Count on Me includes a book, “Count on Me”, a die, a checkout card, four colorful game pieces and the storage bag that unzips to become the game board.
The English/Spanish version has the directions in English on one side of the
carrying case and Spanish on the other. Each of the 33 squares has the directions in both English and Spanish. The game is designed to be played with an older child or parent who is able to read. The game does not rely on visual supports making this game a family game and not a game to be played independently. The die has both dots and numbers up to three, giving preschoolers practice recognizing that the numeral 3 is the same as three dots.The “Count on Me” book is a simple book that uses familiar images with a plain white background. The words are in both English and Spanish with no clutter to distract the preschoolers from what is on the page. This format allows preschoolers to practice their counting skills. The “Count on Me” book has become an instant favorite and is frequently requested.
The kids had some trouble figuring out where to put their pieces at the start of the game, but after they had played once or twice they knew where to start. The game board has 33 squares each having a different silly action for the player who lands there to do up to 12 times, such as “Touch your elbow to the floor 5 times”. The kids loved doing the silly actions on each square. I found the bag to be durable and able to hold up to the rough use of preschoolers and being transported from school to home. On the bag are a few suggestions to help preschoolers become more aware of numbers in their everyday world.
The only trouble we had with the game was the length. If a player rolls a 3 each time that player will have to roll 11 times to finish the game. The kids had trouble completing the game because of the length. Despite this, the game
is loved and requested frequently.I highly recommend the game. It would make a great addition to any preschool game closet.
