The Early Bird Gets All the Fun

Our family loves playing games, so when Timberdoodle offered to send me a copy of the family friendly Early Bird to review, I agreed enthusiastically.

The game is designed for ages 7 and up, although some of our younger grandkids are learning to play with a little extra help. They love playing games just as much as their parents always did!

They especially enjoy Early Bird and ask to play almost every time they come over, although they usually just call it “that worm game,” in reference to the colorful foam worm that is included with the game and comes into play with some of the clever challenge cards shuffled into the deck.

The rules are easy: Everybody plays at the same time — no need to patiently wait for your “turn” — discarding cards that are one more than the top card on the face-up pile.

Unless somebody plays the same number that is already on top of the discard pile, which automatically reverses the direction of play. Now instead of discarding numbers that are one more than the card on top of the deck, you must put down numbers that are one less than the exposed number from the top of the pile.

At any point during the game, you can discharge a “challenge card.” My grandkids love these (and are surprisingly good at them). Challenges include wiggling like a worm, or building a “birdhouse” (with two cards leaning against one another), or grabbing the worm and throwing it across the room.

First player to retrieve the worm wins that challenge and gets to restart the round by discarding a number card and choosing the new direction.

You have to think fast to do well at this game. I think one reason my granddaughter likes it is that she was really good at “building birdhouses.” I couldn’t get my two-card tent to stand alone, no matter how hard I tried!

Do you have kids or grands who might enjoy this fast-action game? You can purchase Early Bird from Timberdoodle along with lots of other wonderful products. I’ve been getting thinking games and homeschool curriculum there for years — since long before I ever joined their blog team.

And while you’re on the Timberdoodle website, I’d encourage you to look around. We love everything we’ve ever ordered from this small family-owned company!

Be sure to sign up for their Doodle Dollar program to save on future purchases. And to see more of my Timberdoodle Reviews, simply scroll to the bottom of my Homeschool Help page, and you can read them all!

PLEASE NOTE: As a member of the Timberdoodle blog team, I routinely receive free or deeply discounted products in exchange for writing honest reviews. Opinions expressed in these posts are 100% my own. I’ve been a happy and enthusiastic Timberdoodle customer for decades — long before I ever started blogging for their company.