Obsessed with family game night, but can’t bear to break down Monopoly’s lengthy rules to your 4 year old? Well you’re in luck, Hasbro Gaming released Monopoly Discover, a kid-friendly adaptation of the hit game that is perfect for all aspiring entrepreneurs!
Monopoly Discover is a simplified edition of the popular property trading game geared towards kids ages 4 and up. The game is best played with 2-6 players and includes a two-sided gameboard, six tokens, 40 chance cards, and more. Monopoly Discover is a “grow with me” board game and features two different levels families can play depending on age and skill level. Preschoolers ages 4-5 can play in level one, which focuses primarily on counting and matching, while more advanced kids ages 6 and up can explore level two, which hones in on simple math and reading skills.
Level one is marked by the color purple, in this level the price of rent is lowered and no title deeds are used. Like a typical game of Monopoly, players are given Monopoly currency to purchase properties in the game, in this version preschoolers are only given $1 bills. Additionally, level one features simplified
“properties,” such as pizza or donut, and each property is worth one Monopoly dollar. This makes the game much quicker and easier to play. There’s hardly any strategy involved, families playing in level one can expect the game to last no more than 45 minutes. The game ends when all properties have been purchased and the player with the most properties wins.
Level two is geared towards older kids and is played on the second side of the gameboard. This level is noted by the color green and features mostly the same components as level one with some notable differences. Properties shift from simply ice cream to an ice cream store, a pizza parlor, and a post office. The chance cards in level two encourage kids to use more math, reading, and social skills. For example, one of the cards prompted kids to collect two Monopoly dollars from the bank for “cleaning up after dinner.”
Level two of Monopoly Discover will take families at least an hour to complete, when I tested the game over the weekend it took around an hour and a half to finish. This level ends when one player goes bankrupt, then the remaining players count up their cash. The player with the most money wins.
Thankfully, there are no complicated hotel purchases or utility fees in this version. Monopoly Discover includes cute and colorful editions of iconic Monopoly tokens like Scottie and Hazel. Additionally, this kid-friendly adaptation features character cards which provide the occupation and a fun-fact for each token — adding to the overall storytelling element. One of my personal favorite touches in this edition is the time-out feature, which replaces the infamous (and dreaded) jail block, so instead kids can go directly to time-out.
The game is super easy to construct and the game instructions include colorful images providing an accessible visual guide for all ages. When the game is finished, parents can simply fold up the game board and stack the cards and tokens inside the box.
Monopoly Discover is a great board game option for families with some free time this summer break. The board game offers a fun way to reinforce necessary math and reading skills, right before going back to school. The game is also an excellent tool to introduce property buying and renting concepts to kids.
