How to Play – Hungry, Hungry Hippos!

Part of the fun in raising Zoey is finding things that delight and educate her; I want to find fun, creative board games to play with her during our family game nights! This week we played the Hungry, Hungry Hippos by Hasbro for 2 to 4 players!

This game was a Christmas gift to Zoey from her aunt and uncle, and we love it! Zoey’s favorite color is yellow so I think she feels more drawn to the version where whomever chomps the yellow ball wins, rather than whoever chomps the most balls wins. Either way it’s a classic, fast-paced game we all can enjoy!

Let’s play!

IN THE BOX
  • A game tray
  • 4 attachable hippos
  • 4 attachable marble release levers
  • 20 balls
INSTRUCTIONS
  • Each player selects a hippo and places 5 marbles into the marble release area near their hippo.

BEGINNER’S GAME

  1. One player is chosen to release a marble by pressing the marble release lever. As soon as the marble is released, all players try to make their hippos gobble it by pressing the hippo tails until someone succeeds.
  2. Moving clockwise, the next player releases a marble and the process is repeated.
  3. After all the players have been gobbled, each player counts up the marbles in their marble collecting area.
  4. Whomever has the most marbles wins the game!

ADVANCED

  1. All players release their marbles at the same time and (once someone says “Go!”) attempt to gobble as many marbles with their hippos as they can!
  2. After all the players have been gobbled, each player counts up the marbles in their marble collecting area.
  3. Whomever has the most marbles wins the game!

*Another variation is to see who has the yellow/golden marble at the end of the game, and whoever does wins!

ENJOY!

Family Game Night: 25 Tabletop Game Ideas (Ages 4 and Up)

Weekly family game nights, now doesn’t that sound wonderful? Imagine it, gathering around a table and playing tabletop games, familiar or new. Or getting into pajamas and snuggling up on the couch or pillow-strewn floor, playing video games. There are many ways to create happy memories, and this is one of them!

We’ve already had seven family game nights this year and they were fun and relaxed. We played a mixture of board or tabletop games and video games. Our only personal rule (more-so for my husband and I) is no cell phone usage.

I’ve created a list of some fun starter tabletop games for children ages 4 and up to inspire your family game nights!

  1. Bluey Scavenger Hunt Game
  2. Boggle Jr.
  3. Candy Land
  4. Chutes and Ladders
  5. Dr. Seuss Pattern Game
  6. Frankie’s Food Truck Fiasco
  7. Frida’s Fruit Fiesta
  8. Friends and Neighbors: The Helping Game
  9. Hoot Owl Hoot!
  10. Hoppy Floppy’s Happy Hunt
  11. Hungry Hungry Hippos
  12. Hi Ho! Cherry-O!
  13. Koala Capers
  14. Let’s Go Fishing!
  15. Monster Mash!
  16. Pancake Pile-Up!
  17. Pete the Cat: The Missing Cupcakes Game
  18. Raccoon Rumpus
  19. Shelby’s Snack Shack Game
  20. The Sneaky, Snarky Squirrel Game
  21. Sophie’s Seashell Scramble
  22. Uno Jr.
  23. Yahtzee Jr.
  24. Yeti in my Spaghetti
  25. Zingo!

What games do you like to play with your family? We would love recommendations!