Fun, fast, entertaining, and awesome…that’s how I’d describe
all of the games from Bananagrams. You may have read my review on two of the
five games (Fruitominoes and Zip-It) we received that we used from a more therapeutic standpoint for
Quinn, who has Asperger Syndrome, but the other three we’ve used as a family
for our regular family game nights.
(Click any image to enlarge)
The original Bananagrams come in a banana-shaped pouch and it’s the first in the bunch (pun intended) of the series of games. In this game, players race against each other to make Scrabble-type grids of words and use all their letter tiles. There’s no taking turns, it’s a free-for-all game to beat your opponents. Bananagrams is super fun, challenging, compact, and helps older children and adults alike build their vocabulary and use their brains while enjoying themselves. This game is not really designed for younger children on a competitive level, but my 5 year old loves making words with the tiles on his own.
Appletters, packed in an apple pouch, is a more strategic game and slightly easier than Bananagrams because it offers three difficulty levels of play. The object of this game is to build a “snake” of words that span across the entire table. When it’s your turn, you add to the beginning or the end of the snake by using the letter there as the first or last letter of your new word. There are also harder variations called Applescore and Apple Turnover, which are fun for older kids and adults. My kids love Appletters! They love making the snake and even 5 year old Quinn can make simple words with the Appletters tiles.
Last but not least is Pairs in Pears, my personal favorite along with Zip-It (previous review). Packed in a pear this game has lettered tiles that are stylized with solids, stripes, outlines, and dots and the object is to make a crossword-style grids of only two words using only tiles of the same pattern. Everyone works at the same time to beat their opponents and to make a predetermined number of word pairs. It is extremely fun and is a great way for children to develop cognitive skills and develop memory along with learning the alphabet, pattern recognition, word construction, and much more. We all love this game and love to team up in adult/child teams and try to outplay the others.
All the Bananagrams games are well-made, compact and portable, and help children and adults alike to utilize their brains unlike many other equally entertaining, but mindless, games. We love to take our Bananagrams games to restaurants to keep the children entertained and engaged while we wait, which has proven most helpful in many situations. You can purchase these and all Bananagrams games on their website, www.bananagrams.com, and find out where to purchase them at retailers nationwide. They retail for approximately $15.99 each and can be purchased with Free Shipping on Amazon.com. Their site also features video demonstrations of the games that give you a much better feel for the games than my written review can.
Thank you to Bananagrams for providing complimentary product samples for us to base this review upon and for providing an additional product for our contest prize.
Good luck in the drawing!
Published by Karen Coutu
This post may contain affiliate links.
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Zip-It
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:34 PM
Commented on 3 Hair Tools I Wish Existed 20 Years Ago
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 8:34 PM
Appletters looks really cute!
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 10:52 PM
Commented on Easy Craft: DIY Dinosaur Train Memo Board
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 9, 2012 at 10:53 PM
Seems like a fun family game!
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:20 AM
I would probably pick Appleletters
hollow_sins(at)yahoo dot com
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:21 AM
I would choose Bananagrams.
monster6236 at gmail dot com
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:43 AM
Appletters would be great for my little ones!
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 8:18 AM
I would choose Zip it
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 10:18 AM
I like Bananagram or Zip-It. Looks like fun!
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:33 PM
Left a comment on your Silly Monkey Story.
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 12:38 PM
Bananagrams games looks fun to enjoy.
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 1:34 PM
I would like to try appletters
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 2:18 PM
Well, I would choose bananagrams.. but I also think Pairs in Pears sounds fun too! chefl@swbell.net
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 3:43 PM
FIRST OF ALL, THANK U VERY MUCH FOR THIS AWESOME PRIZE FOR THIS GIVEAWAY!!!! I AM EXCITED TO HAVE ENTERED THIS ONE BECAUSE WE LOVE GAMES !!!
I LOVE THE GAME "ZIP-IT"!!!! THAT'S THE ONE I WOULD CHOSE IF I WON THIS GIVEAWAY!!! THIS IS JUST GREAT!!!!!!
FAMILY GAME NIGHT WOULD HAVE AN ADDITION TO THE FAMILY IF I WON:))
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 6:15 PM
I read the Monkey Stories, so so funny & I totally enjoyed it!!!! Here's the link to the page for comments to that section:
http://www.3garnets2sapphires.com/2008/05/silly-monkey-stories-tuesday-meme.html
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 6:36 PM
Commented on Concerns About Psychological Disorders in Children
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 8:25 PM
I would choose the original Bananagrams game. Thanks for the chance to win!
mrsmchappell at gmail dot com
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 10:19 PM
Commented on Silly Monkey Story: A Sign of the Times
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 10, 2012 at 11:11 PM
Commented on Silly Monkey Story: A Sign of the Times
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 11, 2012 at 1:41 PM
Commented on Concerns About Psychological Disorders in Children
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 11, 2012 at 10:00 PM
Commented on Shop 'n' Share: Tinted Glass Candle Holder from Target
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 4:20 PM
Commented on Finding Balance With Asperger's: Make "Busy Hand Bags" with the Focusing Fidget Kit
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 12, 2012 at 11:44 PM
appletters would be my choice
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 5:32 AM
i would choose bananagrams
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 10:33 AM
Commented on Finding Balance With Asperger's: Make "Busy Hand Bags" with the Focusing Fidget Kit
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 4:03 PM
Commented on Shop 'n' Share: Tinted Glass Candle Holder from Target
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 13, 2012 at 11:31 PM
bananagrams
vmkids3 at msn dot com
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 6:41 AM
I'd choose Pears in Pairs.
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 3:30 PM
Thanks for the tip about using the games in restaurants while waiting...I don't know why I didn't think of this. It was hard to chooe just one since all of these games sound like fun but I think Appletters would be my choice.
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 3:41 PM
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Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 8:17 PM
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Liz Sevin
Posted on April 14, 2012 at 11:22 PM
I like Pairs in Pears
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 1:10 AM
I would pick Appleletters for my kid's. Thanks so much for the fantastic giveaway!
Bored2quickly@hotmail.com
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:05 AM
I would love the Appletetters!
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 7:51 AM
The original bananagrams!
soluckyducky at gmail dot com
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 12:22 PM
I would like to try Appletters.
Tam S. Rafflecopter
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 2:01 PM
bananagrams
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 3:27 PM
I like the Bananagrams game
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:24 PM
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Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:29 PM
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Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 5:51 PM
Appleletters
Hotsnotty2@hotmail.com
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 9:05 PM
Commented on SwimWays Partners with Operation Smile in a $50,000 Facebook Challenge
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 10:29 PM
Love the original Bananagrams. I've bought it for gifts, but don't own one myself!
Posted on April 15, 2012 at 11:16 PM
Bananagrams original.
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 1:11 AM
gotta go with the banana
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:23 AM
I would choose the Fruitominoes.
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:37 AM
Id choose Appleletters!
ptavernie at yahoo dot com
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 9:29 AM
Bannana grams-truly awesome!
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 11:11 AM
Pears in Pairs.
amy16323(at)gmail(dot)com
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 11:27 AM
I like Pairs in Pears
marypopmom@yahoo.com
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 12:10 PM
Pairs in Pears sounds so fun!
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:01 PM
I want to try Zip It!
Ellie W.
fcorin13 at yahoo dot com
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 2:55 PM
Commented on Easy Recipe: Fun & Creative Veggie Pasta Dish for Kids
Kimberly Dsouza
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 3:07 PM
Commented on My Photos: Easter Egg Hunt and More
Liz Sevin
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:33 PM
id choose zip it :)
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 7:49 PM
Appleletters :)
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:21 PM
Bananagrams looks like a lot of fun!
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:21 PM
I would choose Fruitominoes
Posted on April 16, 2012 at 10:32 PM
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