Camp Aim for the Stars

I have to go backwards a bit. A few weeks ago the boys went to Aim for the Stars | Science and Math Camp at University of Nebraska Omaha.

I like that the camp is so parent friendly. What I mean by that is, is that they have a before and after care program, they have a self pick-up for kids that have been to the camp for more than a year - you just drive up to pick your kid(s) up and they get in, their registration is simple and online, you can pay for all of the camp or installments, and the family event is in the evening.

They've been going to this camp for years now. What I like is that they offer different camps within the camp. Examples: Isaak was in Stack it Up! and Mica was in Get Your Game On! The year before the camp names and content was different for the boys.

Family Night was the night before we went on vacation. There are options, so we do things different each year. You can go into the classrooms to check things out. There's also a choice of going into the planetarium for a slightly cheesy movie, or C.A.P.O.W. - Chemistry and Physics on Wheels. C.A.P.O.W. almost seems like a magic show, but it's science. They have their gift shop open. For the camp the kids get a $5 off coupon for anything in the gift shop. We always have gotten something small for the boys there.

Here's their camp t-shirts they got this year:

We actually opted to skip the big fancy presentations, and spent our time in the boy's classrooms this year.

Isaak was so excited to be in Stack it Up! with his cousin Elijah. They built a city with Legos. Isaak had a theater. He had a container where he was collecting fake tickets from people. 

Isaak was really happy that Mr. Miller was his teacher for the camp. He has worked at the elementary school when Mica still went there. He has a boy that's Mica's age and a girl that's Isaak's age. We've had their other oldest child babysit a long while back. We've hung out with them at different times. 

Besides stacking things up with Legos, they also played Jenga and were supposed to have a paper airplane contest, but it rained all day so that got canned. 

Mica wouldn't shut up about Get Your Game On! He was a little bummed that his cousin Evan wasn't with his. My sister Terra signed him up for a different camp. 

Mica's never really gotten into bored games as much as Isaak or I. With his birthday coming up he has been going on and on about games he wants. A few are $45 games! Yikes! He's talked about all these survival games: Risk, Pandemic, Settlers of Catan, and Stratego. 

I bought Risk on vacation to keep them occupied at Travis' Aunt and Uncle's house. 

I got Settlers of Catan on Amazon with a GC I won. 

I've contacted Z-Man in hopes that they'd give me Pandemic to review. I even laid out what kind of a post I'd like it to be. Where I'd go over board games for older kids, and ways they benefit them. I haven't heard back, so I'm betting that's a no go. I kind of wish they'd just email me saying, "Nope", so I'd know to just buy it. I thought with reviewing for ThinkFun, Goliath Games and Tenzi they'd be all over that. My life feels a bit full of rejection these days. Oh well. 

Mica even taught me Othello; saying it would now be my favorite game. It was good he was thinking of me. I did like it.

We spent most of our time in the game room battling it out. 

Isaak got a bit bummed the teacher kicked his butt in Chess. Ha!

What board games do you like the most? Are there any that you've played that we should try out?

Disclaimer: None of these products were given to me to review. I'm only sharing an experience.

@GoliathGamesUS Review

We love games!

The First Game Goliath Games sent us is Googly Eyes - The Family Game of Wacky Vision

It's a fun game for sure! This is the game I liked watching my kids play the most. 

Lenses:

It comes with glasses where you can switch the lens in and out of. They are easy to switch in and out after a few practices.

There are 3 sets of lenses. Each set of lenses are different with how you see. One you can see fairly well, but things are blurry, another is even more blurry and the other is so blurry you can hardly see.

Isaak's eyes are big already, so it cracked me up with each set of lenses he put on. He just looks so cute and funny!

Game:

This game is more fun with additional players. I should have gotten it out at Isaak's birthday party. Teams work great! Is a drawing game. The more players on a team, the more people to guess a drawing.

Players take turns drawing different things with their switched lenses. The first team to reach Finish wins. For 4-16 players, ages 7 and up. We played with just taking turns.

Game Contents:

• Colorful Game Board 
• Tablet Timer 
• 162 Challenge Cards 
• 1 Die 
• 1 Pair of Glasses 
• 3 Changeable Lenses: Easy, Medium & Difficult

 

The Second Game Goliath Games sent us is Mastermind For Kids - Codemaker Vs. Codebreaker

I couldn't find a direct link on their site for this game. It is in a lot of retail stores. 

This game was Isaak's first choice to play! 

Game:

Use matching, logic and destructive reasoning skills to locate the jungle animals in this challenging Mastermind For Kids game from Pressman Toy, an awesome opportunity for a truly tense duel. For 2 participants Age: 6 years & up.

Game Contents:

• Plastic base featuring Rocky Mountain Tray
• 72 Jungle Animal Pieces Spanning 6 Varieties of Colors
• 15 Red Scoring Pegs 
• 15 White Scoring Pegs 
• Game instructions 

This game had the least fighting going on. Have I even mentioned that my boys have some of the same interests, but they are 2 1/2 years apart. There is power struggles, and somethings one child can do better than the other. It helped that this game was in fact for 2 players.

The Third Game Goliath Games sent us is Build or Boom - Build it Fast Then Make Theirs Blast

This was Mica's first choice to play! 

Game:

The big boss is looking for the best builders! In my house the best builder is Mica.

Build your structure quickly yet carefully on your platform according to the card chosen. Mica was steady, and Isaak would go too fast, only to have it crash down.

Once it's built SMASH your boomer to send your opponent’s structure tumbling.

Ages 4 and up. Helps build STEM skills such as analytical thinking and shape recognition. Doesn’t need batteries!

Game Contents: 

• 4 Boards 
• 4 Blocks 
• 4 Triangles 
• 4 Arches 
• 4 Cones 
• 4 I-Beams 
• 4 Barrels 
• 2 Builders 
• 30 Blueprint Cards 
• 2 Platforms 
• 2 Boomers 
• 2 Air Hoses 
• 1 Card Holder Complete Instructions

Which game do you think you'd like to play the most?

Disclaimer: Goliath sent me these 3 games to help with this review. They in no way influenced what I wrote, or my opinions.

Games

My favorite board game growing up was Rummikub. My Aunt Becky taught my cousins, sisters and I how to play. I was hooked big time. I've annoyed other players at times because I'd take the whole game board apart just to try and get my pieces down.

Isaak's been into this game lately. He does however get into a game one week, and is done with it the next week.

If you've never played the game before here's how to play:

1. Mix the tiles up
2. Select 14 tiles
3. You can put out runs (one color in number order) or sets (different colors of the same number) that are 3 tiles, or more - You have to have 21 points to lay out the first round 
4. There are 2 happy faces in the game - They can be anything - They equal 21 points, so if you have one to start you can lay down your tiles on your first turn
5. After you've laid out you can play on anything - You can separate things - You can take tiles to lay down some of your tiles - You just need to make sure that there is always groups of 3, or more out of runs and sets - no stray tiles laying around
6. If you can't play you draw
7. You keep playing in a circle until one person is out of tiles (they win)

It's like Rummy, but there's way more to do.

*In our house if one person wins, and more people are playing we have runner up winners.

*There are times I help Isaak. He can be a sore cranky loser. I'll stop and ask a tile he has to figure out what can be done with it.

*If you are playing this game 1/2 a day to kill time on like a snow day you can play until one person wins, tally up the points of the others. Everything is face value, except the happy faces they are 21 points. Continue to play more rounds with each game tallying up the points of the losers. Say after 5 games see who has the least amount of points. Claim that person as the winner. Agree on how many games you are going to play prior to playing though. Otherwise you may argue about how many games are to be played, and who is actually the winner.

Isaak must like board games as well. He made this one called Run Away:

He even had a case. It was the foam that my essential oil diffuser was in.

 Do you like playing games? What game is your favorite?

Disclaimer: I didn't receive anything for posting this. I just like the game Rummikub.

What's Your Favorite Board Game?

I have two favorite board games: Scrabble and RummiKub. I like them because they are games filled with thinking. Daddy said to me, "Why do you like those games so much?" I said, "Because they work the brain, and they're fun." The types of games I like help reduce Alzheimer's and Dementia. I say this, but my Grandma played thinking games all the time, and still got Alzheimer's. I still can try, and keep my brain active.

I'm not good at Scrabble. In fact I loose almost every time to Daddy.

I still enjoy playing the game because it's a challenge.

Growing up I loved RummiKub. Have you ever played that?

Great Aunt Becky introduced us to the game. Great Grandma Kent loved to play it with us. I grew up playing with the leather case, and all. Fancy I know. Now I have a cheaper set, and it's just not the same. If you like playing cards, you'll love playing RummiKub. This is one game I'm great at. If you've never played, I wish I could teach you the strategies. I'm the Queen of putting the game in total disarray, and being able to put it back together again.

Travis and I taught Mica how to play RummiKub the other night. I should have helped Mica. I bet then he would have won. ;) Daddy was his right hand man. Daddy is great at Scrabble, but I can kick his butt in RummiKub.

Mica still needs help, but he's getting the game.

Where was Isaak? In bed. The little curious punk decided to have a bubble bath in the sink. We've told him before that he only needs 1 squirt of soap. Somehow my soap dispenser has to be filled up a lot! He filled the sink with enough soap to cover his whole body. I know we should be happy that he's at least washing his hands. We didn't get on him too hard. It was pretty close to his bedtime, so off to bed the little tike went. RummiKub is for ages 8 and up anyhow. If he were up, he'd help me with my hand.

What board games do you like?