Balance Game for Toddlers

My friend Katie is an excellent gift giver. This girl has serious skill in finding the perfect gift for kids that parents can also enjoy. For example, when my rascal was 3 years old, she gifted him a child’s size kitchen apron, chef’s hat, and a kid-friendly Sesame Street recipe book. We tried making nearly every recipe while perfecting his kitchen skills and expanding his taste palate.

When my rascal turned 4 years old, she gave him this Endangered Animals on a Balance Boat game. The basic goal of the game is to place all the animals on the boat and keep it balanced.

As a parent, I love this game because my son can play it solo or by taking turns with others. When we play it together, it is a good brain game for me to choose and place animals that support or challenge my rascal’s next move.

It promotes patience, dexterity, and spatial ability as he figures out which animals to stack and how to make the boat balance.

The game can also be a great learning tool. We discuss the various animals and their traits while playing, and delve into the concept of endangered species. This often leads to larger conversations about the environment and ecosystems in general.

The animal pieces are also great for imaginative play in other ways. My younger rascal isn’t interested in balancing the boat, but he loves making the tiger roar and the whale swim.

In the spirit of environmental awareness, the manufacturer, BeginAgain, is building a greener game world using plant based materials rather than plastic.