In The Country Game by Haba (Includes a Discount Code)

In The Country is an adorable game made by Haba. We have never actually played a Haba game before, and I'm quite impressed with this one. I thought this would be perfect for our household since it focuses on learning the nutritional cycle of where foods come from and how they are made. If you've read my blog for any length of time you know that feeding my family healthy foods is a passion of mine. Starbright Kids Company sent us this game for review and is offering a great discount code as well.

Haba games seem to be well thought out and unique in their game play. The idea behind this game is definitely original. Players move around the board collecting ingredients to make a particular food. The recipe cards range from easy to more complex. You can collect a carrot and an apple for a snack, or make an apple pie which involves feeding the cows hay to get milk, harvesting grain and taking it to the mill for flour, feeding grain to chickens to get an egg, and more. I like that play can be so varied- we can work on a problem card together, or each player can work on their own. There are a few other simple variations that can be thrown into the game as well to make it more involved for older children.

In The Country comes with small pieces of wooden food (yes, they would be a choking hazard for younger children, but they are sooo cute). The cardboard pieces are very thick and sturdy making this a game that will last. I absolutely love the quality of the pieces and can't get over how cute the details are.

Lucy enjoyed playing this game and was able to move around the board and complete a recipe card with just a bit of help from me. The box says that the game is for 2-4 players age 4-10 but Grandma and Grandpa enjoyed playing this game with us as well. Julia (age 2) wanted to help move pieces around the board and pretend to drink the tiny milk bottle, but really didn't understand the game play. The idea is complex, involving different steps and some planning on each player's part, but overall there are not a lot of rules to follow or learn which is nice. We thoroughly enjoyed this game and I can see it getting lots of use for quite some time to come.

Starbright Kids Company is a wonderful website that carries a great selection of toys that we love. They specialize in European and natural wooden toys, offering non-toxic, high quality items. They also require a safety statement from all of their vendors. In looking through the website, I saw many of the toys that we own and several more to add to my wish list! Starbright Kids Company offers order fulfillment and customer service through amazon.com. I personally experienced great communication from them and fast shipping. They offer free shipping on orders over $25. With brands like Haba, Selecta, Plan Toys, Djeco, and more, it is definitely easy to find enough to qualify for free shipping.

To help you get started shopping, Starbright is offering a discount code for $5 off orders over $25 good through October 31, 2009. Use the code BUJ8RV2T at checkout. Thanks Starbright Kids Company!