Long before the computer, there was the brain to process images, answer questions, and store memory. Now it’s time to break out that rusty old device in the noggin.

Brain Games Kids, from Buffalo Games, is a board game that tests both the mind and the body, as it features challenges from the National Geographic TV series, Brain Games.

For those familiar with the show, Brain Games is meant as a way of examining how the brain process different scenarios and images by testing and examining it. This game introduces those concepts and paths of thinking to kids.

Players can split up into teams or play as individuals, and each team works its way through the challenge cards to reach the finish point. Each challenge card has a level of difficulty (one through four) that, if answered correctly, determines how many spaces a player or team can move.

There are three different types of challenges: Brain Benders, Puzzling Pictures, and Body Language. Collectively, the game aims to quiz logic, vision, and physical coordination.

A lot of the cards require players to process each of their turns, and if working in teams, collaborate before answering. Whether it’s a test of balance or trying to figure out an optical illusion, this game forces kids to work through the challenges instead of just firing off an answer to a quick question.

The board includes four different special spaces along the way to mix up how teams proceed with their turn. This helps move the game along, but also adds in extra twists as to how a challenge is chosen, such as picking it from the discard pile or your opponent selecting it. Just hope that they aren’t too cruel!

This game is a fun way to keep the mind sharp as school starts winding down and summer break is so close that kids can taste it. When the rainy days break up the sunshine, having a game night with Brain Games can help keep the mind active in the summertime.

About the author

Kristen Nelson

Kristen Nelson

Kristen Nelson is an assistant editor at Adventure Publishing Group. She does weekly toy reviews for The Toy Insider and contributes to the trade magazines The Toy Book and The Licensing Book. She is an expert in Penn State sports, as well as with numerous cooking techniques. Kristen has been crowned the Queen of Potatoes, but her friends call her Lady Spud. When not yelling at the TV during football or hockey games, she is often binge-watching virtually any cooking show. You can delve into her witty mind and follow her on Twitter @Krypton_87.

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