Barrel Of Monkeys - Candy Cane Edition

Barrel of Monkeys - Candy Cane Edition

I tried the Barrel of Monkeys game several times when I was a kid and then kicked it to the curb, forever... I thought. So what am I doing with another one? Well for one, it was brand new and I bought it for $1. Up until yesterday that would not have been enough. You could have given it to me for free, or better yet, given me $1 to take if off your hands and I wouldn't have been interested. But for two, however turned off I was by the game, this was a Christmas version, and you know how I love Christmas games. So I decided to take a look at the monkeys just to see if anything had changed over the years. While examining them, and it has been a long time, it appeared to me that one arm/hand was flatter and angled up more than it used to be, and I figured that might just be the advantage I would need to finally conquer this game.

If you've never played Barrel of Monkeys before, you get 10 monkeys and you are required to pick them up, one at a time, linking them together until you are holding a long chain. The catch is that you can only use the hand that is holding the chain while doing this. The monkeys were always sold, and stored, in a plastic barrel. The monkeys in this game seem to be a little smaller than the original ones I remember, and no storage barrel included.

Within 10 seconds bad memories came flooding back and I regretted the purchase. I couldn't then, and I couldn't now, imagine that it was even possible. But how could they keep selling the game since 1965 if it was impossible? Something we have now that we didn't have then helped provide the answer - You Tube. I figured if it was possible, somebody somewhere had videoed themselves doing it and I would find it there.

I had to go through a few, but watched one that finally provided the answer. While holding that long string of swaying monkeys, position the bottom monkey close to the next monkey you want to pick up and gently touch it to the table, just enough to still it and then, with it anchored enough to stay still, move your arm so that his arm is angled so that his hand is lying straight/flat on the table top. Then carefully pull the sting of monkeys toward the monkey you want to pick up. Oh, maybe you should just see it for yourself. Here is the video I watched. You Tube Barrel of Monkeys.

After many years, I finally figured it out. Will I start playing it now? We'll see how it goes next Christmas, but it's doubtful. Just because you can do something doesn't necessarily make it fun. If you're interested in trying your hand at it, click on the image below to go to Amazon.

To read about more than 40 Christmas games and toys I have blogged about, click here.

Spin Go Round!

Spin Go Round! - Match shapes, colors, characters and patterns

Spin Go Round! keeps things moving with four spinners and multiple attributes to match, all while playing a group game of bingo. 

I never thought of all players playing bingo on a single card, but it works. The single colorful bingo card is a 5 x 5 grid and measures 10" square. It is covered in clear, molded plastic, and around each square are slightly built up walls. This allows for up to four tiles (your bingo markers) to be played in each square. Therefore, if your opponent claims a square, but you need it for a win or want to block them, you may get a chance of covering their tile with your tile. Each picture on the card will feature four different attributes: 1) background color, 2) background pattern, 3) a shape and 4) a character inside the shape. 

Each spinner is shaped like a leaf and will feature just one attribute. The arrow moves freely and has a built-up part on back. There are eight spaces on each spinner: Five in the attribute, two that say wild and one that says Spin Go Round. At the beginning of each turn you will flick the arrow on your spinner to tell you what you will cover on the bingo card on that turn. Your choices will be:

• Attribute - Cover one space on the bingo card that features the attribute on your spinner (shape, color, etc.)
• Wild - Cover any space on the bingo card
• Spin Go Round - Exchange spinners, each person passing their spinner to the left.

There are 16 tiles of each color and each player will get all of one color. The tiles have a little dip in the top so that you can easily pick them up our of their spaces.

Object:
Be the first to get four tiles in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Even though it is a 5 x 5 grid, the directions only require a 4 square bingo.

Set up:
Place the card between the players. Place one spinner on each side of the board (north, south, east, west), even if less than four people are playing. Assign each person a color and give them all the tiles of that color.

Play:
Player take turns. The first player spins his spinner and places a tile on the board. There are usually multiple options, based on the what your spinner shows. When someone spins a Spin Go Round space, all players pass their spinner to the left. If less than four people are playing, those spinners sitting on those empty sides of the bingo cards also get rotated. That way everyone gets turns on all attributes. Play until someone gets four in a row and wins the game.

Try this:

• Practice flicking the arrow with different fingers. Look for a nice O when placing fingertip to thumb.
• Use fewer spinners. The lighting was not good at one home where we played this and so I took out the pattern spinner because it was hard to see without picking up and tipping the card for a closer look. We played with three attributes that day.
• Stop occasionally and ask the player to look for places where they already have three and just need one for the win.
• Start slow, watching for a bingo in only one direction. Then move to two, then to three as they can successfully watch all directions.

In the box: Game board, 4 spinners, 64 tiles (16 each of purple, green, pink and blue)

If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.