Shelby’s Snack Shack Game is perfect for preschoolers and toddlers 3 and up. I played this game with my granddaughter not expecting too much. . .but was I surprised!! She LOVED this game! In the video above, you can see her excitement. And, this was just snippets from the hours and hours we have spent since playing this game.
There are so many skills that the kids can learn while playing. And, who doesn’t love sneaking in some education while playing with the kids?? Even though it doesn’t require reading skills, it does help with recognizing numbers and counting them out. Below, I’ve listed some of the sneaky skills that the kids can learn while playing “The Shelby Game.”
Counting Skills & Number Recognition
There is no reading required, but the game requires some counting skills. Each player counts how many bones they are picking up or putting back on the beach. The spinner has the numbers 1 – 5 printed on it. After your little one spins the spinner, they need to learn to recognize what number they landed on and count out that many bones. If they don’t recognize the numbers at first, they will pick up the skills rather quickly.
Fine Motor Skills
The kids practice those fine motor skills by using the Shelby dog to pick up the bones. Shelby works like a pair of tweezers. As you can see in the video above, my granddaughter started out using two hands to make this work. However, she has now learned to hold the Shelby dog in different positions which help her grab the bones using only one hand.
Taking Turns & Cooperative Play
Passing the Shelby dog back and forth indicating whose turn is next, is a fun way for kids to learn to take turns. My granddaughter is as delighted to hand off the dog to others as she is to receive the dog for her next turn. It’s fun to make everyone’s turn a “big deal.” We always get very involved in how many bones we’re going to spin to move around. In the video, my granddaughter has learned to be very gracious when playing Shelby’s Snack Shack Game.
Accomplishment
This game is easy and yet helps the little ones feel very accomplished when playing this game. Not only can they pretty much play individually on their own team, but the rewards are immediate as you can visually see your bones stacking up in your bowl.
Cognitive Skills
Little ones need to develop their sense of what’s going on around them. This game helps them to hone their skills of critical thinking as they add and substract the bones from their bowl. In the video, you can see where my granddaughter tries to make sense of the fact that she thought Shelby “bit” her. She disciplined the game piece and moved on. After, we talked about how it was her own actions that caused Shelby to pinch her fingers. She understood and learned to be more careful in the future.
Pure Joy!
I know that this isn’t much of a skill, but my granddaughter and other children that I have played this game with have experienced a sweet excitement and pure joy when playing this game. Finding joy in the little things can be a great lesson for kids. . .and maybe for us adults as well. 😉
My Take on This Game?
There are so many fun things about this game! The fact that the kids love it so much is a plus in my book.
However, I have to add that the game is very well made too. The little bones are heavy duty, and the Shelby Dog is quite sturdy. This game doesn’t have cheap parts. The little dog bowls are made of cardboard, but it is thick and has stood up to the grandkids so far.
I’m giving this a high-star rating! The game is worth every penny and we look forward to years of fun with this one.
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