Sum Swamp
$13.00
Sum Swamp at a Glance
| Game Type Addition/Subtraction Early Math Skills Animal Theme | Play Time 10 - 20 mins | Skill/Complexity (2 - 5) Non-Complex |
| Age 5+ | Publisher(s) Learning Resources | Published 2002 |
| Categories Kids Educational / Children's / Family / | Players 2 - 4 | Rules Manual Official Rules PDF |
| Our Rating 8/10 | Cost $13.00 + |
Make your way across the crocodile shortcut and try to get through the “endless loop” by adding and subtracting the numbers shown on the dice. Best suited to children aged 5 to 7 years.
About – Description
Children will enjoy learning number skills time after time as they avoid the hilarious pitfalls of the Sum Swamp. Designed for 2 to 4 players, Sum Swamp is perfect for developing and sharpening math skills, as the only way to escape the swamp is to roll the dice and add and subtract your way through the board.
Lucky players will be able to take on the crocodile short cut, although sooner or later everybody gets stuck in the endless loop!
Note that this game does contain a number of small parts so is not suitable for children under 36 months.
Best Suited For Children Aged 5 – 7
Sum Swamp is ideal for siblings, family groups and friends to enjoy together. It’s a short game lasting only 10 to 20 minutes maximum so you can play it repeatedly or organize tournaments at home to play in teams.
Skill – Complexity
A low complexity game that’s simple to understand, Sum Swamp is educational but great fun too. Helping to grow your child’s strategy and mathematics skills, the best part is that it’s a game that kids will grow with; children aged 5 to 6 will find it a learning challenge whilst older kids can join in for fun.
Set Up – Playing Rules & Instructions
Setting up
Inside the box you’ll find:
- Game board
- 4 swamp creature game pieces
- 2 number dice
- An operations dice
Take the game board out of the box and lay it on a flat surface. Each player then decides on a game piece and puts it on start. Players must each roll the number dice and the player with the highest number goes first.
Object of the game
The object of the game is to make your way round the board using your skills in addition and subtraction. The first player to reach the finish space is the winner!
Playing Instructions
The first player rolls all of the dice and creates a number sentence by placing the highest number dice first, the operation dice second, and the smallest number dice last.
The player then adds or subtracts the number, and moves ahead by the sum or difference. For example, if a player rolls 2 + 3, she/he moves ahead 5 spaces. If they roll a combination equal to 0, she/he must stay where they are and the next player takes their turn.
Special Spaces on the Board
- “Odds” or “Evens”: if a player lands on one of these spaces, she/he must roll one dice. If a player rolls an “odd” or “even” number as indicated on the game board, she/he moves ahead that number of spaces. If an odd/even number is not rolled, the player should wait until her/his next turn and try again.
- Number Space: When players land on a number space, they must roll the operation dice. If the player rolls a +, she/he moves their piece forward the number of times indicated on the space. If the player rolls a – , she/he moves backwards by that number.
- “Short Cut”: If players land on one of these spaces, they must follow the arrow as shown on the board.
- “Endless Loop”: All players enter the loop in the direction of the arrow with players continuing to move counter-clockwise around the loop. If a player lands on the space marked “exit”, she/he can exit the loop when they take their next turn.
Versions – Editions
A second edition of this game was released in 2007.
Likes & Dislikes
This is a great game that really holds the attention of children aged around preschool to 1st grade.
Unfortunately, over time – and heavy use! – the numbers on the dice tend to wear off so many need writing on again with permanent marker. Also, the “endless loop” concept can make the game longer than it needs to be and a little frustrating too. Other than that, it’s a bold, eye-catching game which is a must for all children/families looking for something that helps with learning simple arithmetic.
Final Thoughts
A good workout for your child’s brain, they will read and memorize small number equations, learn the difference between addition and subtraction and understand odd and even numbers.
The colorful board and box are good quality and the game pieces are very cute with dice a good size for little hands. The concept is simple enough for kids to pick up quickly, but is still challenging enough for older children to learn something new.
Awards and Honors
Sum Swamp was shortlisted “For the Made For Mums Toy of the Year Award” in 2018.
