I have loved playing Cranium since I got it for Christmas a couple of years ago. I’m a total dork and I love board games - especially when I get to act goofy, draw and make things with clay all in the same game. So when I was given the opportunity to try out some of the children’s games from Cranium I jumped at the chance.

Cranium Bloom is ‘a new line of preschool games, books, puzzles, and toys.’ According to the website, “this product line’s unique development approach, Create-Discover-Perform-Connect, cultivates the full range of your child’s natural abilities through a wide variety of playful activities.”

There are currently 14 products in the Bloom series (including games, puzzles, activity toys and activity books) and they’re available at Target for you American folks and in Canada they can be ordered by phone.

I was sent samples of the Let’s Go To The Zoo Seek n’ Find Puzzle and it’s fabulous! A perfect fit for our family because our son is just getting into puzzles, loves animals and loves to write on things that he’s not usually allowed to write on! It says it’s for ages 3 & up but at 21 months he already loves it. I’m sure he’ll get even more enjoyment out of it if we pack it away and pull it out again in 6-8 months, which is what we intend to do after playing with it a few more times. It’s just $10 and includes 24 puzzle pieces, 30 cards and an erasable pen. You build the puzzle with your child and then the cards tell you what to do next. Hop like a kangaroo, circle something yellow, find the flamingo…you get the idea. It’s a great twist on the old puzzle and doesn’t every kid love animals?

We also received a sample of the Count & Cook game which retails for $13 and is for 2-4 players (again, age 3 & up). It takes only about 10 minutes to play and is great for kids who love to help in the kitchen. As I said, my son is only 21 months old but has a learning tower and helps in the kitchen every day so even though he can’t take full advantage of this game yet he did enjoy the parts we shared with him (and apparently loves to roll dice!). The box includes the game board, 20 ingredient tokens, 4 chef movers, a recipe book and a die. The idea is that you “Count your way around the board. Gather food for the recipes in your cookbook. Add your secret ingredients — then pull the tab for something funny to do!” I know many parents who often discourage their young children from helping in the kitchen regularly because, admittedly, it makes a bigger mess, takes more time and is sometimes just plain annoying. However, it’s also one of the greatest learning opportunities for kids in mathematics & measuring, taking turns, following recipes and so much more. I have a feeling that this series of games might have a positive impact in the cooperative playtime of many families and I love it for that.

Many thanks to Mom Central and Cranium Bloom for the great activities!