Truth bee told, board and tabletop games are more than just entertainment, they are also excellent learning tools. That learning could come in the form of social skills, maths skills, turn taking and patience, or as in the literacy game Buzz Words from Orchard Toys, an excellent fun spelling, word recognition and memory game that is just an unbeelievable hilarious hive of activity!
So let’s get down to bees-ness, I’m sure you are all buzzing to find out what this game is all about.
Buzz Words is an educational and fun tabletop game for 1-4 players, age 5+. It is a literacy game with 4 different ways to play in a race to see who can make the most words. It tests observation skills, memory, letter recognition, word building and spelling, and language & literacy skills. And it has even been Teacher Tested (I have been a foster carer and used to volunteer in my local primary school Year 1 class and we played lots of games from Orchard Toys, they are excellent learning tools that help the kids learn through fun play).
In the box:
- 4 Double-sided Playing Boards
- 16 Picture Discs
- 16 Words Cards
- 62 Hexagonal Tiles (60 letters, 2 whirlwinds)
- Sand Timer
- Instructions
The components of this game are mostly cardboard (expect the sand timer) and are thick sturdy, durable and vibrant pieces – perfect for standing up to being handled by young children. The game boards are double-sided; one side has a picture disc space and space for fiver letters, the reverse side has space for four picture discs.
There are four different ways to play the game. Race to spell in game one, grab the word in game two, pick a pair in game three, and make a match in game four. Let the fun of word recognition and literacy skills begin!
- Race to Spell: Looking for a fun and engaging way to improve spelling skills? Simply set the timer and see how quickly you can find the letters to spell your word; but watch out for the whirlwind tile and get ready to adapt! If it appears, quickly pass your board to the player on your left and keep searching for letters to spell the new word in front of you until the sand timer runs out. If you find all the letters to spell your word before the time runs out, shout “Buzz Word” and quickly brush the picture disc and letters on your board to one side ready for your next word! It’s a fun and fast-paced game that will keep everyone on their toes!
- Grab the Word: To win the card, simply be the first to spot the matching word, then shout “Buzz Word” as you place your hand on it! The player with the most pairs of words and matching pictures at the end of the game wins! So, keep your eyes peeled and your reflexes sharp to come out on top!
- Pick a Pair: To start the game, separate the picture discs and word cards. As you turn over the cards, shout “Buzz Word” if you find a match! Move the pair in front of you to keep track. The player with the most pairs at the end wins. Enjoy the game!
- Make a Match: To play the game, cover the circles with picture discs, picture side up. Flip a word card and shout “Buzz Word” if it matches your picture. Place the word on top of the matching disc. The winner is the first to cover all their picture cards with matching words and shout “Buzz Word”!
Whichever game that the busy little worker bees are playing, they all have simple, easy to understand game play with trying to find the correct letters to spell a word or match words to pictures. As they get more confident in their words and spelling and require more of a challenge, the game scales up from simple words like ‘cat’ and ‘dog’ to more complex ones like ‘queen’ and ‘zebra’.
Overall, if you are looking for a game to play with the children just starting out on their educational journey then Buzz Words is fun and fast-paced and supports what they will be learning at school and gets them to put their phonics skills to the test.
Buzz Words is a delightful game that turns learning into a game and getting the children enjoying it, they won’t even realise they’re absorbing valuable skills. The game is suitable for solo play or as a family game to get everyone buzzing. The timer can be used or not, depending on the age and abilities of the players.
All well as instructions and rules for the four different ways to play the game, the instructions also provide some help in learning letter sounds and diagraphs (consonants and vowels) so you can help them (and even yourself) practice the different sounds. It also has a list of CVC words (consonant, vowel and consonant – words like cat, dog, sun, wax, etc.), CCVC words (clap, grab, stop etc.) and CVCC words (bank, milk, wind etc.) as they progress and get more confident.
And you don’t have to just use Buzz Words to play the games. You can lay out the letter tiles to teach and practice the alphabet or get them practicing spelling their name (there are more than one of each letter included in the box). It is a very versatile game and teaching tool.
With four games to play as well as other word, spelling and sounds to practice it is a very versatile game with so many fun learning aspects. And the games don’t take long to play so are perfect for getting and holding the attention of young players.
Buzz Words is sure to keep your little ones engaged and learning, whilst still having plenty of fun. It’s an un-bee-lievably good interactive game for children beginning to learn letters and words, perfect for promoting language and literacy skills, and fantastic for encouraging observational skills.
To bee or not to bee? That shouldn’t be the question. The question should be, how soon can I get a copy and starting playing? I’m not pollen your leg, it is a superb learning game for children and a fun game to play with them.
Rating: 5/5
RRP: £9.75
For more information or to buy direct, visit www.orchardtoys.com. Also available to buy from Amazon here.
