Learning Resources Shelby’s Snack Shack Counting Game EI-3408

Love it :)

This counting game is suitable for ages 4+ so I have got it for my grandson's 4th birthday. I haven't given it to him yet but he loves board games so I'm sure he will love this one. Apparently you can play it with 2 to 4 players, so if you're on your own with the child you can still play. The box contains a game board, a Shelby squeezer (which is a rubber toy in the shape of a dog) which you use to put the bones you collect in the game into your bowl. There are a total of 40 bones and 4 bowls. There's also a double game spinner (one with numbers and one with pictures of bones) and an instruction leaflet. The game is supposed to develop the child's number and counting skills, although it looks pretty basic and I'm wondering if it might be more suitable for my 2 year old grand-daughter. Anyway, we'll give it a go and see how they like it.

My little boy has played this at nursery with the practitioner and his friends. They're only three so below the recommended age but they still got a great game out of it and was supporting their fine motor skills. Due to their age the member of staff modified the game and the number that came up was not linked to missing turns etc instead they counted how many had to be picked out using the tweezers and dropped into the bowl. It was then played as it was meant to be in the next room up which is the room before going to primary school and they had full range following the instructions. A great game that wasn't gender specific and occupied 4 youngsters nicely.

I am a big fan of Learning Resources as they endeavour to make education a natural and playful experience and despite being a touch more expensive than competitors they are certainly worth the money as they are designed to be robust enough to survive in nurseries and classrooms. We've invested in quite a few pieces by this brand so it's been great to try out some more such as Shelby's Snack Shack Game of which the aim is to collect the most bones from the beach by the end of the game. The best but is that it's completely self storing and the box forms the game play so most things stay in or near the box which reduces the risk of losing bits. It's an odd shaped box I admit but I can deal with that for the self storing! One of my daughters favourite games is Learning Resources Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game which she recieved two Christmases ago and is similar in concept to Shelby's Snack Shack Game but this is definitely a touch more advanced which is excellent because it's moved in from simple counting and colours alongside fine motor practice towards simple arithmetic of spin to find out how many more to add or how many less if the seagulls steal them, and extra additions of gentle competitive play and fine motor practice through the Shelby themed tongs to pick up the bones. The dog at the seaside theme is playful my just turned 5 year old daughter thinks this is so cute and the illustrations are sweet but pleasantly gender neutral but it's worth noting the bones are tiny if you've got a persistent mouther, a younger child or one with oral sensory issues. Overall, this is a great game to encourage early maths skills and is refreshingly different from the usual gendered toys that dominate the aisles I would heartily recommend this as a gift to help a reception/year 1 aged child or is finding addition and subtraction a bit difficult without making it obvious it's for educational purposes.

Looking at the name of this game for some reason we assumed that Shelby was a male dog but Shelby can be also a female given name and in this game Shelby is indeed a girl. Like all Learning Resources products I came across so far this one is also very well made with smooth finish, perfect for little hands. The bowls look like plastic on the pictures but they are actually made out of sturdy cardboard. The bones are made out of soft plastic and the dog shaped tweezers are rubbery but rather awkward to hold and use. To be honest this is the least useful piece in the box. Fluffy Shelby toy and regular Learning Resources tweezers would be more useful here. Shelby’s Snack Shack is a counting game recommended for children 4-8 years old. My younger one is 7 and she loves it, not only to play the game but also to play with the bowls and bones to feed her toy dogs. The aim of the game is to get as many bones as possible. Spinning both of the clocks decides how many bones player is gaining or losing. For instance the bones can be lost to the pesky seagulls… living by the sea I know how true it can be. Lastly Shelby’s Snack Shack game has nice looking, good quality box and would make great gift for any child learning to count, especially if they are dog lovers. And the seaside theme makes it perfect for summer holidays.

My son loves this game. It has really helped his number recognition, counting and early maths skills. You can play this with 2-4 people. The game is good quality and seems really solid. The instructions were easy to follow and the premise of the game is really straightforward.

It’s a counting game bone for those younger members in the house. Its concept is also a little like snakes and ladders. (You can lose your bones) It’s good fun and we’ve played it a few times now. One of our current favourites

Aimed at ages 4+, this game is for 2-4 players, and encourages number, counting and early maths skills, as well as social skills (taking turns, etc.) and fine motor skills. Everything about the game is well made – a sturdy box to keep the pieces, the Shelby Squeezer (to pick up the bones), the bowls, the double spinner and the bones themselves. The idea is to collect the most bones, but you need to be careful of the sneaky seagulls, you can also steal bones from another player or get side tracked by chewing a flip flop and lose your turn! This is a simple game, but it involves a lot of learning opportunities and, best of all, it is good fun. My testers enjoyed picking up the bones with Shelby the dog and the play pieces were well made. Excellent to teach children early counting skills in a fun way.