Reviewed by David Savage
In our house, as with many households, we are trying to limit the amount of screen time that the children are exposed to. That includes the television as well as tablets and phones. We encourage them to play, draw and interact with each other as well as others, and a great way to encourage this is with the use of board, card and tabletop games. We have quite a few games and there are plenty of interesting games around this year for family play, free of screens.
Walking around the shops I can’t believe how many board and tabletop games feature bodily functions, either featuring something to do with poo or breaking wind. Kids seemed to obsessed with toilet games (at least when they get off their phones and tablets or in our house asking Alexa to fart!). So when I was asked to review Whoopee Doo I agreed as I know 7 year old twins that would absolutely love to “hoot when they toot!”
Whoopee Doo is a screen free family based on a whoopee cushion. Instead of using an egg timer or clock, the players have to answer questions before the cushion deflates and ultimately farts.
The contents of the box is very minimal:
- 1x Whoopee Doo unit (basically a whoopee cushion with a speaker)
- 70x Challenge Cards
- Instruction leaflet
The Challenge Cards are split into four categories:
- Colour – you will need to name things that are a certain colour
- Letter – you will need to name things that are a certain colour
- Tongue Twister – your will need to repeat the tongue twister that is printed on the card a certain number of times
- Category – you will need to name things that fall into a given category
There is very little set up required to play. The Whoopee Doo unit requires 3x AAA batteries (not supplied), you will need a small screwdriver to insert them under the cover on the plastic head. Once the batteries are installed, inflate the whoopee cushion by pulling out the valve plug and blowing up the same as you would a beach ball etc. Shuffle the challenge cards and place on the table with the numbers facing up. Divide into teams (or just players) and decide at how many rounds that you are playing. You are now ready to play.
This is a really fun family game, that is simple for all members of the family to enjoy (from age 4 years). It definitely left us in fits of laughter. No screens, no complicated instructions, no arguments, just fun and sociable.
As will most children and family the games, and this is no exception, the youngest goes first. To start, the first player sits of the whoopee cushion and presses the yellow button for 3 seconds to start the timer. Another player turns over the challenge card on top of the pile – these have a number on one side and question on the other side. The player sitting on the whoopee cushion then has to answer the question or challenge before the whoopee cushion goes off and leaves them with an embarrassing fart! For example, a number 3 card with a ? and Things that are round would mean that the player has to name three things from a certain category, so would have to name three things that are round (ball, sphere, orange or whatever else comes to mind). Once the question is answered the yellow button is pressed to pause the timer and the whoopee doo unit is passed to the next player (if you answered correctly, keep your card as you add these up at the end to determine your score). The round continues until the whoopee cushion deflates and the player that “toots” is the loser. This continues for the number of rounds specified before you began and the player with the highest number of points at the end is the winner.
A really simple and fun family game with simple question that all the family can enjoy. Erm, you would think so, except for the mind has a habit of answering even the simplest of questions when sitting on a cushion that could go off any second.
It definitely appeals to kids and adults who love toilet humour and is a quick game to be playing now that the nights are drawing in and with school holidays (again) soon approaching. With Christmas going up, it would also make great gift for under the tree to play after your festive meal (but maybe not after eating Brussels sprouts!).
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £22.99
Available to buy from Amazon here.
