• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

What Do We Do All Day logo

  • Start Here
  • Books
    • Classics
      • 20th Century Classics
    • Early Chapter Books
    • Easy Readers
    • Folktales
    • Holiday Books
    • Middle Grade (8-12 years)
    • Nonfiction
    • Picture Books
    • Read Aloud Chapter Books
  • Games
    • Traditional Games
  • Kids Activities
    • Arts and Crafts
    • Literacy & Writing
    • Math
    • Playful Activities
    • Science
    • Toddler
  • Parenting
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Books for kids
  • Games
  • Indoor activities for kids
  • Parenting
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Games / Game of the Month / Game of the Month: Cat Crimes

     

    Game of the Month: Cat Crimes

    147 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    I bet you love it when your children can sit down and play a quiet brainteaser or thinking game. You know that they are building their brains and keeping out of mischief at the same time! ThinkFun is one of my favorite go-to game resources because they have a huge repertoire of single player brainteasers and puzzle games.

    The Cat Crimes logic game is one of their newest, and my 9 year old is obsessed with it.

    And I am obsessed with how busy it keeps him when I want a moment to take care of other business.

    Win-Win!

    Cat Crimes logic game from ThinkFun

    Note: ThinkFun sent us a game for review. This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are truly my own.

    UPDATE: you can now also solve canine crimes with Dog Crimes!

    How to Play Cat Crimes

    Cat Crimes game play will remind you of those paper logic grid puzzles you did as a kid. You know the ones in which you are given a scenario and set of clues. You then must, using deductive reasoning, determine the solution as you fill out the grid. You know what I mean, right? The logic puzzles that look like this:

    logic puzzle grid

    Cat Crimes operates on the same premise as these logic puzzles, but if your child can't stand those logic grids (like my youngest) he may still love Cat Crimes (as mine did)!

    Cat Crimes consists of a game board loosely resembling a room with objects, 6 crime tokens, 6 cats with stands, and a deck of 40 challenge cards ranging from beginner to expert level.

    Each challenge card contains a Cat Crime, such as a broken flowerpot or a missing bird and several clues. The player uses the clues to reason out which devious feline is the culprit.

    Cat Crimes single player game from ThinkFun

    Unlike grid logic puzzles, Cat Crimes allows kids to be hands-on. After drawing a challenge card, they place the corresponding crime token on the board and then as they read through the clues they can place the cats in the correct spots on the board. When the little detectives figure out which cat is placed in front of the crime token, they have solved the mystery. It's sort of a mash-up between Clue and a logic grid puzzle!

    Why Kids Should Play Cat Crimes

    Two words: SINGLE PLAYER. As I said above, single player games are excellent for keeping kids busy and thinking!

    And while you are sipping your coffee, you will know that your kids are exercising their deductive reasoning skills, heading towards reading comprehension mastery, as well improving their visual perception.

    Also, you might witness an in real life cat crime:

    sneaky cat

    Because there are multiple levels of puzzles to solve and forty challenge cards, this game will last a long time!

    Tips for playing Cat Crimes

    Yes, it is a single player game, but you can also play with your kids! In fact, I recommend it. Work on problem solving with your child. Show him that you are willing to work hard even when the answer doesn't come easily. This is a great way to model growth mindset behavior.

    Read the instructions thoroughly. All of the cats have bios and the clues on the challenge cards may make use of the bios. In addition, it is important to understand the layout of the game board before diving right in, or you may not place the cats in the correct position.

    ThinkFun recommends Cat Crimesfor ages 8 and up. If your child is younger than that and has shown an affinity for logic puzzles, there is no reason to hold off until she is 8. In fact, I recommend you try some of the beginner puzzles out together with your 6 or 7 year olds! Children of all ages may also need a little gentle guidance as the challenges get more difficult.

    Find the game here: Cat Crimes

    ThinkFun Cat Crimes game

    And now also available: DOG CRIMES!!

    More single player games:

    • Gift guide: singe player logic games
    • AnimaLogic
    • Code Master
    Cat Crimes game for kids from ThinkFun
    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    « Coloring Pages to Inspire Star Gazing
    Summer Reading: Seaside Bookmarks to Color »
    147 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amy // Sunlit Pages says

      May 01, 2018 at 12:05 pm

      I'm so glad to see that Game of the Month is back! My kids LOVE to play games with each other (or alone!), and so we are always looking for new ones. This looks fun!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Erica! I believe parents can stay sane without giving their kids an electronic device. Learn how!

    More about me →

    Newsletter

    Join over 15,000 subscribers who said "Yes! I want to unplug my kids!" We'll send you 10 waiting games your kids can play anytime, anywhere. Join here -->

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About the Site

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and join over 15,000 other families finding ways reduce screen time.

    Other Stuff

    We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases

    Copyright © 2023 What Creative Media LLC

    Want Your Kids to Love Being Unplugged?
    Subscribe to our newsletter and as a thank you, receive 10 waiting games kids can play anytime anywhere.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want More Free Activity Ideas?
    Join our email list and as a thank you gift I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games that will make your kids smarter.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.
    Want your kids to love being unplugged?
    Join our newsletter and as a thank you, I'll send you a list of 10 waiting games.
    Your email will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party. Click here to view our privacy policy.