Another wonderful family game from Orchard Toys, my children love to play this over and over and the screaming when you see a crocodile card has everyone in giggles. If you are looking for a fun, non complicated family activity board game for your little ones I would certainly recommend this game.

The boys were very excited to get Jolly Octopus as they have seen it advertised on the television a lot recently. It was easy to assemble straight from the box and the rules are very straight forward, so we could play this pretty much immediately.

Zingo is picture bingo, with a special Zingo dispenser to show you the plastic picture tiles. I loved the fact the tiles are plastic and, therefore, durable and long lasting. The tiled help with shape and letter recognition and it is a game that you can play with all the family. The Zingo Cards are double sided to allow for different levels of play.

A nice visual way to have fun with the alphabet (and some strange animals). However at £14 I would have expected the pieces to have been a bit more substantial and robust. The whole thing looks so lovely it’s a shame it’s been let down somewhat by ‘cheap’ counters and a spinner than only just spins.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect of this one, but when it came out of the box there was a round plastic console, 16 coloured plastic ‘pads’ of various shapes and sizes and no instructions. Hmm. Turns out you don’t need instructions as it’s ridiculously simple – but you do need three AA batteries. Once it’s up and running, this is something my four-year-old could easily set up and play without any help from me. this, friends, is A Good Thing.

he look and feel of Monopoly City is very similar to the original. The aim of the game is to move around, buy districts, collect rent and the richest player wins. The difference is that players are now property developers too, and can add 3D buildings to their districts on the centre of the board. It’s like the original game with buildings, and some borrowed elements from Sim City and other popular online games. In fact, Monopoly City even has a website at www.monopolycitystreets.com, bringing it right up to date for children.

I was quite excited to receive the Orchard Toys game “Doodlebugs” as I have seen their line of games and puzzles before. It’s also appropriate because Ella’s nickname is Doodles. The game is easy to play and is reminiscent of Uno. It teaches numbers, colours, matching, shapes and taking turns in addition to being quite entertaining thanks to the cute and colourful pictures of the creatures on the cards.

layers have to complete simple challenges like guess which stone has the picture on or predict how many bones with a dot land face up. If you win, there’s the chance to try one of eight keys in the treasure chest, containing coins.The one who collects two coins is the winner.

This game is a bit like Twister for children. It is for 2-4 players. The aim of the game is to spin the dial to determine where you place your left or right hand or foot, with the winner being the last to lose their balance. It comes with a huge plastic mat with a town design on it, and a spinning board. The box says this game is suitable for 3 – 8 year olds.

For parents who like games you can take anywhere and also want to join in, this is perfect. It has a great modern feel and even better, it doesn’t need batteries, chargers or accessories. The kids totally loved this and I can see it becoming a favourite pretty quickly. Because you can have up to eight players this is a perfect after dinner game for families and get togethers so one to bring out at Christmas, Easter and the holidays.

It’s the kind of game to keep in the cupboard for get away from it all holidays and camping – you don’t need batteries or chargers just bright little minds. Adults can join in too and the game is very simple to compile, unlike a lot of quiz games.

A classic game that is hard to beat, if all players are in the right mood (and no one’s had a curry the night before). Adults and teenagers seem to tire of it more quickly than younger children, at least in this house. It’s longevity probably means it’s a game most toy cupboards shouldn’t be without.

Dragonology is an excellent choice for a child with a good imagination and long attention span. It is well made, interesting to play and great fun. A refreshing change from your average TV character themed toy and beautifully made to boot!

Bubble Buster is a great idea, but if you could just buy the wands it would be preferable (and much cheaper). The children loved the fact that the wands pinged when a bubble was burst and had lots of fun, but Mummy was just thinking how pricey over £10 is for two plastic wands and a bubble blower which died on first use.

A classic board game, with all sorts of educational benefits. Well made, well presented and at a very reasonable price.