Amy Pessolano

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Blaster Boards Combine Nerf and Fort Building (as easy as Lego) for Epic Family Fun

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

It’s been awhile since I wrote a product review, but when I saw the ad pop up in my Facebook feed for Blaster Boards, I knew I had to reach out for a sample.

My boys are smack dab in the age range for epic nerf battles and I don’t think they’ll ever outgrow their love of forts. So it’s the perfect for them. The only problem is that I’d rather them take the nerf battles outside AND those bullets are hard to locate in the grass. Maybe we need to stuff the stockings with more.

Check out this video from Blaster Boards and tell me you don’t want to schedule a neighborhood Nerf War? Or even a backyard water gun/water balloon battle in the summer.

Ok- so they made a pretty awesome video with unlimited access to Blaster Board sets, but would 1 set be enough for my kids? Are they really as awesome as they appear?

The branded shipping box showed up on our porch and the boys were chomping at the bit to get their hands on them. I managed to get a few photos of the contents before they ran off to the yard with them.

 

Just like Lego- the instructions are picture based. Usually this means that it’s super easy to assemble them, even if you can’t read. But- just like other toys with picture based instructions…. it sometimes takes a few minutes to figure it out. Just enough time to slow them down and make them think a little, but not enough to frustrate them into never playing with them again. Perfect!

They really are pretty easy to assemble- even for a 6 and 8 year old. Originally we had a full section facing the wrong direction…. but we do that with Ikea furniture too. Ha! It still stood up, even though it was backward.

I especially love toys that get Dads involved.

Make sure you find some flat, stable ground. We built ours on the grass and it fell over a lot. Otherwise the kids thought they were pretty great and are now requesting more sets so they can each have their own base.

Check out this review from my 8 year old. It was totally unprompted. I think he is remembering back to all the toy reviews I had him do as a 2 year old. Maybe I should give him a You Tube channel after all.

The shipping box is sturdy, and I plan to store the Blaster Boards in it- so if that box also had a handle, it would be perfect for transporting your sets to the campsite or park for fun on the go. I mean, it’s still pretty great for that, but a handle would be an awesome addition.

I’d love to see the company add a handle to the box, or even sell or include a travel bag to store the boards and connectors.

One set, which covers 10 square feet, is $49.99. That’s enough to build a fort that’s 4ft. tall. It also comes with two targets that spin when hit.

The more sets you buy, the more you save, and the more epic forts you can build.

I would say, after playing with them, that you will need at least 1 set per child, but 2 or more would  be better.

I also discovered this add-on kit so you can camouflage your fort! It comes with 25 printed cards (7″x7″) including 8 wood, 8 stone, and 8 metal designs. The backs are dry erase.

I think we’ll get a few more sets and see what unique builds my kids come up with on their own, without the instructions. My boys have already been browsing #blasterboards on Instagram for inspiration. I love the idea we saw to use the spinning target blocks inside, on their own for target practice, propped up with the connectors. We have at least 1 kid that needs work on his aim.

The blaster-boards seem very durable, which is pretty important to stand up to the abuse of a family of boys, and I’m looking forward to my family enjoying them for years. All-in-all, an awesome toy.

You can purchase your own sets on www.blaster-boards.com or on Amazon.

Screen-Free Games For Kids To Learn To Think Like A Coder

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

In a previous post, I shared a printable Pirate Coding Game I created, that was inspired by the Board Game Robot Turtles. As we were getting started with coding, I found that lots of the online apps used this concept of directional arrows to tell the character how many spaces and in which direction to move, step by step to solve the maze.

It seems really simple, but slowing down and spelling out every single direction and step was sometimes a challenge for me! That’s when it became clear it was an important skill for them to learn too.

As you continue to play the online versions, more advanced concepts are introduced. But everyone has to start somewhere, and getting a character through a maze by giving him directions, is a great way for preschoolers to start getting familiar with the concepts they’ll need for coding success in the future.

Check out this super fun activity to build and code a maze using Lego!

Other Ways to Play With Code OFFLINE

Although there are a few easy apps for beginners, for preschoolers and kindergarteners, getting started with code really should happen offline.

Here’s another game that’s similar to printable Pirate Coding Game from my friend Sarah at Little Bins for Little Hands. In her SUPERHERO CODING GAME FOR KIDS, use basic programming ideas to help Batman avoid the bad guys and get the jewels! You have to get him to move on the right path around the obstacles using basic programming commands.

IF/THEN Backyard Coding Game For Kids

This game is such a genius way to get kids to think like a coder, I’m sort of jealous I didn’t come up with it first. My friend Anne, over at Left Brain Craft Brain, has this amazing post about an If/Then Backyard Coding Game for kids.

I use If/Then Logic ALL THE TIME in my work as a digital marketer. But I never really stopped to think about how kids could learn and practice this concept in an active and engaging way, without screens. Good thing Anne did it for me.

According to Anne, “If Then is what’s called a conditional statement in programming.  The program queries if one condition exists, then it commands it to do something.  It can be as basic as a True or False question and answer or it can prompt an action.”

The game is a twist on the old school backyard game, Simon Says and will work for all ages. She even designed 4 different difficulty levels for it, depending on the age of your kids. It will get them using coding vocabulary and understanding the logic. Plus, they’ll be having so much fun they won’t even know they are learning!

Go check it out and let me know what you think! 

Super Silly Screen Free Coding Game

This game from Teach Your Kids Code is SUPER FUN!!
What kid wouldn’t love bossy “Mommy Robot” around and then squirting her with a water shooter??
It works just like many of the other screen-free games I’ve shared, to get kids familiar with giving directions.

Teach Your Kids Code also has a fun game to teach your kids coding with just a deck of cards. and 7 More Screen Free Ways to Introduce Coding to Preschoolers.

Learning Resources Let’s Go Code! Activity Set

Learning Resources, one of my all-time favorite companies for educational toys and games, has this Let’s Go Code! Activity Set available on their website and Amazon. It comes with a full-color guide that has sample mazes you can set up with the foam mats and an overview of coding.

This game is a great way for kids to learn Critical thinking, Sequential thought, Problem solving, Gross motor skills, Directional sense, and Following directions.

Learning resources also makes the Code & Go Mouse Robot Activity Set.

My kids had a blast learning to program the robot mouse to follow directions and find it’s way through the maze they set up for it.

Even More Screen-Free Coding Fun

Brown Bear Brown Bear Coding Game for Preschoolers from Preschool Steam

Hands On Coding Games for Preschoolers with the Fisher Price Learn and Play Code-a-pillar Toy from Preschool Steam

Algorithm Coding Game from Little Bins for Little Hands

Coding for Kids from Science Sparks

DIY Computer Coding Camp from iGame Mom

Unplugged Coding Bundle from Rosie’s Superstars on Teachers Pay Teachers

How to Play Crazy Eights

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

In this game you’ve got to get rid of all the cards in your hand before your opponents do. Just beware of those crazy eights! This game is usually included in sets of cards for kids, like this set here.

Players
2-5

Objective
Get rid of all the cards in your hand before anyone else.

How to Deal
Shuffle a standard playing deck, then deal 5 cards to each player, face down. Place the remaining cards face down in a pile in the middle of all the players (this is the draw pile). Turn over one “starter” card so that it’s face up next to the draw pile.

How to Play
The player to the left of the dealer starts the game. The first player takes a card from their hand that either matches the number or the suit of the card facing up next to the draw pile. For example, if a 5 of Hearts is showing you may either pay a 5 (of any suit) or any Heart (no matter the number or face).

If you don’t have a card that matches the number or the suit, take a card from the draw pile until you are able to play a card.

Don’t forget, in this game the 8s are wild! If you have an 8 in your hand you can change the suit (but not the number) of the card in play.

If a player is unlucky enough to have to take the entire draw pile during a turn, leave the top card on the discard pile face up and shuffle all the cards underneath it. Those shuffled cards become the new draw pile.

If you take all the remaining draw cards and still find yourself unable to play, you have to pass and the next player takes their turn.

How to Win
Play continues until a player has successfully rid themselves of all their cards.

Tips

For a more advanced play, the winner can earn points based on the cards remaining in each player’s hand. Then, the player with the most points is the overall winner.

8s = 50 points
Face cards (King, Queen, or Jack) = 10 points
Ace = 1 point
Number cards = face value

How to Play Pig

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information see my disclosure policy.

In this fast-moving card game, paying attention to the other players is just as important as paying attention to the cards in your hand!

Players
Up to 13 (for more than 13, add a deck of cards)

Objective
Don’t spell P-I-G! When the first player to collect a four-of-a-kind lays down their hand and touches their nose, stop playing and touch your nose, too. The last person to touch a finger to his or her nose for each game earns a P, I, or G. First person to spell “PIG” is the overall loser.

How to Deal
At the start of the game, choose a set of four cards (i.e. all four Jacks, all four 2s) for each player. If there are any cards left over, set them aside.

Shuffle the stacks of card sets together, then deal four cards to each player, face down.

How to Play
Once the cards are dealt, the fast-paced play can begin!

Look at your cards and sort them out. Then, choose one and pass it to the player on your left. The player on your right passes a card to you. Pick it up and see if it’s one you want to collect to make four of a kind. Choose another card to pass to your left.

Play continues in this passing/picking up manner until you have collected four of the same card. Once you have four of a kind, quietly put your cards down and place a finger on your nose.

As soon as other players notice, they should also put a finger on their own noses. The last player to do so earns a letter.

Then, resort and reshuffle the cards and start another round!

How to Win
Each round, the person who collects four of the same card first wins. The last person to notice and put a finger on their nose gets a letter. The player who spells out PIG first is the overall loser.

Tips
This is a great game for younger players, too. To help young children get the hang of the game, try playing with a spoken rhythm. For example, “Down, pass, pick up. Down, pass, pick up.”

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