Zephyr Hill

A Family Blog

A Game for Cat Fans and Crime Solvers

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Thinkfun has created a clever little logic game called Cat Crimes that challenges your child to solve mysteries like “Who broke the flower pot?” and “Who ruined the shoes?” The guilty party, of course, is one of the six sneaky cat characters. Using clues, self-standing cardboard cats, and a colorful board to guide them, children can sniff out the culprit using logic and spatial concepts.

We received a complimentary copy of the Cat Crimes game from our homeschooling partners at Timberdoodle to share with you!

Our children ages 6 to 13 have enjoyed this little game so much, and learned to play it very quickly because the set-up is so easy. Put the board in front of you, assemble the cat characters and choose one puzzle card to solve. Put your thinking cap on and use your logic skills to find the culprit; check your answer by turning the card over. That’s about it!

The cat graphics are whimsical and appealing, and the “crime profiles” in the rule book will elicit some definite chuckles. Like this description of the Persian, Duchess:

“Duchess lives a luxurious life and has a taste for the finer things. Of all
her expensive tastes, her taste for crime may be the strongest.”

I like that there are different levels of puzzles to solve – Beginner, Intermediate, Advance and Expert. My only suggestion is that with 10 puzzles for each level, children who love this game as much as mind do can blow through the first two levels pretty quickly. Expansion packs are needed!

One side of the card contains the clues; solutions are on the reverse.

Cat Crimes teaches and reinforces these skills:

  • Logic
  • Problem-Solving
  • Deduction
  • Spacial concepts (left, right, beside, across, between, etc.)

Product details:

  • 1 Game board
  • 6 self-standing cat characters
  • 6 evidence tokens
  • 40 challenge cards
  • Rules/Solutions booklet

It’s available separately for $13.99 or included in Timberdoodle’s 5th Grade Curriculum Kit. Cat Crimes was a 2018 National Parenting Product Awards Winner and gets 5 stars from our family!

 

 

A New Year and a Cleaner Home + a Giveaway!

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A new year is always something to celebrate but how about a clean and organized home? That definitely makes me happy! Especially when we will be hosting New Year and Epiphany get-togethers. Here are five easy ways to get your home in order and start some good habits for 2021:

First Things First

The best way to start your day on the right foot is to get a few essentials done first. Thankfully, they are very easy! Make up your bed and that will instantly set the tone for a tidier and more organized day. Next, start a load of laundry, if needed. And last of all, sit down and make a quick written list of the task or tasks you’d like to get accomplished today.

Get the Right Cleaning Products

Pare down to your favorites and give away or get rid of the excess.

And remember that every cleaning product has its limits. For example, although everyone seems to be obsessed with sanitizing wipes and sprays this year, contrary to popular belief they do not help prevent the spread of influenza or viruses in the cold family (like Covid-19). Look at the labels carefully to see what each product is rated for, and use online reviews to seek out the best.

Speaking of, are you looking for a reliable wood care product? This year, we discovered Scott’s Liquid Gold® for our wood features and furniture. I was previously using cheap dusting sprays on our tables and chairs, but Scott’s blows them all away! It hydrates and nourishes wood while you’re cleaning and dusting. You will see for yourself visible results as it enhances the natural beauty, texture, and grain of real wood. Make your furniture and floors sparkle with new life this year!

Scott’s Wood Care contains natural oils and is enhanced with a pleasant almond scent. There are no waxes or silicone in it. Look at these other ways you can use Scott’s Liquid Gold:

  • Protect the wood handles of your tools
  • As a lubricant for hinges, chains, nuts and bolts, etc.
  • To clean and soften leather
  • To remove stickers from vehicles, windows and appliances

Scott’s ONE Clean Home is a newer addition to the lineup. This multi-surface cleaner uses naturally occurring, non-toxic citric acid to clean all kinds of household messes. Made for all types of hard surfaces Scott’s ONE has a fresh grapefruit scent

  • Works on all types of hard surfaces
  • Cleans greasy, grimy, gritty, goopy messes
  • Foaming no-drip formula stays where you put it
  • Fresh, clean grapefruit scent
  • It’s safe for people, pets and the planet

If you want to give your hardwood floors a new life, try Scott’s Floor Restore. You can shop for Scott’s Liquid Gold products online or at retailers like Wal-Mart, Lowe’s and Home Depot.

To make cleaning easier, invest in a sturdy plastic tote that holds your supplies and can be carried from room to room.

Have a Place for Everything

Countertops, tables and nightstands tend to get cluttered up and can make a room look really untidy. Use closets, drawers, baskets, etc. to get things out of sight and organized.

  • Only keep your most-used kitchen appliances on the countertop. Store away others, or donate/sell those you rarely use.
  • Designate a “junk drawer” or “junk basket” to stash odds and ends out of sight.
  • Organize mail and papers in a stackable file or drawer, and keep them out of the main living areas.
  • Ask yourself “is it useful or is it beautiful?” to help decide what to hide away and what to keep out.

If your laundry baskets and closets are consistently overflowing, it may be time to share the wealth. See donating tips below!

Plan a Donate Day

Get out some empty boxes and bags and announce to the family that it’s donate day! The goal is to fill at least a couple of bags and boxes.

This is also a great time to remind everyone how fortunate we are in the Western world, and how so many families don’t have basic material comforts, let alone luxury items. Encourage your family to give with a generous and cheerful heart. Here are some tips for paring down:

  • Cut down on the quantity of items you own. For instance, your son will be just fine with 5 t-shirts to choose from in his wardrobe rather than 10. Pick the 5 vases, candlesticks, serving dishes, etc. that you use the most and donate the ones that are collecting dust.
  • Ask yourself when is the last time you used, or wore, this item.
  • Ask yourself if it’s really worth “handing down” and packing away, or if another needy person could use it right now.
  • Ask “does it work?” and “does it get used often?” and “does it have a lot of sentimental value?”
  • Go through mittens and gloves and scarves and keep only 1 or 2 per person
  • Make a declutter resolution so that clutter doesn’t come back to haunt you. When shopping this year, think long and hard about what you’re buying, how useful it will actually be and if you want to deal with it long term.

Don’t Do it All Yourself

Enlist helpers, whether that’s your spouse or your children. Even if you’re a perfectionist and think no one can do it quite as well as you can, realize that mindset can make you a slave to your household duties, missing out on important things like sleep and time for prayer, hobbies and just plain fun!

If you have children, the best way to get the ball rolling is short learning sessions. Teach your children simple tasks first, like polishing an end table with Scott’s Wood Care or making their bed neatly. Once they get the hang of a job, it’s another thing you can happily check off your to-do list, and you can enjoy watching them take pride in their work. Although the mother is rightly called “the heart of the home,” the human heart doesn’t work in a vacuum, and nor should she!

And now for a giveaway: Did you find these tips helpful? Well, here’s one more thing to help you out in the new year. One lucky reader will win a sampler package of Scott’s Liquid Gold products, for a clean and sparkling home! Use the form below to enter, and good luck! Full terms and conditions are also on the form.

 

 

 

 

 

This post and giveaway was sponsored by Scott’s Liquid Gold who provided us with complimentary
products to review and share! Giveaway is representative but does not show actual prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

6 New Games We’ve Tried This Year!

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We’re always trying new games over here, from cards to children’s stuff, and I’m sharing a list today of the latest.

CuBirds

Well, my middle-school boys played this first and then introduced it to me. It’s now a family favorite, and I really love the cute cube-shaped birds. Learning to play takes under 10 minutes, and the object is to get the most points by collecting flocks of different species.

Players begin each round with bird cards in hand and a mixed flock of birds on the table from which everyone can choose. Draw cards, build your flock, and score points as you complete them. The game’s over when one player empties his hand. Cards are large, bright and colorful, and you can finish a game in about 20-30 minutes.

We received our free review copy from UltraPRO. CuBirds is fun for all ages, and is only $15.95 on Amazon!

Imhotep – Become Egypt’s Master Builder!

This Parent’s Choice Winner and Toy Insider top pick will indulge your inner Egyptian. I’ve been a history buff since childhood, and love the rich graphics and storyline of Imhotep, which challenges players to become pharaoh’s master builder, just like the real Imhotep.

Over six rounds, players transport stone blocks to end up in the most valuable positions at five construction sites, while thwarting their opponents’ efforts to do the same. To win the game and be named the greatest architect, you must get your blocks to the right place places, in the right order, at the right time. We love playing this one with our children, and it’s suitable for ages 10 and up.

Buy Imhotep with free shipping on Amazon.

Volt – Battle Bots!

This was a gift for our middle school aged boys, but we all like playing it together. Cashing in on the popular battle robots theme, Volt features a battle arena where bots gather for laser-blasting action. In the end, there will be only one operator to rule the arena! This geeky game involves “programming” 3 steps ahead as you anticipate the moves of other robots and aim to destroy them. Volt includes an easy-to-begin training guide but still leaves experienced players with plenty of different modules to make their robot battles even more exciting and merciless. There’s a cool 3D effect to the board game and components are bright and futuristic. It’s perfect for ages 10 and up and game time averages from 30 minutes to an hour.

Buy with free shipping (at an amazing sale price right now) with Amazon Prime.

Laser Chess – New Twist on a Classic Strategy Game

The object of Laser Chess is the same as its predecessor – regicide! Be the first to eliminate your opponent’s king and you’re the victor. But the new spin is that you zap them with lasers! There are five layouts you can choose from so games have some variability. Set-up takes just a minute or two.

Players take turns moving mirrored playing pieces around the board. They end each turn by firing the laser, removing a man from play if the beam strikes the non-mirrored surface. When the laser strikes the king, that’s checkmate. But be careful because it’s possible to leave yourself open to attack or accidentally bounce the beam at your own regent.

Laser Chess includes 26 playing pieces, 2 class one eye-safe lasers, and batteries. Retail price is $43.50.

Sneaky Snacky Squirrel

Colorful and tactile and easy to  learn, Sneaky Snacky Squirrel reinforces colors and numbers for children ages 3-6. Spin the spinner and pick up the matching acorn with your Squirrel Squeezer, placing it in your log. The first to collect 5 acorns wins! This is another Parent’s Choice Award winner and a Good Housekeeping Best Toy. Note: We found that the cute little Squirrel Squeezer, which use can use to grip the acorns, is cumbersome so we don’t even use it at all.

Buy with free shipping at Amazon.

Ringmaster – The Big Top Card Game

This fast-paced card game is great when you want to have some fun but not get entrenched in something that will take a long time, or require complicated strategy. Each player wants to build a circus with the biggest attractions so they can attract a greater audience. Cards played can either benefit you or sabotage competing ringmasters.

The artwork is rich and original, the cards are large and sturdy, and everything can be tucked away in the carrying pouch. stars and attractions to dazzle the biggest audience. Caveat: Some of the cards have graphics that are a bit edgy and mature (think creepy clowns and grotesque circus characters). So I would definitely say this is geared towards teens and older, and will appeal to those who are into the “fantastical.”

We received our free review copy from UltraPRO. The Ringmaster card game is less than $10 on Amazon and ships FREE with Prime.

 

 

This post was sponsored in part by UltraPRO games, and may contain affiliate links.

Something New for Christmas: Pajamas That Squeak!

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Do you buy pajamas each year for Christmas? While there are lots of choices out there – flannel, fleece and all your favorite cartoon characters and sports teams – I bet you’ve never seen a pair of pajamas that squeaks. Our friends, the Spinks family, have just rolled out a new product this year called Squeaky Mouse pajamas, and I think your children are going to LOVE them!

Here’s the backstory:

When I was just a little girl, my grandmother gave me a nightgown with an embroidered patch over a squeaker.  It quickly became a family favorite.  My mother kept the nightgown for many years until I became a mother myself.  She then made another pajama using the original embroidery for my little boy.  For each of our five children,  she continued the tradition of the squeaky pajamas.​

Now that our children are a bit older, we looked back on some of our fondest memories of their childhood and realized that they involved these pajamas.  We created this line in hopes that other families will enjoy them as much as our family has.

To make the pajamas squeak, your child just presses on the cute little mouse head. It can quickly get addictive, but don’t worry because it’s not too obnoxious. 🙂 Click here to see a quick little video demo!

You can buy Squeaky Mouse pajamas solo, or pair them with a coordinating storybook called Squeaky’s Adventures with Noah. This shiny hardback tells the story of the friendship between Squeaky and Noah on board the ark. Lots of antics ensue as they pack the big boat full in anticipation of the coming flood! The storybook was authored by Randy Spinks and illustrated by Kate Powell.

The pajamas all by themselves are a gem, but paired with the storybook they become a spiritual gift to your children as well.

Squeaky Mouse pajamas are available in sizes 12 months to 5T. Ingrid, is six years old, but on the small side, so the 5T set that she received to review actually fit her perfectly. The pajamas are snug-fitting for safety and made of a soft 95% cotton/5% spandex blend.

A new pair of pajamas is great at Christmas, but makes a great gift any time of year!

Don’t forget to follow Squeaky Mouse Kids on Facebook. And THANK YOU for encouraging and supporting small family businesses!

Grab a set (or two) of Squeaky Mouse pajamas with FREE shipping
and get them in time for Christmas!

Walls and Warriors: a Castle Defense Puzzle Game

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When I read that Walls and Warriors was most popular game at home school conferences, I was happy to accept Timberdoodle’s offer to post a review at Zephyr Hill. Of course, the medieval theme also drew my boys and me in right away.

What is Walls and Warriors?

This 3D strategy game challenges you to place walls in such a way that the castle and its knights are defended. Like our other Smart Games, Walls and Warriors is well constructed and visually appealing. The game board made to look like rock, the wall sections are sturdy and easy to handle, and knight pieces are nicely detailed.

What you get:

  • Baseplate / game board
  • 4 red enemy knights
  • 3 blue knights
  • 4 walls
  • high tower
  • booklet with 80 challenges and solutions

You can choose from among 5 levels of difficulty – Starter, Junior, Expert, Master, and Wizard – which makes Walls and Warriors highly adaptable.

Game Play

Choose a challenge and then set the board up according to the booklet.  This takes just a minute. You won’t use all of the knight pieces.

How do you meet the challenge? Keep red (enemy) knights outside and blue knights and the tower inside the ramparts. The knights do not move; only the walls do!

When placed, the wall sections must fit in the grooves of the board, or it’s not a valid move.

Our Experience

Samuel (5th grade) loves how the knights look, with their shiny silver armor and bright flags. And the idea of working to keep his tower and knights safe, just like a king or lord of the Middle Ages, is very appealing. Children can work alone or with a partner (especially on the harder challenges). The Junior puzzles are perfect for Sam’s age range, taking him 10 minutes or less to complete. Benjamin, his older brother, works Junior challenges “just for fun” and Expert for a good brain workout.

My husband and I have fun working out the challenges, too! We find that Smart Games are not only versatile, but have sticking power. Even if you complete every challenge in the booklet, there’s no way you could remember them all, allowing you to revisit puzzles at a later date for more fun.

Oh, and here is the solution to puzzle number 21. See how the high tower and blue knights are safely behind the walls, and the enemy is shut out? Mission accomplished!

Where to Buy

Recommended for ages 8 and up, Walls and Warriors is part of Timberdoodle’s 12th grade homeschool curriculum, and helps to strengthen skills like concentration, logic, flexibility and problem solving. Here are some ideas for incorporating it into your homeschool:

  • Use as a STEM supplement for logic or geometry lessons
  • Use for enrichment as part of your medieval history class
  • Use for fun between assignments, or during downtime

Walls and Warriors is also available for purchase separately for $22.99. It’s travel-friendly and comes packed in a small, sturdy box.

Do you like strategy games like Walls and Warriors? Does your family incorporate games into homeschooling?