My Very First Game – Gitti Giraffe Wins Toy of the Year! {Review}

My husband and I love board games. We used to play them all the time before kids and now we play are starting to play games with our kids. I think board games are a great way for kids to learn patience, decision making, and are a great way for kids to have fun as a family. I think the youngest we started playing games with our kids was age 3, and even then it was a struggle.

Well HABA is a company that my kids have a few of their toys, including a doll and blocks, but now they have won the coveted honor of being named a Toy of the Year by Parents Magazine for My Very First Game – Gitti Giraffe.

My Very First Game – Gitti Giraffe is a game for ages 2 years and up, featuring beautiful heirloom-quality wooden pieces, it teaches basic coordination skills and introduces the concept of playing a game with instructions and goals and taking turns. In free play, children will pile the animal blocks on top of each other by color or all mixed up, and play with the animal vehicle. As a game, they can learn a colorful stacking game and following steps from a dice. Game material designed with special care. Conceived for small children’s hands. 1 – 4 players.

Okay so this is two products in one – its a game and a toy.  My 16 month old plays with the blocks and obviously doesn’t understand the whole rules thing, but she is loving the blocks and giraffe toy.  My 4 year old loves the game and it is great for him because he is terrible at taking turns and being patient.

To play you set the two heavy cardboard trees a few inches apart from each other.  You roll the dice and whatever color it lands on you use that block.  If that block color is not available you skip your turn or if you get a star you pick any block.  Then build with your block and you have to push the giraffe back and forth without losing any blocks – you receive a a leaf-piece from the tree as a reward.  It doesn’t seem that hard but it is actually teaches kids their colors, taking turns, being patient, being a good loser (yes they need to learn that they will not win every game) and how to build without tipping over.  For older kids you can separate the trees as far as you like and the challenge then is to carefully push that giraffe all the way from one tree to another or even around the trees!

It is a cute game that will grow with your child from ages 2 and up.  I’d say you can play the actual game as soon as your child is out of the “putting-everything-in-their mouth” phase, otherwise they will ruin the tree and leaf pieces.  The blocks and giraffe are heavy wood and durable.  I can’t wait for Olivia to be a few months older and I can start working on this with her.

BUY IT: Check out HABA to start shopping for the My Very First Game – Gitti Giraffe for a suggested retail price of $35.99

Mom and More Disclosure: I was sent this product to review in exchange for my honest opinion. Please see my Disclosure Policy.