Watch a video of 10 Days in action here!

Our Best Geography Game
I was born in Tripoli, Libya, in the long ago days when the USA maintained an Air Force base nearby, long before the tyrannical reign of Muammar al-Qaddafi. But while I was emotionally attached to Africa, much of African geography was still a mystery to me until I played 10 Days in Africa. Since then, the makers of 10 Days in Africa have added 10 Days in Europe, 10 Days in the USA, and 10 Days in Asia.

Wonderfully Simple Premise...
In each game, the goal is to create a 10-day journey through the selected country or continent via foot, car, plane, or railroad. The "game board" is actually a sturdy geopolitical map with a recap of the rules printed in the corners.

...That Builds Critical Thinking Skills
The game is easy to learn, so most children will catch on within a couple of minutes. But the strategy involved compels players to take their time and study the board, trying to make sense of the itinerary they drew. Adding to the need for thoughtful contemplation is the rule that there is no opportunity to rearrange tiles once you've put them on your rack. Your only option is to discard a card and hope to draw a more appropriate card.

But What Is A Legal Play?
You can travel by foot if the countries are adjacent. You may travel by car only if you draw a car tile and wish to travel through one country to get to another. And you may fly between two like-colored regions if you have the same colored plane. Trains are available only in the Asia game and have limited usability. As soon as a player has completed a ten-day journey, he wins.

Not Boring, Mindless Or Easily Exhausted
Most children blanch at playing educational games, as educational often means boring when it comes to board games. But the designer of the 10 Days series has not sacrificed engrossing entertainment for the sake of education. Now we can become more familiar with each continent as we develop skills in board game strategy.

Recommended for ages 10 to adult, but I think an eight-year-old, with a bit of practice, could easily handle this game.