Cooperative Games for Kids: HABA Orchard Game
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One of Miss 6’s first games (from several years ago) was HABA’s first orchard game and it continues to be one of our favorite games to this day.
We recently discovered that HABA has two other orchard games geared towards older children and since HABA has yet to disappoint us, we knew they’d be a hit and were excited to try them out.
Today we’ll be sharing our thoughts on HABA’s orchard game – please read on for all the photos and fun.
One of my absolute favorite things about HABA is their simplicity. Life is busy enough, complicated game instructions are not something I gravitate towards, and so I so appreciate the simplicity HABA brings with their games and toys. HABA’s orchard game is easy to set up, easy to play, and so so fun!
To begin, unfold the game board and place the fruit on its corresponding fruit tree. The game includes 10 of each fruit: apples, pears, cherries, and plums.
Next, each player is given a basket and the raven jigsaw puzzle pieces are piled up so that they are ready to place together in the event a player rolls the die and is given a raven.
The youngest player starts the game by throwing the die once. The die has different colors (red, yellow, green, and blue – which correspond with a different fruit), a picture of a basket, and a picture of a raven. If a color is shown after rolling the die, the player picks a piece of fruit from the corresponding color and places it in their basket. If a basket is shown, any two fruits can be picked and placed in their basket. Lastly, if the raven is shown after rolling the die, one piece of the jigsaw is placed on the game board on its corresponding piece.
The object of the game is to work together as a team to remove all the fruit from the trees and place them in baskets before the raven can eat the fruit (i.e. before the raven puzzle is completed).
The entire family enjoyed playing the game and it was fun working together to empty the fruit trees before the raven could get the fruit for himself!
What I love about HABA’s orchard game is that the quality of the game pieces is impeccable. The fruit and die are all solid wood, while the game board and puzzle pieces are very thick and durable, and the baskets are solid enough to withstand play outside the game as well (if your children are anything like ours, game pieces always seem to end up being used in different ways as well – playdough, play kitchen, dolls, etc.).
It even passed the baby tug and pull test. 🙂
Once we had played a few rounds of HABA’s orchard game, Miss 4 and Miss 6 decided to pull out our HABA apple pie crust and use it along with the orchard game fruit to make their very own fruit pies. They had fun scooping and sorting fruit all afternoon.
Still not sure if HABA’s orchard game is for you?
This product is for you if:
- You appreciate quality, well-made children’s toys and games.
- You are looking for something that incorporates educational components with fun.
- You can never have enough quiet-time toys.
- You appreciate non-battery operated toys.
HABA also makes some other really terrific toys that we really love:
- HABA’s palette of pegs (we did a full review of this item here)
- HABA’s little orchard game
- HABA clutching toy for babies
- HABA ice cream cones play kitchen food
What do you think of HABA’s orchard game? Let us know in the comment section below.
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