Friday, July 11, 2008

wildflower bingo.


This is one of our new favorite games. It is wildflower bingo. We found it a few weekends back at a local kids store. Each playing card is filled with the plant squares, and the selection cards have the image and name on front, and info about each plant on the back. The boys always insist I show the image, read the name, and read the back info each and every time. We played a lot of wildflower bingo this week while we were all sick.

On our pretty rural drive back from picking up our CSA box this week, A started yelling that he saw purple clover - you know, from the game! The rest of the ride home they looked out the windows scanning the roadside for plants they could identify - chatting with each other about each new thing. Since then the both boys have continued to point out MANY different flowers that they now recognize - wild bergamot, horsemint, sunflowers, goldenrod, butterfly weed, violets, and cattails. I admit, sometimes they identify something that does surely resemble what is on the card, but we might not be entirely accurate...but they are indeed identifying many things accurately (and enthusiastically). How cool!

There have been many new plants that they want to know about now too - and for those of you in the area, we found a nice easy to use online resource of what is in bloom here. And, of course, now that they are interested in plants in the area, they want to know what EVERYTHING is, and A was excited to find that there are wild things just growing out there that you can EAT. So, on to a new fun adventure!

17 comments:

Lisa Anne said...

What a great game. I love how enthusiastic they are about plants, something they will keep with them for a long time.

Anonymous said...

what a precious and novel way to teach them about nature!

Maymomvt said...

What a neat idea. I think I'll make a game using wildflowers from around here.

Anet said...

Very Cool! I want to play! Noah and I played checkers last night, but this looks much more fun!!!

dawn klinge said...

That enthusiasm your boys have for learning is so great! I think you must be an amazing teacher. This game looks like fun...even my youngest likes to play Bingo.

Michelle said...

That sounds like a great game. Again, you inspire me.

Anonymous said...

My kids would love that! They have absorbed my love of wild and native plants and already can identify a bunch of them. This would be so fun.

Sharon said...

What a great game! I've never seen it before. Zoe loved that sort of thing when she was little too!

Angie said...

Hey! Just stopped in to say 'hi' I was cruising through Flickr and noticed you added me - Thanks!

Love your blog - seems like we have a lot in common:)

I will be back often. Have a great weekend.

Jodi Anderson said...

Best BINGO game ever!!

Tara said...

I love it when I find a game that captures my daughter that way. Sounds like the start of something fun for all of you!

Anonymous said...

Oh! What a great game! What local store did you find it at? I'm from Madison, too, and would love to buy that! Thanks for blogging about it! You've got so many great ideas!

denise said...

We bought ours at JT Puffins. I have also seen it at Cornerstone Learning Connections on the east side. There are many bingo games by this company...in addition to wildflowers I have seen bird, bug, butterfly reptile, american art, nature, science, ocean...many more.

Kat said...

I have a few coupons for JT Puffins, what a great thing to pick up.
I dont think O is quite ready yet for actual bingo... but I think his Nana would be thrilled at such a game.

Butterfly 8)(8 Bungalow said...

What a great game!

RunninL8 said...

It's amazing how a simple toy, book, or game can kindle an excitement and love of learning more about something.

The Unusual Farmchick said...

Would this be a Lucy Hammet game? I found the website for all the other themes they make and thought I would share it here so others could browse and buy if were looking for it:
http://www.lucybingogames.com/games.html
I hope you do not mind...
I plan to buy a few of the bingo games, including the wildflower one you have. Thank you for sharing your approval on it. These are the kind of games I could play with my children and NOT get bored after just 1 game. LOL.