Chutes and Ladders

Well, Chutes and Ladders wasn't my favorite game as a child but I certainly enjoyed playing it. I have the "Dora Edition." She's a character I never heard of before purchasing it, but every kid I showed it to knew Dora the Explorer. Yes, I agree with another reviewer, the pieces are not very durable. Neither is the board for that matter but you get what you pay for and this happens to be one of the cheapest games around. Every child I played it with liked it which is an important indicator of its worth.

A good classic for learning up, down, counting, and board game etiquette. There are also several pictures demonstrating good vs. bad behaviors, not all of which are simple enough to explain to a 3 year old. The pieces of the game are of sturdy cardboard but not indestructable to a toddler. The graphics are very colorful but very busy, and personally, I do not like children's heads in the shape of footballs. Don't forget to hold down the spinner or it will whip out of place and knock all the pieces down. Lastly if you're an adult playing with your child, be prepared to play for a marathon 15 minutes (unlike most preschool toys that are finished in 5 minutes) because of those troublesome chutes.

This game is a classic that I played when I was little. Our original game held up for years. I don't see today's version holding up for too long. It's the same thing of they don't make them like they used to.
However, it's still a great game and my boys both enjoy playing. I do too.

This is a fine counting game for young kids. I have to echo what others have said though and say that it really should have more arrows on the path for kids to follow. And the cardboard pieces are a serious design flaw. I really don't mind the cheap pieces, it's not like this game is very expensive, but they don't fit in the box unless you take them apart first. The cardboard will fray and you will be lucky if the game makes it to a second child.

The board is too busy as well. Simple ladders and slides would be fine. Instead, the designers seem to be attempting to teach lessons by having "good" deeds go forward and "bad" deeds go back. But they don't make sense and some are not appropriate for the age the game is intended. One of the "good" deeds shows a kid bandaging a dog's leg. Who thinks a young kid should be touching an injured animal? Another shows a kid mowing the lawn. Should a 4-year-old be anywhere near a lawnmower? Yes, I know these are just silly illustrations, but they're so unnecessary. You might spend most of the game explaining the pictures instead of playing the game.

This is the classic Chutes and Ladders you know and love from when you were a kid. Bought this for a 4 1/2 year old boy. It was a little frustrating for him at first when he realized that getting to a chute means going backwards, but now that he's used to it, he enjoys the game. Helps him practice counting.