Images courtesy of discoverthis.com and borderlinegames.com.
An old favorite gets a face-lift for the new millennium, and
a geographic “twist” tests more than just flexibility.
“Has anyone ever heard of the geo safari? That brilliant
little toy when I was a kid is the reason I know every country and capital
today.”
This query from a member of the official My Wonderful World
Facebook group motivated me conduct an investigation into the game that
was so popular in my youth (circa 15 years ago.) The ‘vintage’ version of GeoSafari featured a simple interface with interchangeable cards and a computer-generated voice that posed geography questions. I wondered: Did the game still
exist?
In fact it does. The new version, produced by Discover This retains much of the original components,
but in an updated “lap-top” style. Did you know that you can create your own
cards and questions? I stumbled across this useful website that tells you how: a great resource for teachers and
parents of younger students! Oh, if only I had a child to surprise at
Christmas…though sadly, I bet most of my 18+ family members could benefit from GeoSafari!
Anne, Director of the My Wonderful World Campaign, clued me
in to another cool geography game that she recently discovered when visiting
her nieces and nephews. “Maptangle” by Borderline Games brings a new level of complexity to the
classic body-bender Twister. Rather than colored dots, the Maptangle mat is
decorated with a map of the world. Instead of vying for personal glory,
individuals work in collaborative teams to locate and physically “travel to”
international landmarks. I’m glad to see that this new model improves upon the
old by incorporating a range of 21st century skills. I’d love to
give it a go, though I bet it would be even more of a blast–and a better
workout–if adapted for use on the National Geographic Live! giant maps. And then
again, while my gymnastic abilities served me well when playing Twister in the
old days…I might have to work a bit on my geographic precision.
Have you ever played either of these games? Have another
great game recommendation for the holiday gift season?
Sarah for My Wonderful World
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Bought the old school ones 3 for grand children they love them. And they have many of the newer ones/ all kinds of computer ones but love to play them/ thanks cynthia Great info