ThinkFun Games for Kids: Rush Hour Jr.

Games are big in our house. We have a whole sideboard in our dining room full of all sorts of games. Kids games. Family games. Card games. Computer Games.

One of my favourite game manufacturers is ThinkFun. Their games aren't traditional board games and they get the kids thinking outside the box. We were really excited when ThinkFun sent us a few of their games to try.

The first game my son was drawn to was Rush Hour Jr; I think it was because of the cars. The object of the game is to get the Ice Cream truck out of the traffic jam. The game consists of 40 challenge cards ranging from beginner (single scoop ice cream) all the way up to expert (banana split), 15 3-D cars and trucks and 1 ice cream truck, the playing grid and a storage bag.

Your challenge card illustrates how to set-up the traffic jam on the grid board using the 3-D vehicles and then the fun begins. By only moving the vehicles forward or backwards, kids need to think how to move the vehicles so the ice-cream truck can drive out the exit (an opening in the side of the grid board).

Rush Hour Jr. is designed for kids 6 to 8 so I was a little worried about letting my five-year old son play (thinking logic games weren't his thing and he would just end up frustrated). Boy did he prove me wrong! He set-up the board and played the first challenge card all on his own. He was hooked! He has played up to the start of the advanced level. Now I don't want you to think this is an easy game because my 5 year-old son can play it. My husband and I have tried playing along with him (playing out our moves in our mind) and before we come up with a solution, my son has it solved:

Each challenge card has one possible solution on the back, in case you get stuck, but it is by no means the only solution. That's what makes this game great; you can replay it and it's always a new challenge. Even getting the kids to follow the cards to set-up the game is a great challenge. And I'm a big fan of the storage bag; everything fits in the little bag and it's much easier to store than a big game box.

For mobile fun ThinkFun plans to add an iPhone app version of this game mid November. My son is already bugging.

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