Settlers of Catan is way fun - looks like this version would be a great introduction to it for kids. I found the following from that review interesting in light B's song...

"The fact is, there are basic fundamentals a child must learn before being ready to tackle the more complicated games which older players find interesting. Taking turns, following rules, and accepting defeat graciously are a few of these. When a child masters these is different for each individual."

I had the same thought in reading over that as Ruth--especially after reading another post about kids & games & not-winny-win-winning today: http://bitchphd.blogspot.com/2005/11/cute.html

How funny. I just cam across the adult version of that game yesterday. My husband and I are B-O-R-E-D and need some new games to play. I had no idea how many were out there! This one was recommended over and over.

Ha, ha, Wendy, you make the non-kid version sound like it's X-rated or something!

Seriously, Settlers of Catan is a great game and the perfect introduction to all the awesome board games coming out of Germany. Check them out at Funagain.com!

what's this? a game that will keep their attention that is not electronic and all bells & whistles? i gotta get this!

We love Catan. How neat that there's a kid's version! :)

Thanks Alison! DH and I just found what we're going to get for my nephews for the holidays! (Your boys are just too cute, btw!)

Alison - what a perfect recommendation. I'll have to post the tower of Catan pieces for you.

Thanks for the great idea. My 5-year old is head over heals for games right now and I'm looking for ideas for Christmas.

First of all, they are totally cute. (But you knew that already.)
Second, I just looked up the big people version, and it looks like a great Christmas gift for my ninth-grader. Thanks for the indirect recommendation!

The secret to winning Settler's of Catan, esp as a newbie, is to knit and want to horde all the sheep for yourself. We knitters have the ultimate stashing abilities which requires much foresight and estimation of what yarn will get used and what yarn will be stashed as future resources when sieges occur(aka Cash Flow Problems). You know, we buy a bit for now, buy a bit more with a vague project in mind knowing we might need it sometime.

And this... is how I whoop'd three very intelligent men when we played on Thanksgiving when all but one of us were newbies. They just don't knit. Maybe watching Las Vegas week and all those stats classes helped, too.

Freecia, that is so true! I played with my husband's family one time and brother-in-law and father-in-law (we were playing teams) had ALL the sheep farms. They had so many sheep that they just traded with the bank the whole game. They kept making roads and settlements with just sheep! I don't remember if they won (probably not) but it was so hilarious, we all remember how fun that game was!

"I winny-win-win!" Oh my HECK how cute! heheheh That is hilarious. And after reading the comments I really have to check out this game - how have I never heard of this?! For adults and children have their own version. Hmmmmm.....

My thanks to B for making me laugh! Winny-win-win is the best!

Oh, cool... I'd never heard of Kinder of Catan. We love Settlers, but our 5 year old isn't quite old enough to get it all. Now I'm going to have to look around and see if I can find this, so she can have some of the fun, too. Thank you!

I am doing all of my online Christmas shopping right this very minute, and now I don't have to think about a "Family Present" anymore! Thank you so much!

My husband wants to byt Kids of Catan (as it's called here) already. My daughter's not yet two, but he wants to have it at the ready.