Customer Reviews

International Playthings Honey Bee Tree

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Yes, this game is incredibly cute. I agree wholeheartedly that it takes way too much time to set up. By the time we get the leaves in the tree (which is no small feat - you must put insert the leaves pretty much in a specific order to get them all to fit) our 4 yr old son is bored and ready to play something else. In the few times I've been able to drag him back to the game, it takes just a few pulls on a few leaves to make the bees drop. If he happens to bump the tree - ALL the bees can fall in to the open area and fall through at once. It makes for a very irritating experience, especially for mommy! Yes, its really, really cute - but I can't say I am thrilled with the purchase. Our siamese cat has had more fun batting the bees around the tile floor...(Under our supervision, of course! Those bees are pretty small and could get lodged in his little throat!) There are definitely better games out there...

My 4 year old got this game from his aunt. We have tried many times to play it, since it looks cute. But each time, we pack it back up in under five minutes. It actually takes longer for us to pack it up (or to set it up) than to play it. The long-stemmed leaves, which are supposed to be inserted through the holes in the top of the "tree" have to be inserted one by one by an adult. And the bees, which are supposed to be held up by the stems, keep falling through and onto the collection cup before the game even begins. We are not very satisfied with it.

Ok, I don't understand the negative reviews for this game! This is such a fun great game. The little ones can play it because their isn't any reading involved. Yes, an adult has to take 5 minutes to set up. The leaves do not come out... I am not really comprehending what is being done wrong. And yes the game is quick... you have bees being balanced on leaves... after the first 5 pulls the bees begin to slowly drop on people. That is the purpose of the game afterall. It is fun and a quick game unlike some tedious games like "Candy Land". As a parent of 3 kiddies under 5... I am very happy when games are quick and fun.

It took several tries before I realized the "trick" to setting this game up more quickly. The branches enter one side of the hive and exit through a hole on the other side. At first, I found it frustrating to get all of the leaves through the exit holes. Then I realized that once you've inserted a dozen leaves or so, the rest don't have to exit. Then can just be popped in quickly and find support on the properly inserted brances.

I didn't think the directions were as clear as they should have been. I definitley fell prey to the "award winning" sticker on the box when I bought this game.

However, the more we play it, the more I see the educational value in it. My 3 year old is simply thrilled to learn turn-taking as we try to make the bees fall out. My 7 and 9 year olds are definitely more into the logic and competition of the game.

All told, once you've mastered the branch issue, it's really a fun game and worth the space on your family game shelves!

It takes too long to set up (sticking all the leaves through the hive). By the time I'm done, the kids have lost interest. They had more fun just playing with the bees separately.

Our 6 yr old received this for Christmas. It takes a bit of time to set up, but worth the effort. I found that it's much easier if you follow the slant of the holes (which seems to guide you to another hole). Our 4 year old also enjoyed playing the game and surprised us with her ability to pull out the sticks ever so carefully! Each time the bees started to fall the kids would squeal and we would all start laughing. I feel the game encourages critical thinking and improves fine motor skills. Kids get to see what happens when a stick is chosen quickly vs a carefully selected stick. Bees could be a choking hazard if you have kids that frequently put things in their mouth. I would recommend that this game be purchased for 4 - 7 year olds as it may be to basic for an older child.

Pretty much this game is just like the game 'ker-plunk'. You put in the little poles to hold the marbles up and pull them out one at a time without letting the marbels (bees in this case) fall through. They just dressed it up a bit to make it more appealing to younger kids. They would probably like the bees falling out, but not the settup and wouldnt understand to "game part" or strategy. My opinion, get it for an older child (7 or up), since they will be able to set it up and understand it on thier own. Or if they wont like the tree and honey design, go with Ker-Plunk. I think that is on here too!

Takes far too long to set up; bees are too small (smaller than a grape) and clearly a choking hazard. My 3 year old likes rolling the bees on our hardwood floors and we inevitably miss one or 2 when cleaning up, so someone ends up slipping on it. She doesn't have the patience to wait for it to be fully set up. The tree comes apart too easily. This was a gift that is now going to be given away.

I bought this for our 4 yr old son and should have paid attention to the other reviews. This game is similar to "Ker-plunk", but is designed to appeal to the preschool set. Basically, it takes about 5 times as long to set up the game, as it does to play it. Once you get about 10 of the 20+ "branches" in the tree, adding the others becomes a challenge. If you don't add all the branches, then the bees tend to fall right down.
Overall, this game is well made and the bees are very appealing. However, it takes awhile to set up, and most preschoolers will not understand the strategy behind the game.

We bought this game for my daughter's 3rd birthday, but my 6-year-old daughter likes it better! We think this game is really fun and the bees are really cute. It's basically just like Ker-Plunk but the bees and the tree and leaves make it a little more interesting than sticks and marbles(Kerplunk). The reason I gave it a 4 for educational is because really the only thing to learn is to take turns and how to count your bees, but that's probably enough for a 3-year-old. For durability I could see where the leaves could bend easily - just be careful with them. Also, it takes a little while to get all the leaves in the tree when setting up. But the fun is worth it in the end!