Here is a set consisting of one flat box about as long as my hand, which contains four unique decks of cards for playing modified versions of common games. You could play the original versions with a standard deck of cards, but these decks are smaller (only 36 cards) and specially designed for their specific games. Similarly, you can play Go Fish and Old Maid with a standard deck, but nicely illustrated ones are more thematic and fun for young children, as well as more concrete and less abstract, which may make using them easier and more enjoyable. That's the principle at work here, too. Not only is each deck given a theme, but the set as a whole also contains a sort of overarching story of a pair of siblings who are explorers out on an adventure. The simplest game, and probably the only one accessible to three-year olds, despite the larger box implying that the set is intended for three and up, is Memory. You make a grid of downward-facing cards, and players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to find matching pairs. You are supposedly helping the siblings to remember what to pack for their trip, and so the cards are illustrated with relevant camping gear such as binoculars, sleeping bags, a first aid kit, a multi-tool pocket knife, and so on. Garden Oasis seems to be a lot like Slap Jack, where the deck is divided evenly between the players who lay cards in the center until a relevant pairing arises, and then whoever notices the quickest and can slap the central pile first gains all the cards currently in play, adding them to their hand until someone controls the whole deck. Since this is a gardening game, the cards feature crops such as corn, potatoes, and broccoli, and power cards (sunshine, water, and fertilizer). Each crop lacks one of these three, noted in the lower left corner, so if the broccoli card needing sunshine is played, and a sunshine card appears, that's a match that would trigger players to try to slap first. Habitat Mosaic is a rummy-style set collection game, in which players receive a hand of four cards each, while the remainder forms a draw pile. The goal is to draw and discard on your turn, in an attempt to modify your hand to collect all three cards for a given habitat (cave, tundra, antarctic, and so on), and the player who ends the game with the most sets is the winner. Laid side-by-side, the three cards for each habitat form a panoramic picture which depicts that environment, as well as some of its inhabitants, and this is much more thematic and concrete than 'Try to get three sevens.' The last game, Elemental Match, is a lot like Crazy 8's or Uno. On their turn, players need to play a card which matches the top card of the discard pile in either suit (earth, fire, water, air) or color (red, blue, yellow, green). If they cannot do so, they must draw from the draw pile, adding to their hand until they get a card which they can play. 'Elemental Harmony' cards introduce a special ability, and whoever empties their hand first is the winner. All four games support two to four players, and each deck comes in its own box and contains a card printed with the instructions. This is nice for traveling, or for use in waiting rooms and at restaurants, since you don't need to bring the whole set in order to enjoy a particular game. Obviously, a single 36-card deck takes up next-to-no room, but even the larger box containing the full set is still quite compact and manageable. It would fit in most purses and any backpack, or you could leave it in your glove compartment or seat-back pocket in the car, if you primarily intend to use these on the go. For use at home or in classroom or extended day environments, you could stash these in any drawer, shelf, or tub until they're needed. I do wish that the cards themselves were hardier, especially since they're intended for children who can be rough with their things, but if handled properly, they should last a good while, and afford hours of enjoyment and happy memories. Despite my slight concern about the cardstock, I like and recommend this fun, modestly priced set. I'll say 4.5 stars.
