Travel games are often intended to be played in the car, but this small game is intended to be played upon arrival at a destination. What makes it travel-friendly is its packaging design. The 48 matching game pieces are housed in a 4x4-inch durable, decorative, cardboard box with a handy drawer that pulls out to reveal the pieces. The drawer is snug enough to remain in place during travel, and the box is small enough to tuck into a backpack pouch or even into the pocket behind a seat in the car.

The game pieces depict 24 images of life on earth, including acorns, thistles, peacocks, and lemurs, among other things. The artwork is original and whimsical, yet realistic and delightfully colorful. On the back of each piece is a blue diamond design, making the pieces entertaining to look at even when placed face down for game play. The pieces are made of a thin but durable type of cardboard with a glossy finish, making them nearly impossible to bend.

Game instructions are printed on the back of the box, as well as a miniature image of each game piece. The name of each form of life is listed on the box under its image, but this information is not printed on the cards themselves. If identification of the images if desired, players need to refer to the small print on the back of the box, which is perhaps the one drawback to this compact game.

Eeboo's Travel Matching Game has already traveled with us to meetings, activities, friends' homes, and even just to the kitchen table for some fun play. Our family has a lot of matching games, but eeBoo's creative artwork and portability are what make it a popular choice in our home.

Product review by Melissa Theberge, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, January 2009