Top Trumps: The United States

Since we're learning the 50 states and their capitals this year, I thought Top Trumps: The United States would be a fun game for us to try. 

The game is similar to War (the card game) but you win cards by having the highest statistic for a category on the card. The first player decides on which stat to call (population, size, number of counties, distance from DC, admission to union).  The person whose card has the highest stat wins the round and then decides which stat to call in the next round.

This is a game I can wholeheartedly recommend, especially if you have a stats loving person in your family.  Even if you don't, you'll will find this game addicting.  Playing it with my husband, we discovered that you really need to think about quite a few factors as you decide which stat to use on your card.  Was Texas or Alaska already played? Yes. Okay, then maybe going with the stat for size would be good.  Or is your card one of the first thirteen colonies?  Then definitely call for the year of admission to the union.  It was also interesting to see how large states sometimes have fewer counties than larger states.  I know that seems like a fact we all take for granted as adults, but I think by playing this game, a child might come to that conclusion on his own, and what a neat discovery that could be.

The cards have beautiful photos, as well as a blurb of interesting information, to represent each state.  For instance, did you know there is a circus museum in Wisconsin?  Or that in Michigan, a person can never be more than 6 miles from a  natural water source?  Each card also has a picture of the flag, the State Seal, the State Flower, and the State bird.  There is lots to be learned from these cards.

Of course, J-jo is still a bit young, and Bear plays without strategy, but we'll have fun bringing this highly portable game with us at Thanksgiving and Christmas family get-togethers to play with other adults and older children.

You can purchase Top Trumps: The Unites States at Timberdoodle for $7.99, earning 8 Doodle Dollars from your purchase.  Timberdoodle has a great gift guide that lists all types of gifts for any time of the year.  You can like Timberdoodle on Facebook too:)

Disclosure: I received Top Trumps: The United States in exchange for this review, but I have shared my unbiased, honest opinion of the cards.