girls are all gymnastics obsessed!
capitals of countries as dad always used to make me do a list of 10 countries and their capitals every week before he gave me my pocket money and it’s stood me in good stead
My nieces and nephews would enjoy these.
Definitely Geography, so countries and capital cities. 🙂
I would like to see something about food. There are a lot of children out rhere that doesn’t know where food come from.
a music one
Healthy Food ! Would be great to get my kids to learn a bit more about it
Famous landmarks & sights to improve geography.
bugs and creepy crawlies, lillie pops is fascinated by them
butterflies
great for me & the kids
Caravan or camping as we live this kind of holiday
Trains please
Healthy food or sports
hmmm maybe insects . my boys like their little magnifying pot and looking at creepy crawlies
Questions and topics about country’s around the world
African anmals
planet life
endangered animals to educate people
I’d like to see local versions – a version using things that are famous about my home city (Bristol) would be ace!
Animals would be cool 🙂
buffy the vampire slayer it was my tv show and i would be great at it
the lord of the rings!
Periodic table elements – a game of learning
The Vampire Diaries because it’s my favourite programme.
Cartoon characters as I like animation
tractors, our little Grandson adores tractors
Dogs or snakes as my son is mad about them
Some simple Maths would be good – pricing up stuff, that kind of thing
My boys would like a Star Wars related game
Flags is a great idea
SPORTS
Famous paintings! We had a board game called masterpiece (I think!) when we were kids, and it was brilliant!
Disney Characters would be a hit.
Countries
Numbers, counting is good fun
disney characters
Countries of the world
Obscure colours
Car brands
georgraphy to learn about the world – countries and cultures
Currencies to teach my daughter about money x
Breeds of dogs
Cars – would be good for travelling.
I think animals would be a good topic for my kids, although these ones look great!
Minions, would be very popular
countries and there citys my boy as a keen interest in this.
Pop stars…bands..my kids would love that one but I guess it would have to be updated regularly
I’m really into my history, so would be keen to encourage this in my kids, a game would be the perfect way!
flags
different food coz who doesnt love food!!
Flags would be great
Music from the 60’s, 70’s 80’s.
thomas the tank because my boys love themx
The Walking Dead. It’s my favourite programme.
Endangered species
Disney heroes and villains because it would be fun.
star wars
my kids love playing games, and this would be ace
Different breeds of dogs just because I love them.
Festivals and celebrations, I like my kids knowing and respecting other peoples cultures.
country population
Scrabble I love word games
Kings and Queens for the history or Capital Cities for Geography, both would be educational
Famous world landmarks. It’s great to develop a wider knowledge of the bigger world when you are young.
Wild animals
TV shows and films
Disney characters
Harry Potter would be fantastic
Guess Who or maybe a numbers game similar to Uno?
star wars
English history. Something educational.
Something with planets and our solar system as my boys li!me space xx
A geographical one would be good, different countries etc
All the different types of dinosaurs
My son would love a train set, with all different livery and tractions
Marvel Characters
The solar system and not just the planets, their moons also. It would be great for little ones to learn about the moons of each planet, Jupiter has loads for example and they are really interesting.
Dog breeds. My little one is mad about them!
Historic events would be fun.
Sealife because we live by the sea and hear a lot of visitors telling us that they don’t know what a jellyfish or starfish looks like.
The Egyptians would be good
about the victorian ages
I love dogs so some game which shows the breeds of dogs would be good
My 4 year old would probably say Peppa Pig lol
My son would love Formula 1 cars
Dinosaurs because my grandchildren love them 🙂
Flags of the World – brilliant way to teach the kids
I would like to see cities of UK – we don’t focus on UK Geography enough in schools these days. I would like my niece to grow up knowing that Cardiff is in Wales and Edinburgh is in Scotland etc etc (she is only just turning 2 so that is a bit advanced for her now – but in the future!)
Bugs or minibeasts would be great as my kids really love them
I reckon Pokemon cards would be great!
Planets are fascinating x
Space/planets – my 5 year old has just become really interested in it and would love a game to help her learn more 🙂
I would love to see animals because we are all big animal lovers 🙂
I like the children to start learning other languages as fun while they are young so languages and traditions would be good.
history because I think it would be fun 🙂
languages 🙂
dinosaurs? if it isnt already covered
Dinosaurs because my son and nephews would love it
Old kids tv show
Ancient History – It’s my passion!
Game character baddies, something different 🙂
Do they have a Thomas and friends one, my son would get them all right
Maybe zoo animals or just snakes – my 6 year old Daughter loves them x
historical places – I love to visit them 🙂