Paths and Burrows (The World of Beatrix Potter)

To move your rabbit playing piece from "start" to "home" over 49 steps, using the roll of the dice. You are helped on your way by taking short-cut paths if they are landed on, but you are also hindered if you land on a burrow, and you take a short-cut backwards! The game is designed as if it was Beatrix Potter herself who had created it. All the parts and pieces used are made in materials that would have been available to her. The box is small and compact to take the well thought out pieces and is in keeping with the small book itself. Snakes and Ladders is a Victorian game brought back from India and has the concept of good and bad, just right for Peter Rabbit. The illustrations used in the board design show Peter being naughty at one end of the burrow and then the result of being naughty at the other after he goes down. On the Path when he is good he goes up and the illustrations at either end depict this. The game is very simple and can be played by three year old's upward. It should take no longer than five minutes to play, the concentration span of children of that age and perfect before bedtime. Hence the simple Paths and Burrows on the board and there being only 49 squares. If you want to spend longer then play more times, best of three etc. The large wooden die has large numbers to help a child learn the numbers from 1 to 6. Each number is also decorated with the same number of rabbits. So there is one on the 1 and two on the 2 etc. Children will love counting these to see what number they have thrown. You can then move this number on the board. This will help them understand the relationship with the board numbers and the dice at an early age. The pieces are Peter and the three Flopsy bunnies in stone resin and with painted jackets. They will bring Peter alive on the board to a young persons mind. It is a gift item not a toy. By spending time with the game and taking care of it a child will come to appreciate it as they grow old. The textures and shapes and illustrations all blending to create an experience they will always remember.