Looking for the perfect starter board game for toddlers? First Orchard might just be the perfect first board game. For 2-4 year olds, this classic toddler game is a gentle introduction to board gaming with simple cooperative play and color matching. It is a simpler version of the original Orchard game, adapted for ages 2 and up. But how does it hold up in the hands of excited toddlers? We review the educational value and fun factor to see if it’s worth picking up as one of your little one’s very first games.
Highlights
First Orchard Game is designed for 2-4 year olds, teaches cooperation, turn taking, and helps them develop color recognition skills
- First Orchard Game setup is super fast, perfect for little ones with short attention spans and doubles as an educational tool for fine motor skills and cognitive development.
Good for the target age range but may lose appeal for older kids, but the wooden pieces are durable so the game has extended play value even when kids outgrow it.
Unboxing First Orchard
Opening the box of First Orchard is like walking into a mini fruit garden. Inside you’ll find lovely wooden fruit pieces, each one carefully crafted and painted to look like the fruit you’d find in a real orchard – apples, pears, and plums – as well as one sturdy basket to load them into. There’s also a sneaky raven figure to swoop down on the fruit if you don’t pick it up in time.
From the get-go First Orchard looks like one of the perfect first games for toddlers, especially as one of their very first games. The game has:
Chunky and easy-to-handle pieces, perfect for little hands
Colorful and pretty design will keep the kids interested
A great introduction to board gaming teaches cooperation, turn-taking and color-matching
But can it really deliver on all that?
Who’s It For
First Orchard is designed for young kids, ages 2-4 years old. The simplicity of the game rules is perfect for this age range and is a great introduction to board games. The chunky wooden pieces should be safe for young kids – no choking hazards.
The game is a great way to introduce kids to cooperative board games. Because it’s a cooperative game where everyone wins or loses together, it is a great opportunity to teach little ones the value of teamwork and shared experiences.
Kids will eventually age out of it, but First Orchard does hit the mark with its target audience. The game mechanics are simple enough for 2-year-olds to understand but engaging enough to keep them interested.
Setting up the Orchard
Setting up First Orchard is a breeze and something that kids will enjoy helping with. The game comes with 4 fruit tree game boards, each to be filled with matching fruit pieces. Once the trees are filled with fruit you’ll set up the pieces of the path and place the wood raven on the one farthest from the orchard. Place the sturdy basket where all players can reach it, and you are ready to play.
The speed and simplicity of the setup make First Orchard perfect for its target audience. The game designers clearly know that toddlers have short attention spans so they’ve made it quick to set up. This means you can play multiple times in one sitting, even kids can even play by themselves once they get the hang of the gameplay.
Once the fruit is in place and the raven is at the starting point the game is ready to go. The anticipation is building as the players wait to see who gets to pick the first fruit. But before we get into the gameplay let’s take a moment to admire the game’s looks and durability.
Aesthetic Appeal and Durability
First Orchard is a visual treat. The colors of the fruit pieces and the design of the trees are lovely. The game pieces are made of solid wood, it’s durable and long-lasting. They’re not just pretty to look at, they’re designed for young children, so real safety issues here. The chunky pieces are tactile and have a visual appeal that’s engaging and child-friendly.
The manufacturer has clearly invested in the quality of the game’s wonderful quality components. The solid wooden fruit and pieces are well made and the right size for toddler’s hands, with no choking hazards. They’ve also committed to safety and durability with the thick cardboard trees, they balance visual appeal with sturdiness. But as pretty and durable as the game pieces are the real test is in the gameplay.
Ease of Play
My First Orchard game is simple and easy to understand for a 2-year-old. The objective of the game is to collect all the fruit in your sturdy basket before the pesky raven reaches the orchard. Players take turns rolling a chunky color die to see which fruit to collect. This simple mechanic introduces toddlers to turn-taking, decision-making, and actions.
On their turn Players roll dice and pick up fruit, which doesn’t offer much in the way of decision-making, but if they roll a basket, they get to choose which fruit they pick up, which is a good opportunity for them to think strategically. Should I pick up my favorite, or should I choose a fruit, that still has the most out on the trees?
But First Orchard doesn’t stop at being a board game. The colorful fruit pieces are dual purpose – they’re used to play the game and also for pretend play. This reinforces learning through play and develops creativity and storytelling in children. In a way First Orchard is more than just a game, it’s a tool for imaginative play.
Yes, the design of First Orchard is for its target audience and has earned its place in the classic toddler games hall of fame.
How to Play First Orchard Game
First Orchard is a cooperative game, so all players work together to harvest all the fruit before the raven gets to the orchard. This shared goal engages toddlers and makes the game a fun team play.
The gameplay is determined by the roll of the die on the game boards and following the game instructions is key to smooth gameplay. Whether it’s picking a specific colored fruit or moving the raven closer, each roll brings a new challenge. Children seem to love the physical act of picking the fruit and putting it in the basket. And since this is a cooperative game, players succeed together, so every player feels like they’re part of the team, and you’ll be cheering each other on.
Choosing a cooperative game allows toddlers to experience winning and losing together as a group. Winning is framed as a team achievement – harvesting all the fruit before the raven reaches the orchard. Losing is framed as a team experience – the raven gets to the orchard before all the fruit is harvested. This age-appropriate framing of winning and losing through beating the raven to the fruit makes the game fun and educational, and is a great feature in a first board game as they are learning to take turns or foster social skills.
Educational Benefits?
First Orchard is more than a board game; it’s a learning tool. It teaches children important skills such as taking turns, color matching, and counting. The gameplay is designed with these educational elements in mind to develop cognitive and learning skills in toddlers.
Key educational elements such as color recognition, turn-taking, and rolling a die are built into the design of First Orchard. The game helps with a child’s early learning and social skills. For example, the team element allows players to experience winning and losing together so children can process emotions as a group. When that raven reaches the orchard, it’s not devastating, since you were all on a team. And when you gather all the fruit before the raven, players succeed together too.
And First Orchard teaches game rules and team spirit. Sorting and picking up the wooden fruit pieces helps with fine motor skills. The board game is a practical educational tool that can be used in early education and paired with real-life experiences such as fruit picking to teach about fruit growth and orchards.
So is First Orchard Worth Picking?
So is First Orchard worth picking? If we look at the educational value, gameplay, and durability of the solid wooden fruit, the answer is yes. But it’s worth noting that although the game is designed for toddlers it may not be as appealing to older kids. Some parents have said the game’s repetitive play is not as fun for kids once they’ve started to play more complex games.
However, the game components are well made and can be repurposed for other uses once the game is no longer age-appropriate. The wooden fruit pieces might as well be a pretend play set and could be used as wooden toys or as teaching aids for both color recognition skills and counting. The potential for extended use beyond the game itself could extend the value of the product making it a worthwhile investment.
But as with any product First Orchard may not be for everyone. Adults may find the board game repetitive with turns that feel like they go nowhere toward the end of the game. That may affect the entertainment value from a caregiver’s perspective. But considering the fun and learning it brings to toddlers and the potential for extended use, it’s a good pick for those introducing their little ones to kids’ games.
First Orchard is a classic, a wholesome board game experience for toddlers. A board game that entertains and educates. It’s a good pick.
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Summary: Why start with this Cooperative game?
First Orchard Game is a great introduction to board games for toddlers and should be considered as one of your kid’s very first games. Simple yet fun gameplay, colorful and good-quality components, and educational value make it a must-have for any toddler’s toy collection. It’s no surprise that it’s one of the best-selling preschool games because it promises fun and learning. It is a great way to foster social skills, teach counting, develop color recognition skills, and, importantly, get started playing family games.
Also Read: Best Board Games For 2 Year Olds
FAQs
Is the First Orchard game a suitable board game for older kids?
First Orchard is designed for 2-4 year olds so older kids may find it too simple. It’s a simplified version of the original Orchard game, so that might be a better choice for slightly older kids. But there are lots of other games to choose from as kids get older.
Can the board game components be used for other uses?
Yes, you can repurpose the board game components as a pretend play set or as teaching aids and use them beyond the gameplay itself. They are wonderful quality so get creative with them!
What are the educational benefits of the First Orchard game?
First Orchard teaches color matching, counting and taking turns social skills, and emotional processing. So it’s a fun way for kids to learn and develop.
How do you play the First Orchard game from Haba’s very first game line?
Players work together to collect all the fruit before the raven gets to the orchard. Roll a die to determine the action, pick a specific colored fruit or the raven moves closer. Enjoy!
Is the First Orchard game a Durable board game?
Yes. Wood and thick cardboard.