A child psychologist's view
Written: Jul 07 '06
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Lots of fun, helps teach decision-making and planning
Cons: Game-board will eventually wear out, if used often
The Bottom Line: This is a fun game with a good educational component, that can be used with kids from about age seven, up through adults, with tournament rules fitting teens and adults.
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| dolphinboy's Full Review: Sorry Game by Parker Brothers |
I didn't know this game as a child, but have found it extremely valuable in my work with emotionally disturbed children. I'll describe the game briefly, then give my reasons for having rated it highly for educational value.
The game is a variation of pachisi from India. Each player has four pieces that must be moved from "Start" around the board to "Home". Instead of using dice, movement is determined by drawing cards with values (one through twelve, but no six or nine) and sometimes with special instructions. One's and Two's can be used to bring pieces out of Start, and Two's allow you to draw another card. Four's make you go backward along the board. Seven's can be split between two pieces (but not more than two, as some players think). Ten's give you the option of moving forward ten spaces or backward one space (which is occasionally preferable). Eleven's can also be used to switch places with an opponent's piece. There are "Sorry" cards which allow a player to send an opponent's piece back to "Start" and take the place of that piece on the board. Players can also send each other back to Start (or even their own pieces in rare circumstances!) by pieces landing on each other. There are also slides on various board locations, and many players misunderstand how to use them (they over-use them). Read the rules on slides closely, as they can only be used if one's turn ends on the end of a slide.
The educational value of "Sorry" comes in the numerous opportunities for decision-making and planning. Once a player has more than one piece out of Start and in play (not Home yet), each turn provides an opportunity to assess multiple ways to use the card drawn. The relative values of different options are not always clear (e.g., Is it better to move a piece almost home or to send an opponent's piece back to Start?). Many children need to work on these skills, and "Sorry" provides many teaching and learning opportunities. Decision-making and planning are skills adults often take for granted and seldom teach their children; here is a fun way to do it.
There is also an alternative set of rules ("Tournament Play") that fits older kids and adults well. Each player starts and ends each turn with five cards in his or her hand, and can choose how to use one or more of those cards during each turn. This further increases the decision-making opportunities.
"Sorry" typically uses a folding cardboard board, which eventually wears out along the fold and rips. The small pieces represent choking hazards for very young children.
"Sorry" is a lot of fun and can be a strong educational component. Enjoy and learn!
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 17.00
Type of Toy: Board Game
Age Range of Child: 6 to 8 Years
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Epinions.com ID:
dolphinboy
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 in Books |
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Member: Chris McCallister
Location: The Great Lakes of Michigan
Reviews written: 557
Trusted by: 227 members
About Me:
I am a psychologist, new author, and a reviewer on several sites.
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