Be(e) prepared to focus, strategize, and occasionally get frustrated when you come so close to the end, only to see your hard work crumble to pieces…
I may still be slightly bitter from my latest casualty while playing Getta1Game’s Balance Bees, but that doesn’t mean I’m not ready to take it on full force and prove my balancing worth. Bring it.
Before you judge me, I dare you to try out Balancing Bees for yourself and you’ll see just how addicting the game really is. Balancing Bees comes with a two-part wooden queen bee and 24 wooden worker bee pieces. The queen bee acts as the base of the beehive and players have to slowly and carefully connect the bees to one of the grooves on the previous piece. It sounds easy enough, except for when you factor in that little pesky thing called gravity.
This is why critical thinking and strategy are key factors to the game. Kids will have to weigh out their options, choose which bee they think will keep the stack stable, and carefully connect it to the growing hive. Each bee game piece has multiple grooves and connectors, which allow players to rotate the piece however works best.
The game is designed for one to four players, so kids can play solo or in a group. If there is more than one player, the pieces are split up evenly with any odd number of pieces set to the side. The first player to connect all of his or her game pieces to the hive wins the game. If a player topples some or all of the hive during their turn, he or she must hold on to that piece and the game moves on to the next player. If kids choose to play the game independently, it’s a good way for them to learn to set a goal and see it through.
Along the way, kids will get to see first-hand how and why things balance, understand why the various weights and shapes of the game pieces have a specific effect on the hive, and ultimately experience cause and effect every time they successfully—or unsuccessfully—add a piece. As they say, you live and you learn.
Balancing Bees is a fun way to get kids to think critically and practice their focusing skills. As they work their way up the bee tower, they will have to unplug, concentrate, and think their way to the top.