CAMP, The Board Game

Momicillin is pleased to introduce visiting writer: Karrie McAllister
If you like what you read, find more from her at www.karriemcallister.com

So let’s say that with the change of weather and the “no child left inside” stuff that has been hitting the media fairly hard, you think you should really get your kid and yourself into the great out-of-doors, but you don’t know your black bear cubs from your small mouth bass. 

Never fear.

CAMP, by Education Outdoors, is here to help even the faintest of feral heart. 

Coined as “the game that grows with you,” this multi-generational game is as fun and educational as the box top claims.

The fun part comes in because they have cleverly named the game pieces such as “Bruce the Moose,” my son’s personal favorite, and “Sassy the Squirrel” who is off limits because she is hoarded by my daughter.  There’s also the mild equivalent of going to jail, known as Camp Clubhouse, but instead of a punishment the player must read a Fun Fact card. 

Did YOU know that nocturnal insects are attracted to light, a response called phototaxis?  Me neither.  But that’s where the educational part of the game comes in.

The question cards are divided into four levels, making the game truly suitable for the entire family.  The questions for the youngest players might be to identify a photo of an animal such as a duck.  The harder level might ask the player to answer questions about the duck’s habitat or breeding practices.  Even as a personally labeled outdoor enthusiast, I’ve learned plenty playing this game.

The game is also a quick play, sometimes too quick for our family, and we find ourselves going around twice when the mood strikes.  It is honestly suitable for ages four and up, way up.  It’s a simple move-around-a-board format, where not every roll of the dice gets a question—you’ve got to land on the green hiking boots—which keeps up the pace and the attention.  The object is, of course, to get back to camp before the other players.

Education Outdoors also has a Web site, www.campboardgame.com, that has printables of some of the characters.  Perfect for coloring in your tent or your family room on rainy days.

(Find more from Karrie at www.karriemcallister.com)