Sister’s family gave Honey the game Catan for his birthday and we have played it at the dinner table probably five out of seven nights every week all summer. I really can’t recommend it enough!! (As an aside, I had to chuckle when Whit was on the phone with Sister last week saying “we got this really cool game called Catan…” HA!)
The women and men of your expedition build the first two settlements. Fortunately, the land is rich in natural resources. You build roads and new settlements that eventually become cities. Barter trade dominates the scene. Some resources you have in abundance, other resources are scarce. If you found your settlements in the right places and skillfully trade your resources, then the odds will be in your favor. But beware! Someone might cut off your road or buy a monopoly. And you never know when the wily robber might steal some of your precious gains! Will you succeed in gaining supremacy on Catan?
The game is for 3-4 players, but an expansion pack makes it work for 5-6 players. The modular game board gives the game tons of replay value, hence why we have been able to play it so frequently this summer. John is the perfect age (11) for the game. Whit (8) absolutely loves playing but we give him a “handicap” of 2 points since he’s younger. This will make sense once you start playing :-) It would also be very enjoyable for adults.
It is relatively easy to get started playing, after one trial run we were pretty much up and running. We have all won the game using different strategies, which I think is also really cool. Overall, we have found the game to be a lot of fun, while also building critical thinking and problem solving skills.
We aren’t the only family that loves Catan, as evidenced by its accolades. Catan has been awarded with “Game of the Year,” “Hall of Fame,” and even “Game of the Century” honors in Germany, the United States, and a host of other countries worldwide.
I’ve shared some of our other favorite toys and games, with this post summarizing them: 3 Favorite Toys
I would LOVE to know some of your family’s favorites. Especially if you have kids or grands around the ages of mine :-) It’s never too early to start thinking about Christmas and birthdays!
Catan *affiliate*
DIXIE DELIGHTS DELIVERED
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