Staycation/Travel Games Review

Reviewed by Laura S

Usually this time of year there is a lot of excitement about family holidays and visiting different countries but with the Covid 19 pandemic the majority of people’s plans have changed, including ours.  The annual family holiday abroad is a distant memory of last year and something we can hopefully look forward to next year.  More of us are having staycations or holidaying in the UK. Whilst I am gutted to be missing the warm sun of Europe, I am excited about having more time to discover all of the wonderful things around where we live.

However, I am slightly worried that the children will need more entertaining with a back up plan needed for those colder and wetter British summer days we sometimes get. I need to be organised in case of these.
I want to make the summer staycation fun and memorable for the children with quality family time together & minimal screen time. Whether, it be via family time; playing games, visiting attractions or exploring the local area.

Quirk

Quirk is the funniest family game we have ever played! It had us in fits of giggles throughout.

There are two decks of cards included that you can play as stand alone or mix & match.
The white cards are for younger players and grey cards for older plays.

The aim of the game is to collect a Quirk which is three of the same card but twists along the way mean you could have your cards stolen, your move blocked or stopped. The winner is the person with the most Quirks at the end.

So how do you get the cards? Each play is dealt three cards at the start. You then have to act out an illustration on your card via movements/actions and sounds to try and claim the same card from another player. This is were the fun really starts. Especially, when other players steal your Quirks or block your moves.

The pictures on the cards include: dog, robot, pirate, mermaid, dragon and alien to name a few. The cards are brightly illustrated and feel of good quality card. They should last a long time.

The game is for 2-6 players. We played with a range of plays and found 3 or more players worked best. A game lasts 15-60 minutes.
The game is aimed at 5+ years which I felt was accurate. We had a child age 3 play (try to) and whilst they could do the movement/actions and sounds they couldn’t grasp the other concepts of the game so we adjusted the game to meet their needs. It is great game that is very versatile in that it can be made as hard or as easy as needed to include the whole family.

The younger players loved stealing the cards or blocking the moves of the older players. It quickly becomes very competitive & hilarious.

I score Quirk at 5/5. It’s a new favourite in my household and since playing we have had a couple of games per day. We can’t wait to share the fun with family and friends.
It is definitely worth purchasing.

Another bonus to the game is that Quirk is published by Gibsons a British company established in 1919.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £12.00

This product is available to buy from Gibson Games here.

Landmark Lotto Mini Game

Landmark lotto is an educational game about 24 different world landmarks.

Players take it in turn to pick a card to see if it matches any of the landmarks on their game passport. The winner is the first person to find all 6 of their landmarks.

Each of the 4 passports has a couple of facts about each landmark on that passport. I really liked this feature as it was educational but doesn’t come across as typical school work and learning, thus keeping the children engaged. Since playing the game we have researched some of the landmarks and spoke about which we would like to go discover.

The concept of the game is very simple and perfect for child playing together. It is aimed at 4-7 years which is perfect pitch. My 3 year old played and won! The game is for 2-4 players.

There are 4 passports and 24 landmark cards. The passports and landmarks are made of thick strong card. With bright and clear illustrations.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £5.20

This product is available to buy from the Orchard Toys website here.

Llamas in Pyjamas Mini Game

In this funny game you have to take it in turns to match your llamas pyjama top and bottoms together. The winner is the person with the most pairs at the end.

Within the stack of cards are 4 cards that make up a cute llama bed time scene and 4 ‘a-llama clock’ cards which act like a forfeit card. We had a lot of giggles when a ‘a-llama clock’ card was picked up. Especially, when it was mummy or daddy picking up these cards.

The game is aimed at 3-6 years with 2-4players. I found that my 3 year old enjoyed the game much more than my 6 year old.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £5.20

This product is available to buy from the Orchard Toys website here.

ittle Bus Lotto Mini Game

This game is for 2-4 plays and recommend for ages 3-6 years.

The aim of the game is to be the first person to fill your bus by matching the 6 animal cards first.
This is a great little game for all of the family to play. Whilst the game is simple it is educational at the same time by children identifying the different animals and counting how many animals they have so far on the bus.

The buses and animal cards are brightly coloured which are very appealing.

Rating: 5/5

RRP: £5.20

This product is available to buy from the Orchard Toys website here.

Orchard Toys have a large range of mini travel games to suit all ages, abilities and wishes. There really is something for everyone. I feel the mini games are excellent value at £5.20 each.  Orchard games are made in Great Britain.

Quirk & the Orchard mini games are perfect size for popping in your bag for a day out or when you go travelling further a field from home. Not only are the games very fun and entertaining they also are educational in a range of ways, such as: building confidence, numeracy, literacy and sharing.
These games are all family friendly, so no excuses for family members not playing.

I love the high quality and robustness of each game to withstand travel and that each comes in a perfect size box. I hate excessive packing.

These games are definitely a must have to keep the children entertained over the summer staycation or when travelling to ensure family fun. We are having great fun playing each of them.