A simple game but you can get loads from it (Orchard Toys Shopping List)

Member Name: Cheryld

Product:	Orchard Toys Shopping List
Date:	21/10/08 (73 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Simple to understand, no rules, can be played again and again

Disadvantages: Can't think of any except that it's easy to lose pieces

I work as a Speech and Language Therapist and have played this with children who come into clinic loads and loads of times. It is a firm favourite with children and many who come for a number of therapy sessions will ask to play it again and again. Lots of mums have gone out to buy the game after playing it in the clinic.

As other reviews have stated, it is a simple game, in which up to 4 people can play. Each player has a list (illustrated) of items to buy and a trolley. Players take turns to turn game pieces (shopping items). If it is on their list, they put it in the trolley. If not, it goes back on the table face down.

Here are the reasons why I like this game so much:

1) You can use it with children who don't have much language or with children who have loads of language, i.e.. it's versatile.

2) It's great for boosting vocabulary of everyday items

3) It encourages turn-taking

4) It's fun!! (most important) and gets shy children talking

5) You can encourage children to extend their sentences through repetitive modelling, e.g. I've got a ... in my trolley.

6) It's cheap! (You can buy it for around a fiver if you shop around)

If I had to recommend 10 games for children aged 3-8, this would definitely be in my top 10.

Summary: One of my firm favourites for children