Crabs in a Bucket Game Review

As part of the Timberdoodle Blog Team, I have received complimentary access to this product. I have not been compensated for my time reviewing the product and producing this review. I have not been influenced in any way and my opinions on this product are my own.

Ever wondered why a simple little game can keep pulling you back for “just one more round?” That’s exactly what happened when I tried Crabs in a Bucket with my kids! The premise is super easy: you’re a crab, eager to climb out of the bucket while dragging others back in. Don’t let the simplicity of the theme fool you, though – there’s plenty of strategy, friendly chaos, and tons of laughs!

Including games in our homeschool days is one of my favorite ways to incorporate learning. My kids (currently ages 11 & 13) love it because they get to have some fun together while I enjoy getting a bit of learning disguised as fun into our schedule. The quality time is certainly a plus, too!

Thanks to Timberdoodle, we’ve had the opportunity to include Crabs in a Bucket into our days recently. This nearly pocket-sized game definitely packs a big educational punch! Let’s chat a bit about why you may want to add a set of Crabs in a Bucket to your educational game collection, shall we?

Game Overview

Included in Timberdoodle’s 9th Grade Curriculum Kit, Crabs in a Bucket is advertised as best played by 2-6 players, ages 10 and up. The playing cards, instructions, and playing mat all fit nicely into a sturdy, travel friendly (4″ by 5″ or so?) box making it perfect for on-the-go fun (which I’ve especially appreciated given that we’re currently living in a hotel in between moving from Georgia to Florida!). Even better? Once you’ve played the game a time or two, game play should only take about 5-15 minutes! Sweet!

Like I said, the premise of the game is super easy: each player is a crab focusing on being the first crab to climb out of the bucket.

You may be thinking “that sounds like a cute theme and all, but what the heck does that even mean?” Here’s the gist:

• Each player is dealt 7 cards
  • cards include Ace-King cards as used in a typical deck of cards as well as Crabs in a Bucket-themed Jokers
    • Joker cards are adorably clever cards themed with different fictional crabs that, when played, result in some sort of chaos. For example: playing the “Arrow Crab” results in a “silent shot” to “force an opponent to draw a card out of your hand and the deck. If your opponent still has less cards than you, trigger this effect again.”
• Players follow the helpful instructions provided in both the included booklet and a video upon scanning a QR code (I LOVE when games offer video instructions! It’s so much easier for me to see a game being played rather than “just” reading how to play a game).
• The first person to use all the cards in their hand is the winner!

Our Experience Playing Crabs in a Bucket

At this point, my boys are ages 11 & 13 and will be headed into 6th & 8th grade next year. While they’re both below the 9th grade level for the Timberdoodle curriculum set, they’re both above the suggested minimum age of 10 as mentioned on the Crabs in a Bucket game box. To help facilitate game play, I have joined my boys in all the Crabs in a Bucket experiences so far and…I am way above the age of 10!

How have our games gone so far? What have we liked? What would we change? Let’s go!

What We Enjoyed

Since we enjoy traveling, I love that all the components of Crabs in a Bucket are super travel-friendly. The box is sturdy, the cards are durable, and the entire game travels well in a tote bag or even a large purse. We’ve played the game in the car while waiting for my husband to pick something up from a store, we’ve played in our hotel room…we’ve even played at a poolside table! This game is perfect for on-the-go educational fun.

Speaking of “educational fun,” I love that Crabs in a Bucket encourages my kids to strengthen their strategizing skills. We all love some friendly competition and this game certainly served its fair share! It was so neat to watch my kids really hone in on how to best utilize the cards they were dealt.

What else did we enjoy? The illustrations & descriptions! The Joker Crab cards are really well done. The illustrations are colorful & fun and the Joker Crab descriptions are creative & can change the direction of the game in an instant. It’s obvious that the creators of the game really enjoyed creating those cards!

In addition, while we have enjoyed our fair share of board games often requiring multiple hours of game play dedication, I certainly appreciate the fact that Crabs in a Bucket was designed to take, from start to finish, 15 minutes tops! It’s really a great option for keeping the kids occupied during short periods of “down time” when a schedule doesn’t quiet allow for extended game play.

One more thing! I had no idea that the phrase “crabs in a bucket” is actually an apparently well-known metaphor and not just some cute name the game creators came up with! While not necessarily tied to game play, how neat is it that the kids and I learned a new-to-us metaphor?

What We Had Trouble With

Now, this isn’t anything against Crabs in a Bucket, but we actually had trouble keeping track of all the game rules when we first started playing. We love a game filled with twists & turns and cleverly crafted features, but this game took us a play or two to really figure it all out. We tend to have the same experience with new games, so I am not mentioning this as a negative of Crabs in a Bucket, but merely so you’re aware – your first game may end up taking 45 minutes instead of the typical 5-15 minutes.

While we loved the sturdiness of the cards, we wish the playing mat had been made of a different material. Maybe neoprene? Maybe three separate playing mats instead of one that folded up? The playing mat did not sit flat on the table, so that did make game play a little cumbersome at times. Not really a big deal, and the mat should lay flat after multiple uses, but I thought it was worth mentioning!

Honestly, though? Crabs in a Bucket is a solid family-friendly game with plenty of positive aspects!

Happy Homeschooling

If you’re looking for an exciting, fast-paced, travel-friendly game to add to your family collection, Crabs in a Bucket is definitely worth checking out! Not only is it a great option for family game night, it could also be fun with homeschool co-op friends – just picture all the kids planning their next move in an effort to win the title of “Ruler of the Ocean!”

How would you include Crabs in a Bucket in your day? Leave a comment below or share in our free homeschool Facebook Community: That Homeschool Family Hangout! We can’t wait to play the game in our new-to-us home down here in Florida!

Thanks, Timberdoodle, for the opportunity to share our Crabs in a Bucket game review!

Until next time, stay safe and enjoy quality time with your family,