The other day, I thought my six-year-old was about to pop one of those questions every parent dreads answering. With a reverentially serious tone, she asked, “Daddy, I have a question I been thinking about a long time…”—cue a pause long enough to stop my heart—“Do snails leave their slime on rocks forever?”
Whew. So she wasn’t awake during last week’s parent-on-parent hour.
Before becoming a father, I was aware that tiny humans don’t come prepackaged with much knowledge, but I never thought I’d have to discourage gleeful littering or pry little hands free from the dog’s ears. We may still be animals, but respect for nature doesn’t always come naturally to kids (or adults).
Curiosity, though, is easy to foster, especially once the kids figure out that board game night means staying up late and filling their bodies with unhealthy snacks. So, with Earth Day happening this last week, here are some of my preferred board games for inspiring curiosity about the planet and our role on it.
The roots: appreciating nature
Planet, with some very cool (and magnetic) dodecahedrons
Planet, with some very cool (and magnetic) dodecahedrons
Let’s start with the basics: the Earth is pretty, animals and bugs are cool, and we should probably take care of things here if only so those statements remain true.
For little fingers that love to tinker, there aren’t many better games than Planet. The game itself is perfect in its simplicity, letting you add magnets to a dodecahedron as you attempt to create suitable habitats for a number of different species. There are only three priorities to remember: creating lots of habitats, big habitats, or big habitats that aren’t near other habitats. Even my six-year-old quickly mastered the art of ensuring that every single tundra-dweller flocks to her planet. As a bonus, you get to admire your three-dimensional globe when you’re finished.
More experienced players will likely appreciate Wingspan and Parks. There’s a good chance you’re already familiar with the former’s clever combo-building and gorgeous illustrations; if not, check out our review from last year. Parks is less known but every bit as beautiful. Its artwork is licensed from the Fifty-Nine Parks Print Series, and it lets players tour some of the most dazzling destinations across the United States, rationing resources and campfires while snapping pictures and gazing at wildlife. Despite being competitive, it’s a serene, almost meditative experience.
