Holiday Picks from the 2018 Chicago Toy & Game Fair

The Chicago Toy & Game Fair is something my kids look forward to for months. It’s a great opportunity to test new and popular toys and games, see young inventor ideas (Paint Pixels was our favorite), catch a Yo-yo tournament, and maybe even see an occasional Star Wars character.

Held at Navy Pier for several years now, the Toy & Game Fair is an outlet for imagination and inspiration of all kinds. There were so many creations that caught our attention: from Mindware’s Contraptions and Killerspin table tennis, to under the table game of Klask. We enjoyed Fireball island, new from Treasure Island, and an original board game Risky Arcade, a new generation of spin tops called i-Tops and Tri-Ominos that teach strategy. And let’s not forget the augmented reality of Hangry Beasts, a truly unique way of blending reality and gaming. The Chicago Toy & Game Fair had an abundance of toys and games on display and after spending the entire day there we decided on our holiday list – so here are my favorite picks for this year.

Sequence

Sequence – one of the first games that caught our eye. Normally, my kids would spend 5 minutes at each game stand and move on. This one was different. They stayed and played looking for new sequences horizontally, vertically and diagonally. The cards dealt are just like playing cards and when you spot a possibility of a sequence or strategically decide to block your opponents’ sequence, you’re closer to a win. This game has been around for over 20 years but I think it’s still fresh. We were also lucky to get some playing tips and background on the game from the founder himself, Doug Reuter. He said the sequence came to him in a dream, and the game board does have a dream-like swirl of cards. Looking for patterns, putting strategic skills to use, reaction, problem solving are just some of the many learning benefits of playing Sequence. My kids never realized they were learning, they had too much fun playing. You can buy it here: .

Drift Rider

While we saw the popular trike, and the mom-fear-inducing Turbo Jetts on display at the Fair, my favorite from Razor was the Drift Rider. This new bike is a dream for little thrill seekers (9 and up), but even adults can play. This electric drift cycle can be charged for 5 hours of easy riding. Kids had a very fun experience with the burnouts, thanks to its 3-D steering. Navigating is easy. I observed kids starting shaky, not knowing how to stop, and proceeding to spin around others and making sharp turns within a few minutes. The $250 price is certainly not a steal but I can see a lot of use as the kids grow, especially since there is no weight or height limit. Take advantage of the holiday pricing to snag this amazing ride! You can buy it here: Drift Rider from Razor.

Cup Stackers

I would be lying if I said Cup Stackers wasn’t the highlight of our visit to the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. Yes, cup stacking has been around for a long time, accompanied by championships and such. My daughter got a lesson from a champion stacker, Daniel Diffy, and in no time went from doubting she could do it to her personal stacking records. I like to see how much this activity helps with hand-eye coordination – so engaging both sides of the brain – planning, and patience. The last one was actually the most impressive to me. There were so many kids trying cup stacking, yet NONE of them lost their temper or got upset when the cups fell. They just picked them up and started again. The anxiety that often comes from playing and failing at video games was non-existent here. It almost felt like the kids were excited to try again. That perseverance is another amazing part of stacking. The most popular cup stacker package comes with a stacking mat, a timer, and 12 cups, which is all you need for the main stacking patterns of 3-3-3, 3-6-3, 6-6, 1-10-1 and Cycle. You can buy them here: Quick Stack Cups – Speed Training Sports Stacking Cups – Set of 12 By Trademark Innovations (Green)

Zoom Tubes

We have a collection of tracks at home but none where the track has so many different combinations. Zoom tubes are easy to build and the more tubes you get, the more incredible combinations are possible. The car inside lights up and kids control it with a remote. Inspired by a recent Nascar final race in Homestead, my husband and kids tried to recreate that track. We didn’t go as fast as Joey Logano but it was fun to see the bright car whizz by on a fairly realistic track we built. I noticed how everyone did a different combination and all ages found it fun. Though I highly recommend getting the expansion pack of tubes, you can do a lot with the original set of Zoom Tubes. Just keep creating! You can buy them here:Zoom Tubes Car Trax.

Happy Little Accidents

Being fans of Bob Ross, we couldn’t walk by this impressive assortment of artistic games. The one that seemed the most fun for family game times was Happy Little Accidents. Sometimes a scribble is an accident, and sometimes you can make a whole game out of it, and this is what Happy Little Accidents is all about. Everyone creates a little scribble. Then, you pick a card with a specific object/person to draw and you have to turn the scribble you picked into that object. Then, people vote on their favorites. My daughter turned a scribble into a “professor” card by making it into a beaker and drawing a man in a lab coat next to it. Impressive! You can buy the game here: Happy Little Accidents at Wal-Mart.

Magformers

This is another long-standing toy, so popular in fact that even Santa made himself at home at the Magformers booth at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair. There are numerous combinations for these colorful magnetic toys. Some kids can create a tower, others work on more intricate designs. My son who was thinking about his school science project decided to make a building with panels that fold other panels as they close, sort of a windmill. Other kids were building a tree tower. So many possibilities! This is truly creative thinking for kids of all ages.
You can buy this set and get quite creative:

Story Dealer

One of the trends I picked up at the 2018 Chicago Toy & Game Fair this year was a good amount of storytelling games. The one that got my kids attention was Story Dealer – a game of storytelling cards for creative thinking. Unlike other story-telling games, here creativity comes easily with picture cards. So many kids are visual learners and having a visual helps come up with an idea. It’s entertaining for everyone to see where their mind goes. Story Dealer comes in packs of 52 and they answer questions you’d ask in a story – who, what, where, when and why. It’s open ended, so you decide when to end it. Kids as young as 4 can play it and there is no limit up from there.

There are three packs available: a stem/steam pack, a fun picnic pack and DIY pack (cards are blank). The game was invented by an educator who was inspired by kids’ creativity. That’s why there are also blank cards – kids can make a visual and then play weaving it into a story. This kind of game can definitely help improve vocabulary and spur creativity. I can see this coming with us on the next road trip.
You can buy Story Dealer packs here: Story Dealer.