Are you learning about the Civil War with your kids? Do you want something a little more fun? We picked up Civil War Game by Learningames from the thrift store to help complete our Civil War unit study. While I can’t say that it’s been a hit that we’ll never want to part with, it has helped round out the unit.

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This game was first created in 1974, and revised in 1986 and 2000. That tells you something. It’s definitely first an educational game, which, depending on your kids, might not be a bad thing. Some kids are so averse to formal learning that a game like this would be a terrible fit, but my family can play these sorts of games in moderation.

My son loved using the game to learn about the war, and for that alone, it was worth the $1.50 we spent on it. There’s a poster inside that could be pretty cool to have up, if you have a child interested in the war. There is also a large booklet (40 pages!) jam-packed with information.

As far as actual gameplay, there are two sides to each card. You can choose whether you want to start with the name (of the battle, city, fort, etc) or the location. Starting with the name is easier, so that’s what we did. Geography is not my family’s strong suit.

On your turn, give your best guess as to where the item on the card took place. We used this opportunity to teach our kids about smart guessing. If it’s a name of a battle, make sure you’re guessing a number that refers to a battle.

This next step is where it’s a little different. If no one challenges your guess, you get to keep the card. You don’t even have to look at whether or not you got it right. However, if someone challenges you, they have to give their best guess. Then look at the back of the card to determine the correct number. Whoever got the location correct gets to keep the card, and if the challenger got it wrong, they have to put a card back in the stack to be played later. If both got it wrong, the card is replaced in the stack and the challenger must put a card back.

The most difficult part of this game for my family was keeping track of negative scores! If you don’t have any cards, but you challenge someone and get it wrong, you owe one card. My son had to learn the hard way that it’s not always best to challenge someone, even if you think they’re wrong!

The Civil War Game is not a game we are keeping, but if you are doing a unit on the Civil War, it can be a good addition. Especially if your kids have a lot of interest.