The teacher in me LOVES every time I find a fun and exciting educational game. The mom in me loves when I find a game that my children enjoy.  KaBAM! from Educational Insights is a game that is sure to please everyone! KaBAM! is a game that encourages children to think quickly, as they race to build and form words. This game is PERFECT for children who are learning to read and spell, as they will be encouraged to use their existing phonics knowledge to help them win the game.

In this game, an individual player (or a team of players) draws a card and places it face up. Their opponent also draws a card. The object of the game is to see which player can combine the cards along with at least one other letter to form a word. For example, on this turn, possible winning responses could be: writer, teacher, teller, rate, etc.

I love that the cards feature a variety of letter combinations, including singular consonants and vowels, prefixes and suffixes, as well as dipthongs (vowel combinations such as ou and oi). Each game provides your child with a whole new set of word challenges, keeping the game fresh and interesting. Children will love using quick thinking and creativity to come up with new words each time they play. (and they will love it even more if they beat their parents!)

I played this game with my five year old, who is a beginning reader. We were able to play the game in a non-competitive way, as I coached her through some of the turns. I really enjoyed the flexibility this game provides me as a mother interested in doing learning activities with my children. While my children aren’t yet able to play the game as instructed, I can use this game as a curriculum tool, working with them on letter and sound recognition and basic word formation. It would be very easy to have a set of alphabet flashcards nearby during instruction with KaBAM! and have your child look through the letters to see if they could use any of them to form a word with the cards selected. When my daughter and I played, an S and a D were drawn from the deck. She was able to look through the alphabet flashcards, and determine that if she used an “A” she could make the word, “SAD.”

The game is recommended for children 7 and up, and I know that in a few years, my kids will be giving me a run for my money with this game! As a former classroom teacher, I can definitely see this game being a hit with students in 2nd-6th grade. I would have definitely used this as a center in my 2nd and 3rd grade classrooms. My husband and I also played this game and enjoyed it. We were even stumped by a few combinations that we drew! (Without being able to use proper names and places, several combos were pretty tough!) Needless to say, this game is a wonderful option for kids of all ages.  You can purchase the game from the Educational Insights website, or click HERE to access the KaBAM! page directly.  At just $12.99, this game is a great value for families and teachers! (This would also make a great gift…for teachers too!) Head on over to Educational Insights and check out the wide variety of items they have to offer! Whether you are a teacher, a homeschooling parent, or simply a parent who is looking for great educational toys and products for their kids, there will be something for you!