The dinosaurs go dotty (Orchard Toys Dotty Dinosaurs)

Member Name: KLockwood75

Product:	Orchard Toys Dotty Dinosaurs
Date:	28/10/09 (68 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple to play, quick, suits pre-schooler attention spans

Disadvantages: Might get boring for grown ups

My three year old (as of last weekend) is in the middle of a dinosaur obsession so this seemed like the perfect game for him. He was delighted to receive it as a present, shouting out 'dinosaur' in the style of George Pig and wanted to play it straight away.

The game comes in a brightly coloured box with two dinosaurs on the front. It is actually two games in one - the first is a shape matching game, and the second is a colour matching game. Inside the box are four brightly coloured cardboard dinosaurs in red, yellow, green and blue. These are the game boards and are reversible - one side has six shapes for the shape-matching game and the other side has brightly coloured dots for the colour-matching version of the game. The shapes and coloured dots need to be popped out of the cardboard, but the game is quick and easy to prepare - important when you've got an impatient pre-schooler waiting to play.

For both versions of the game, the rules are very simple. Each player takes a game board and the shapes / coloured dots are spread out on the playing surface (usually the carpet in this house). You take turns to roll the dice and collect shapes / coloured dots depending on what you roll. The first player to collect all the shapes / dots is the winner.

This game is definitely a hit in this house. It only takes 5-10 minutes to play, depending on how lucky you are with the roll of the dice, so it's perfect for the limited attention span of the typical pre-schooler. It is educational too - helping them to recognise shapes and colours, and encouraging turn-taking and playing together. The dinosaur game boards and play pieces are strong and look like they will withstand being thrown around in temper when your little one doesn't win - always an important factor in games in this house!

The game is around £8-10 depending on where you buy it - it is currently available on Amazon for £7.83, but there are often buy one get one half price offers on Orchard Toys games so it's worth shopping around.

I would definitely recommend this game - it has everything a pre-schooler needs in a board game. Simple game play, bright colours, suits a short attention span and is playable over and over again. And if your little one is as dinosaur obsessed as mine, then that's an added bonus!

Summary: A great little game for 3 and 4 year olds