The Trekking the National Parks game that arrived on my porch this week is very impressive. This well made game will give our students much enjoyment and usage. The game board is larger than standard boards which will allow all of the children in the pod to play at the same time. The game pieces are of good quality, have a nice tactile feel to them and should stand up to extended use. Each National Park playing card has a beautiful illustration with a few fun facts about that particular park. The creator, Underdog Games, has videos that show kids how to play their games in addition to printed rule books. The rules will need to be adapted a bit for younger students, but I’m sure they will enjoy playing and learning at the same time.
The game encourages strategic planning and the use of math skills. Students will need to carefully plan their moves to visit the most parks and to earn points for doing different tasks. The larger game board gives students a visual idea of the US land mass and which region each park is located in. Additionally, the designers made Alaska and Hawaii large enough allowing students to be more aware of those states’ existence. Playing the game should reinforce the information students have learned from their research and summer camp work. I’m sure the game will lead to further interest in other national parks.
Camp participants will receive a copy of the Underdog Game’s coordinating map below to put in their iPads and use while completing their national parks research. I am very excited to have this game and to play it with kids at summer camp as well as students enrolled in 2023-24 learning pods.
~ Pauline