In this game, a winter storm hits Little City. Granny and Grandpa, Uncle and Aunt, Mom and Dad, and Best Friend's Family have things to do, places to go and errands to run. Players must help them complete these tasks together by driving to the places on their lists and returning them safely home. Deep snow? Bad ice? Players decide when and where to do some plowing or spreading of sand while the weather constantly changes. The game includes one 12" x 12" board, weather reports, errands, cars, places, snow and ice, and service trucks. Launch date: 1994.

Starwords is a cooperative word game in which players make words to cover as many Star Spaces as they can. Each word must be about what players see in the picture. The picture changes, letters get recycled, and letters are given away. Players can discuss, share and compare ideas in a natural, friendly way. Word wizards can play the Advanced Version in which dice are rolled to see what kind of word has to be formed. The game includes a 13" x 17" board, die, reference chart, 100 letter tokens, and a collection of unusual pictures. Jim Deacove, president of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly, "Our games foster the spirit of cooperation. Players help each other climb a mountain, make a community, bring in the harvest, complete a space exploration... They are never against each other." Launch date: 1983.

In this cooperative game, players try to develop a series of balanced patterns. The moving principles are simple, but the variations and complexities of play are almost infinite. This is a game for those who like abstract, meditative endeavors. A simpler game, Clarity, is included for the beginner or younger players. The game also includes a 12" x 12" board, three sets of colored "pebbles," and scoring sheets. Launch date: 1973.

This values-oriented, moral-dilemma game of discussion and evaluation presents challenges an individual encounters from childhood to old age. The situations and questions appear on cards with choices to make. Players can create their own responses and more situations to enter into the game. This game is a useful tool to stimulate values discussion in a non-competitive framework and includes a 14" x 18" play pad, four sets of questions (for childhood, adolescence, middle years and old age), mover, die, game and complete rules. Launch date: 1976.

This game is designed to nurture imagination, listening, self-expression, collaboration and clear thinking, using a story-telling format. The setting is science-fictional and the issues presented everyday and real, tackled by players with role-playing, values discussions, dialogue, problem-solving, and creative writing. Not an Island is adaptable to any group situation and includes 55 situation cards, 55 resource cards, six life force markers, two booklets of scenarios, and rules for basic, medium and hard levels of play. Launch date: 2003.

In this game, six "Nations" must solve internal affairs without creating conflicts within their own borders. As the game progresses, hot spots can develop — and by game’s end several or all of the Nations may be at war. The game is then lost. Each Nation creates a balanced territory so that a balanced world results in which population does not exceed land and resources and work is available for everyone. On the religious, cultural and political side, all sectors are also in balance with no particular sector dominating another. The key to achieving this balance is Right Education, in which intelligence and compassion are nurtured. How well the players use Right Education and deploy the other factors within their borders while making trades to assist each other across borders will determine the degree of success in establishing firm and lasting peace in our time. The game includes six nation charts, two sets of cards (110 total) consisting of population, land/resources, work/technology, religion/culture, politics/military and right education, one die, and rules of play. Launch date: 2006.

In this game, children work together to solve world and human problems presented in a simplified way. Players are divided into simulated social groups (tribes, nations, etc.). Each group gets World Problem Cards and a share of Solution Cards. Through discussion, trade agreements and world councils, the players try to solve all the problems facing them. The debriefing session at the end allows for everyone to learn from each other. Together includes two decks of cards, grouping tokens and rules for teacher preparation, interaction and final evaluation. Launch date: 1971.

Early Years are four cooperative card games for the younger ages. Each game is designed to nurture and encourage a blend of close observation, communication, imagination, and some academic, social and memory skills in a non-threatening, self-esteem-building atmosphere. The pack includes four sets of 35 cards each: a “domino” word game, an animal memory game, a number/math skills game, and a storytelling game. Jim Deacove, president of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly Early Years is "a big bargain with lots of play value, and just plain fun to play! Special group game rules are included for accommodating as many as 36 players."

In this game, the seven pieces start as an ink blot to be carefully rearranged to make animals, faces, letters, numbers, birds, ships, and more. A booklet of 60 silhouetted shapes to try is included, as well as rules for a cooperative game. It can be played alone or in a group. President of Family Pastimes Jim Deacove told TDmonthly this product is "for the clever, the imaginative, the creative!"

The adventure scenarios in this game are the actual journeys of such explorers as Marco Polo, Nansen, Scott, Drake and Cook. Players pick a journey, make preparations, assemble crews and venture forth together, each handling different aspects of the expedition. The package includes an 18" x 22" world map board, dice, a land and sea log of adventures, money, crew cards and assorted charts. Jim Deacove, president of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly this product is "an educational eye-opener about the life of explorers — a good family and classroom game."

Messages consists of three games for those who love playing with words and ideas. Players must express their cleverness, creativity and sense of humor by using symbol tokens to form picture phrases and sentences, known as rebuses. Players pool their ideas to make rebuses to fill the board, red spots add challenges, and each game played is a different experience. The package includes a 7.75" x 7.5" board, 100 symbol tokens, a glossary of suggested meanings, rules and a storage bag.

This is a game of collaboration, learning and discussion full of strategy, with each player making an important contribution. Set in 1895, players are a group of peaceful Christian villagers in Russia who drive wagons through the countryside, visiting homes to collect firewood and weapons for the building of ploughshares in the village center, all while avoiding confiscation and imprisonment by the Tsar's patrolling soldiers. The game includes a 17" x 17" board, special playing cards, movers, dice, collection chart, wagons, and rules for regular and advanced games.

Players work as a team to feed the hungry bus passengers entering the diner. This game is quick-paced, original and challenging. It comes with three sets of rules, for younger children (5 to 7), middle years (7 to 12) and adults. "Our games foster the spirit of co-operation. Players help each other ... they are never against each other," Family Pastimes President Jim Deacove told TDmonthly.

The game begins with a Random Universe arrangement. Players try to create an Ordered Universe of life and form. The illustrated cards represent various thought-provoking concepts. The game also includes The Collection, a booklet of 40 more co-op card games for the same deck.

Players act as Camel Drivers, guiding caravans from their home village through the desert, gathering various valuable things to trade and sell in the city. The game includes a board, special dice, sandstorm card and holder, caravan movers, desert caravan collector card, and an assortment of special cards including tents, thieves, valuables, guards, camels, food, water and jeeps.

Players help each other plant as big a flower garden as they can, and also help the Growlies find what they need most, so they don't pick and trash the flowers instead. With some sharing of ideas and talking over of strategies, players can will help change Crabby, Messy, Greedy, Stinky and Snobby into happier creatures. Each game unfolds differently. The game includes a board, 16 flowers, five growlies, a growly lodge, nine special items, scoresheets, a handy chart, and rules for regular and hard versions.

Grump has taken the villagers' treasures and is now fast asleep at the top of the beanstalk. Together, players climb to the top to recover their treasures. If Grump is awakened, he takes back everything. Players share the treasures and leave some behind for Grump. Their kindness will help change him. The game is won when everyone has some of the treasure.
Awards: 1981 Canadian Toy Testing Council  Top Rating

All players help a dreaming little boy, chased by tigers, collect all four teddy bears and a toy collection. Then, they get him back to bed before he wakes up. The game includes a board, tigers, candy, wake up card, little boy, card stand, toys, dream tools, and rules for basic and hard games.

In this game, players work together to get the Goat family safely to New Meadow and into a barn before the scary, hairy troll catches them. The game is designed to teach children logic, consultation and decision making, and is designed for one to eight players. Included are a full color board, two special dice, one troll, six various food items, six goats and instructions.

The four island stores in this game have put in orders for fish of various kinds. Players represent The Island Fishing Co-op, working together to fill these store orders and return home safely before the stormy season makes fishing and deliveries too dangerous to continue. Players get "paid" for their work and share the earnings. The game is designed for two to four players and includes a 12" x 12" board, four fishing boats, four boat movers, 12 assorted fish, four sharks, four good weathers, 12 storms,16 assorted baits, a home supply depot and instructions.

The Mayan Calendar is much more than a system to mark off the passage of time; it is a prophetic calendar that may help us understand the past and foresee the future. Some people believe it predicts the end of the world as December 2012, while others believe it forecasts the start of a new era. This game incorporates both views.The object of the game is to create a physical vehicle like a pyramid to focus and spread universal spiritual power. For this task players will need builders, materials, equipment and money. They must work together to build 11 spiritual centers around the planet to ward off destructive perils entering from many directions. "2012" includes a 13” x 18” board, four movers, two dice, a sheet of 55 die-cut pieces, eight player roles, six centers destroyed, 11 spiritual power markers and 12 destructive perils markers.

During this "Walk in the Woods," players can observe beautiful things such as wildflowers and butterflies, help each other gather goodies such as apples, berries, nuts and herbs, and keep an eye out for dangers like poison ivy, stinging nettle, biting bugs and even hot sun. The game includes a 12" x 12" board, dangers, remedies, goodies, look-ats, baskets, and rules for basic and hard games. "Play as friends, not as enemies! Our games foster the spirit of co-operation," Family Pastimes President Jim Deacove told TDmonthly.

Players are a team of magicians performing a series of dangerous illusions, trying not to get trapped in them. Each game played is the performance itself, full of risks. This game includes a 13" x 18" board, manager's chart, magicians, dangers, escapes and magic power cards. "Play as friends, not as enemies! Our games foster the spirit of co-operation," Family Pastimes President Jim Deacove told TDmonthly.

Deep Sea Diver is a real-life adventure game about diving for treasures and other discoveries. Players need teamwork to plan the dive, share equipment, get each other out of trouble, and divide whatever treasure they bring up. The game includes a 13" x 18" board, diver cards, danger cards, treasure cards, equipment tokens, air tank tokens, a glossary of diving terms, and movers.

In this game, gardeners work hard to grow beautiful, fresh, organic vegetables, fruit, herbs and flowers. But sometimes garden pests eat those good things before people can. Players must keep the garden safe by catching all six pests and taking them to the forest where they belong. The game includes a 12 x 12" board, two dice, seven pest movers, one "havahart" trap, one electric fence chart and rules. "Play as friends, not as enemies! Our games foster the spirit of cooperation," Jim Deacove, president of Family Pastimes, told TDmonthly.
Awards: 2010 Creative Child Seal of Excellence, CREATIVE CHILD MAGAZINE.