The Ants in the Can game from Hasbro takes a spin on a game I used to play as a kid—Ants in the Pants. This one features Sesame Street’s Oscar the Grouch and has a huge cardboard cutout instead of the suspenders that used to stand up against a pair of blue jeans in the original game.
It’s recommended for ages three and up, and two to four players can play at one time. Thankfully, no reading is necessary to enjoy the game, so younger kids can enjoy it on their own, and it’s something that doesn’t go on and on like Chutes and Ladders always seems to. (I really dislike Chutes and Ladders. You can sign me up for Candyland or Ants in the Can any day, though.)
Playing the game is a way for kids to develop their fine motor skills and have fun at the same time. Sometimes when I play, I think my fine motor skills must need a little bit of help, too, so older kids will still enjoy this. I imagine this is a good game for siblings or cousins of various ages to play.
Though my child is an only, I remember having very little in common with my sister when we were growing up. Ants in the Pants, along with a handful of other games, could get us on the floor playing together instead of doing our own thing.
In case you’re not familiar with either version of the game, there’s a small plastic “trash can” that you set up in the middle of the players, with Oscar poking out of the top. Each player gets one or two colors of ants. Each ant has a tab on his back that you press down and then let go of to send the ant flipping through the air, hopefully right into the trash can.
It’s challenging for any age, but it’s always fun to see just how far off course an ant can get when he doesn’t hit his target.
Photo credit: Hasbro
