Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game

by Learning Resources

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 13 x 8.9 x 1.5 inches ; 1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004TDLD
• Item model number: LER5052
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #419 in Office Products (See Top 100 in Office Products)
  • #2 in Office Products > Educational Supplies > Early Childhood Education Materials
• Date first available at Amazon.com: November 15, 2005

Product Description

Editorial Review

Kids will have a terrific time learning math skills as they avoid the hilarious pitfalls of the Sum Swamp. Designed for two to four players, this game is sure to develop and sharpen beginning math skills, because the only way to escape the mire is to roll the dice and add and subtract your way around the board. If you're lucky, you'll be able to take the Crocodile Short Cut, although sooner or later everyone gets caught in the Endless Loop. Landing on special squares, such as Even or Odds or a number space, makes things even more interesting; you could get stuck for quite a while. The best part is that this is a game kids can grow with--children 5 to 6 will find it a learning challenge, and older kids can play for fun. The game is an Oppenheim Best Toy award winner. --Marianne Painter

Product Description

Math becomes an adventure with this addition and subtraction game that takes kids on a journey through Sum Swamp. They'll make their way over the crocodile shortcut and through the endless loop by adding and subtracting the numbers on the dice. Includes 12" x 17" game board, four swamp critter markers, two number dice and operation die. For 2-4 players.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

56 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sum Swamp Review, January 9, 2007

By 

Marti Calder (Los Angeles, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game (Office Product)

I have been a kindergarten/first grade teacher for 12 years. I have this game and school and wanted to order another one for my own grandchildren. It is a great game that practices addition and subtraction while having fun. I highly recommend it.

37 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Game for Little Guys, August 23, 2007

By 

Carolyn Diana (Arizona) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:4.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

This review is from: Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game (Office Product)

We bought this for my boys and they really enjoyed it right from the start. There is addition and subtraction practice and the concept of odd and even numbers, but the kids don't care because it's fun. The target ages are about 4 to 7, but it's fun enough that Mommy doesn't mind playing it again and again.

44 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Elegantly simple fun that isn't boring to play, August 9, 2010

By 

hwmd - See all my reviews

= Durability:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Fun:5.0 out of 5 stars  = Educational:5.0 out of 5 stars 

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sum Swamp Addition and Subtraction Game (Office Product)

Sum Swamp isn't *so* much fun that, say, they'd ever want to make a movie about it. I don't think you're going to see Liam Neeson and Jennifer Lopez starring in a summer blockbuster thriller about a magical swamp where you have to roll dice and get through it, and need to find the magic combination to get out of the "endless" loop.

On the other hand, playing games with your kids and teaching them basic math can be pretty mundane, if not boring, if you don't have some sort of story. So, as far as an activity goes to make this easy and fun, Sum Swamp fits the bill. The are charming aspects to the board, for instance, that make it play a bit like Candyland (possible "short cuts").

The game is remarkably simple. A board, two numbered dice, a plus/minus die, and four character pieces for the players. Theoretically, you could build this game on your own if you were so inclined, say, with a bunch of toy cars or ponies and call it Sum Race. The plus/minus dice would be hard to procure, though.

The best part, though, kidding aside, is that my kid actually asks to play this game preferentially over, say, other lame-u-tational games like Sequence, SuperWhy ABC Letter Game, etc.

Part of the charm, also, is that the game takes maybe a grand total of 5-10 minutes to get through a game, if you're efficient about it. So it's not going to stretch on and on without some sort of redemption, like a bad movie might. More reason why they probably shouldn't turn Sum Swamp into a movie. Unless, maybe, if they had Samuel L. Jackson in it.

Here are the directions straight outta' the box:
- Each player chooses a game piece and places it on start. Players roll a number die and the player with the highest number goes first.
- The first players rolls all 3 dice and creates a number sentence by placing the highest number die first, the operation die second, and the smallest number die last.
- The player then adds or subtracts the numbers, and moves ahead the sum or difference. For example, if a player rolls 3+2, he/she moves ahead 5 spaces. If a player rolls a combination that equals 0 (5-5=0), heshe does not move. Then it is the next player's turn.
- The first player to reach the finish space is the winner!

Special spaces on the board
"Evens" or "Odds": if a player lands on one of these spaces, heshe rolls one die. If a player rolls an "even" or "odd" number as indicated on the game board, he/she moves ahead that number of spaces. If an evenodd number is not rolled, the player must wait until his/her next turn and try again!

Number Space: If a player lands on a number space, he/she rolls the operation die. If the player rolls a +, he/she moves ahead the number indicated on the space. If the player rolls a -, heshe moves back that number.

"Short Cut": If a player lands on one of these spaces, he/she follows the arrows as indicated on the board.

"Endless Loop": All players enter the loop as the arrow on the board indicates. Players continue moving counterclockwise around the loop. If a player lands on the space marked "exit", he/she can exit the loop on his/her next turn.