Step to It is aptly subtitled “The Get Up and Go Game.” It’s a game of walking, hopping, jumping, and second chances: perfect for the younger set who always seem to have energy to burn!

Step to It is a new game from Gamewright, suitable for kids aged 5 and up. It accommodates 2-8 players and gives kids a chance to get out some of their energy while learning or reinforcing skills like estimating distances and not giving up!
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In a nutshell: When you open the box of Step to It, you’ll find two sets of cards. The first deck consists of “step cards.” The cards are shaped like shoeprints and each contains a number or number range (e.g., 3-20). A few of the cards also contain the word “Hop” or “Jump.” The other set of cards are “goal cards.” Each of these cards shows a picture of either: a standard household object (lamp, door, refrigerator, etc.), a splash of color (blue, white, etc.), or a shape (triangle, rectangle, etc.). To set up the game, shuffle both sets of cards and randomly choose twice as many of each type of card as you have players. Arrange them on the table with step cards in the middle and goal cards forming a circle around them.

But don’t get too comfortable in your seat — you won’t be spending much time there!

Here’s how the gameplay works: The person beside you picks a step card from the table and hands it to you. Then you choose one of the goal cards — pick one that you think you can get to by walking, hopping (1 foot), or jumping the exact number of steps/hops/jumps as the number on the step card you’ve been handed.

For example, if C. handed me a step card with the number 8 on it, I might pick the refrigerator card, because I’m pretty sure I can get there in exactly 8 steps. Some other rules:

• You can take any size steps/hops/jumps you want, but they have to be consistent as you go. In other words, you can take 8 baby steps, but they all have to be the same size baby steps. So you have to think hard before you get hopping.
• If you pick a color card as your goal card, point out a goal in your house that is that color. Likewise, if you pick a shape card, point out a goal in your house that is that shape.
• If the step card you’ve been handed says “Hop” or “Jump” on it, you must use that means of locomotion.
• If you don’t make it to your goal (or you go past it) in the specified number of steps/hops/jumps, guess what? You get a second chance. I think this is great for kids — it teaches them to not give up, and prevents them from getting too frustrated. If you reach the goal on your first try, you get two points; if you reach it exactly on your second try, you get one point.

Now it’s the next person’s turn — his neighbor gives him a step card, he picks a goal card, and he gets moving.

Once all the cards from the circle have been used, the game is over, and the player with the most points wins.

The instructions for Step to It also include some suggestions for younger players, including giving them three tries, or allowing them to ignore the “Hop” and “Jump” on the step cards and simply taking steps to any goal.

Chad, C. and I had fun playing this one afternoon, although I will admit that I am not good at taking 12 hops on one leg across the room. Clearly, my balance is not as good as it once was! As for C., he enjoyed the game — primarily because it’s good for laughs (who wouldn’t laugh as they watch their dad try to take giant hops toward the television?) and because it wasn’t a “sitting still quietly” kind of game.

I don’t think he’ll request it too often, however, since I think he’s near the upper range of kids who will enjoy it. However, I think it’s a fantastic game for younger kids (5-7) and with some adjustments, could also be enjoyed by 3- and 4-year-olds. I also love that it plays up to 8 kids, so it might be a good option for a birthday party game.

In summary:

Step to It

Number of Players: 2-8
Time required: 15 minutes
Ages: 5 and up
Where to buy: Time Well Spent or Amazon.com.

Callapidder recommends it for: Playing any time with the younger set, particularly if they’re bouncing off the walls and you’re looking for a way to corral them!

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