Disclosure / Disclaimer: I received this product free of charge,from Semper Smart Games for review purposes on this blog. No other compensation, monetary or in kind, has been received or implied for this post. Nor was I told how to post about it. All opinions are my own.
I don't know about you, But in our neck of the woods, early voting started on Monday, for local elections. As the child is taking American civics this semester, been trying to find interesting ways to explain the crazy process that we call American democracy.
One of the hard things that most kids can't get their heads around is the electoral college, as they are so tech savvy they feel like it's not truly representative, and then they question why do we actually go vote if someone else is actually voting for us. Again a sign of modern times and trying to explain concepts with deep philosophical and classical roots.
So I was thrilled to find out about a new game that takes a look at the electoral college, makes it fun, and actually teaches math skills! As a homeschooler, that's known as a home run!
Election Night! is the new game that teaches kids (and adults!) about the Electoral College! Players battle for critical electoral votes as they sharpen their U.S geography and political system knowledge. The double-sided game board includes addition and multiplication game versions for varying ages and skill levels, that also teaches U.S. state geography, and the mechanics of the Electoral College.
Election Night! comes with double-sided, dry erase game board, 6 12-sided, patent pending, 25mm, Playsmart Dice, and two strategy card decks, all in a box that actually HOLDS everything together for you- no sorting though countless cards and papers here- all is neatly ready for the next game, as you can see!
I love that the box lid shows you the skills that your child can learn, so in case you haven't read about the game you have that type of stem information readily available! It's soon easy to see why it's a Winner of the 2019 Parents Choice Gold Award, Mom's Choice Gold Award, and more awards!.
Also pretty amazing is the instruction booklet! Yes, that is the instruction booklet above and below, in full color with plenty of diagrams of the actual game board and symbols on it, so you know exactly what you should be doing. How many times have you had a game that has vague instructions? Nothing can be more frustrating when it's a new game! These instructions give you the rules for doing either the multiplication version (older kids/adults) or for the addition/subtraction version (younger kids). There's no guessing game with these instructions!
The game comes with two dry-erase markers, one in red and one in blue. Obviously, you have a blue circles and red circles to fill in you can choose the same color obviously for similarity to the poles that you may see on TV, but I have a contrary teenager who decided to do opposite colors so they were easier to see, LOL. Depends featured chiseled eraser ends which make it easier to use and they seem to be lasting pretty well, always a plus. The two decks of strategy cards are also a sturdy stock with some lamination over them so they should last for years of play.
The double-sided gameboard includes addition and multiplication game versions to keep kids sharp on math skills, with varying levels of complexity based on player skill level. As you can see each state has little sections for their accounts that you fill out as they are achieved. It's also a very easy visual representation of which states get more votes, than other states
As you can see each state is divided by itself with the count as well on the side so you have multiple ways of keeping track
The two players, or teams, battle for critical electoral votes in the race for the presidency, in each game. Strategy comes in when you roll your dice and you have to determine which way you want to use your numbers, that can help you the most. You should strategically target key states with freezes and re-rolls, to counter your opponent’s progress, but also to gain the most votes by locking down quick victories in small states. You can also work for longer-term objectives in larger states on your way to gaining the 270 electoral votes you need to become President, but you have to be able to adapt strategy, as conditions change, as your opponent counters your moves, and may block you!
The game uses the patent-pending PlaySmart Dice system, a uniquely numbered 12-sided dice system that makes harder-to-learn math facts easy to remember with masterfully conceived gameplay.
Gameplay in Election Night encourages strategies that target what we know to be harder-to-learn sums and products, and associates those results with other essential knowledge (U.S. geography and Electoral College mechanics). It's a great game that offers something unique every time you play it, and as your child gets older, it can change with them, as they get more adapted at strategy and see how candidates use certain states to score a win for the presidency! We will definitely be pulling it back out, over and over!
Ideal for ages 8 and up, with multiple game versions and more complex play that add to high replay value for older age groups and adults. Great for game nights, family play or the classroom!
Available on Amazon for $39.95, today it's on sale for $34.95!
About Semper Smart Games
Semper Smart Games is on a mission to create uniquely fun and educational games that teach invaluable skills and knowledge - committed to giving today’s families meaningful gaming options that are not screen based and encourage personal interaction. Games that you can play at home, in the classroom, or really anywhere you can find a surface! by
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