I Built It! Memory Match + Tic Tac Toe has taken two traditional games and made them very kid friendly. The game includes nine oversized black-and-white pieces that are great for little hands. The game board, which includes both games on it, is big and very easy to see where the pieces should go. What makes this game different from others you may find in the store is the ability to customize the game pieces by putting pictures in the center of them. Included is a sheet of black-and-white images that your child can color, or you can print pictures of your own and use the stencil for tracing and cutting to ensure a perfect fit in the game pieces.

Memory Match is for two to four players, ages three and up. Tic Tac Toe is for two players, ages five and up. The games can be played the traditional way, or you can use the variation for Memory Match that is explained on the instruction sheet. The variation incorporates a hide-and-seek factor with objects around the house, which adds a kinesthetic aspect to the game.

There are a multitude of skills that could be learned with these games, such as capital and lowercase letters, numbers, colors, and shapes because of the customization of the pieces. You could even use this with older children for foreign language words, math facts, and vocabulary words. Simply add rules such as "say what is on the picture," "solve the problem," or "find the answer" as the pieces are flipped over, and you are reinforcing skills in a fun and non-threatening way.

This game is very sturdy, and I can see it lasting for many years. Because the pieces simply screw apart, you can change the images quickly and easily. The game is convenient to use for several children or a number of different skills. Just add some creativity and the possibilities are endless.

Product review by Heidi Miller-Ford, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, April 2011