A Place at the Table: Bugs in the Kitchen

Recently, we’ve had a small infestation in our house. We’ve got Bugs in the Kitchen. Have no fear, board gamers, it is nothing to fear. No, I’m not talking about cockroaches or silverfish invading my kitchen. I’m talking about the Ravensburger game Bugs in the Kitchen.

Sometime right around Christmas, Peep saw an ad for Bugs in the Kitchen somewhere (most likely when Number One was watching something board game related on YouTube). This game became the only thing that Peep wanted. Number One and I had already purchased all of his Christmas presents. We told him that if he really wanted the game then he could save his allowance to buy the game himself.

Peep gets $4 every two weeks, and his goal was to save $20. Now, for anyone who has any experience with preschoolers, you will know that $20 is a huge amount to someone who is 4. We set up a chart so that Peep could track his savings.

Peep saved up his allowances. He cashed in all of the coins in his piggy bank. He practiced his letters by writing a letter to his Nana and asking if she would help him reach his goal. She did, and the $5 from Nana put him over his goal. We ordered the game for him and then it was a long wait for it to arrive.

When the box was delivered, Peep was beside himself with joy, and he immediately wanted to play. And we’ve been playing Bugs in the Kitchen ever since. We are actually on our second hexbug for the game.

This was Peep’s first big savings goal. And it was the very first game that he purchased all by himself. This was a pretty big event for our house. Being a homeschool family, we use anything and everything to teach skills. Bugs in the Kitchen has been a tool for us to teach Peep about things like taking turns and having good sportsmanship. He is also learning to plan ahead. In Bugs in the Kitchen, you turn little forks, spoons, and knives to create a path to direct the bug into your kitchen. Peep has to look at the board and figure out which path will get the bug into his kitchen the fastest. But, the other players are also trying to direct the bug into their kitchens, so spoons and forks are turning every which way. Peep is getting very good at figuring out which utensil will block other players kitchen. He’s starting to take after his father when it comes to board games.

Playing board games has benefits for children. We will delve into those at a later time, but I just wanted to share the big event that has been taking over our kitchen and lives.