Age group: 18 months and up
This fun, over-the-top, balancing game is developed by mattel.
Inside the box: a short pole, a tripod, a long balancing pole, a gravity ring, 3 pegs, acrobat, 24 discs, a spinner, a fork, and a base.
So we bought Tip-It in an attempt to introduce the concept of balancing to our kid, for the first time ever! I was aware that this game could be a little tricky for our little man, but I was sure I could make it fun and simpler by getting creative with it in some or the other way.
One thing that I realized from the get-go was that instructions must be strictly followed with this game. To put it in basic terms:
- All you have to do is, first, place the given base on a flat surface
- Now insert the shorter stick right into it.
- Balance the second platform right on top of this stick.
- Place the three short sticks into the three holes of this second platform.
- Now the longest stick will have to be inserted into the second platform.
- Place acrobat exactly on top of this stick.
- Then on the second platform itself, place the discs on the sticks ensuring that the colors are in an alternate fashion.
- Use the spinner and see on what color does it land on.
- Remove the disc from the platform corresponding to this color.
That’s it! You’re good to go.
As discs are removed, the person who first drops the acrobat gets eliminated.
On the other hand, 3 discs of the same color can make you the winner! If nobody manages that, then the person with maximum discs has to acknowledged as the winner.
I did incorporate a little extra activity to this game. I asked my kid to keep a track of the discs by counting them! Math can be fun too, isn’t it?
My honest opinion based on how did I like this game stems from the response I received from my kids! When we bought it, my 4-year-old, was very excited about this new game. When we started assembling every part, he was quite ready to help us. As a mother, I loved watching this eager, keen side of my child. His commendable acceptance of the new concept of balancing was indeed nothing short of a proud mama moment. We didn’t just restrict this game to balancing, but also used it for understanding concepts of basic math like addition, subtraction and even simple multiplication! Such as, counting up to 5 discs, adding 5 more, that makes it 10, and so on. Combing a bit of basic math with this basic physics game made it all the more thrilling for him, as he had more room to engage with it. We’ve also introduced the game to the younger one, at 18 months of age. For him, this is more of a fine motor skill activity, such as picking up the discs, moving them etc. This is a good way to develop the synchrony of finger and hands with the eyes in younger kids.
Sure, the assembly or setting up the game itself can be a little tipsy, but let’s face it, we’re so done with over-simplified kids toys and games. Tip-It, ups the level of games in this category, quite significantly. It’s literally over-the-top!
Evidently, this game not only caught my child’s attention but also amused me. For the most part, I am glad that I could get a bit creative with it. For this age group, this is a great skill-based game. Let’s Tip-It!
