5 Little Birds ~ A Timberdoodle Review

A puzzle game, 5 Little Birds teaches children about deduction. The game is designed for one player. Taking turns would be an easy way to allow more than one child to play. This game is intended for children ages 5 to adults. As a progressive game, 5 Little Birds allows children as young as 5 to work on the starter puzzles. Older children through adults can work on the more challenging ones. The game has five levels: Starter, Junior, Expert, Master, and Wizard. There is an increasing complexity to the challenges as the levels progress. A wooden tree, one plastic tree base, five plastic birds, and a challenge booklet with 60 challenges are included in the game. This game is part of Timberdoodle's 2024 Kindergarten Curriculum Kit. 

The tree is made of quality hardwood, making it very durable for young children. For little hands, the spiral bound booklet is just the right size. Neither the tree nor the other plastic pieces have an odor. A thick, sturdy plastic base supports the tree simply by inserting the tree into the base. Little hands can easily grasp and clip the plastic birds. This clip is designed so that if your child accidentally gets their finger pinched by it, they will not be hurt.

How to Play

From the five levels, pick your challenge. Challenges hint at each bird's final position in the tree. Place the birds according to the hints provided on the challenge page. Each challenge has only one correct solution. In the book's back, you'll find the answers to all the challenges.

A page of hints is included in the challenge book to help with bird positioning. With seven holes in the tree and five birds, there will always be two holes that are empty. There are some hints that specify what color bird should be placed in a specific hole. Some birds will only appear gray as the challenges level up, so you will have to decide based on other hints what color the bird will be. In this case, the correct orientation will be provided. As you progress, the hints will be separated, leaving you to guess the position within the tree. Dotted lines will connect each of these hints. The hints will consist of a mix of birds from both sides. These are just a few of the hints.

Occasionally, it can be tempting to check the solution at the end of the book. Patience and critical thinking eventually lead to solutions through trial and error.

Despite the fact that this looks like a child's game, the higher challenges can be quite challenging that you're left stumped at times. You'll definitely have fun solving the higher levels if you're an adult. Smart Games has yet again created a game that will grow with your child over time.

Our whole family found 5 Little Birds a fun and entertaining game.