Trains! Chuggington Traintastic Cargo Game Review & Giveaway

When Jack saw his first train is was love at first sight.  This love has grown into a slight obsession over the last 2 ½ years.  We have a train table, several sets of track, roundhouses, stations, and more engines than I can count.  While I don’t always share in his enthusiasm (especially while stepping on trains at 2 a,m.), I know it makes him happy.  And his happiness is apparently contagious because it has rubbed off onto his little brother, Nate.  Yes, I am now the proud mother of two train fanatics.

Finding toys, games, and books for my boys is easy.  It’s a safe bet that anything involving trains will be a huge hit.  So when I got the opportunity to review the Chuggington Traintastic Cargo Game by Wonder Forge, I was thrilled!  The package arrived on a rainy day during spring break…can you say “heaven-sent”?

I have to say, the packaging for the game is great.  The entire game is contained in the box.  No board to get out and set up.  It’s all right there.  It takes just a few minutes to get everything ready and start playing.  Each player picks a train card and a pattern card.  You distribute little pieces of cargo into train cars on the playing board, cover them, and spin the wheel for your chance to pick cargo.  The goal of the game is to arrange cargo on your train card that matches your pattern card.  Whoever matches their whole pattern first, wins!

Here’s what I love about this game – it’s easy, cute, and kept Jack’s attention.  It also helps with number, shape, and color recognition.  While Jack knows these things down pat, it was a whole different ballgame when he had to use his comprehension skills to apply them to the patterns.  Some of the patterns are all colors, shapes, or numbers, while others are a combination of the three.  He understood the game rules relatively quickly and had a great time playing!

My only dislike of the game is the small pieces of cargo.  They were just slightly too enticing for Nate, who desperately wanted to play.  We ended up giving him his own train card to tote around and played the game on a higher surface so he wasn’t constantly stealing our cargo!

All in all, this is a great game for all the little train lovers out there!  It is for 4 players, ages 3 and up.  The game retails for $19.99 but it is currently on sale for $16.99 on www.toysrus.com.

– Kelly

GIVEAWAY: Wonder Forge is kindly offering one That’s IT Mommy reader one (1) a Chuggington Traintastic Cargo Game. Ends 5/17.

REQUIRED MAIN ENTRY – To enter,  what games other than Chuggington Traintastic Cargo do you like at www.icandothatgames.com.  Leave your comments in the reply box below this post. That’s IT!

Remember if this REQUIRED ENTRY is not followed then no other entries will count.

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Tweet about this giveaway (Copy – #Win a Chuggington Traintastic Cargo Game via @thatsitmommy & @Wonder Forge http://thatsitmommy.com/?p=11990 #trains)  come back daily and leave us the link to the tweet (1 extra/day)

This giveaway will run through midnight on May 17, 2011 (PST). Winner will be chosen using Random.org from all valid entries and notified via email. Winner will have 48 hours to contact us before another winner is chosen. Giveaway is open to U.S.  (18+) residents only.

* We did not receive monetary compensation for this review. That’s IT Mommy was provided 2 games. One for review and the other will be the giveaway item.
This will in no way sway our opinion of the product or service.
 The review is in our own words and is our opinion. Your results and opinions may differ.