The look on my six year old daughter’s face was one of pure delight when she first caught sight of the Wildcraft! box, “look Mama” she cried, “there’s herbs ALL over that box!” Rhiannon has always loved the plants, and has taken to tagging after me on most all of my plant discovering and harvesting walks. But as often as not, she gets distracted by butterflies or snakes or the cool call of the river that winds its way through our canyon home. I was thrilled to have a chance to help her focus on what she’d already learned and also to give her new motivation for further intimacy with the plants.
So right after dinner, my partner Loba and I sat down to play a game with her. It was wonderful to watch her face light up in recognition of plants she sees everyday, especially when she could guess the right plant to use for a problem before even looking at the card.
Never mind it was already dark, she immediately wanted to run outside to have an “adventure” with the plants. In just four rounds of playing, she significantly increased her knowledge of using common plants for simple problems. She even wants to make her own plant cards that have specifically regional herbs on them to use them in the game.
One of the best aspects of the Wildcraft! is the sweet story that accompanies it, lending an immediate sense of intimacy and comfort. The story begins at Grandma’s house in the mountains, where her grandchildren are spending the Summer with her as they do each year, learning about local woodland foods and medicine.
What makes this summer different is that she is sending the kids up the mountain to gather huckleberries on their own for the first time. She packs them off with a picnic lunch and the promise to fetch them home if they don’t return by dark. The point of the game is to make it through obstacles like bee stings and stuffy noses to the huckleberry patch at the top of the mountain, with everyone making it back home before dark.
Based on co-operation rather than competition, this game is especially valuable for the current generation of children conditioned to always outsmart each other and consistently “kill” the opposition. Nobody wins Wildcraft! until the last child makes it home safe to Grandma’s cozy cabin. And true to the makers’ claims, it can easily be played by both small children and adults without losing either one’s attention or focus.
The game pieces are colorful and large enough for a little one to hold onto, and there’s no extraneous bits to get lost. There are even more herbs painted on the board, with beautiful depictions of various ecosystems like wetlands and woodlands to give a feel for the larger environmental picture.
The design is obviously carefully thought out, with great attention to detail and aesthetics. I love the beautiful and homey artwork that genuinely inspires the feeling of a summer in the mountains while retaining a charming botanical accuracy. This is a game with a fairytale sensibility, yet rooted firmly in the everyday wonders of dirt, bugs, weeds and wildflowers.
This game truly makes the woods and mountains seem friendly and fun,while still being honestly challenging. We’re shown all of the delicious foods and amazing medicines that the earth has to offer us, but we also see the problems – like scraped knees, feeling frightened, tiredness and hornet stings – that can challenge us.
There is a definite emphasis on the ethics of harvesting plants in the wild and living gently on the earth. I also appreciate the use of common weeds that can be found almost everywhere, from remote mountainsides to urban sidewalks. Easy to identify and find plants like dandelion, wild rose, plantain and yellow dock are the stars here.
Wildcraft! is an amazing tool for children and adults alike to connect to and learn from nature. I will be actively encouraging my peers, friends and students to play on a regular basis... a definite inspiration to all to venture outdoors and experience the healing power of the earth. Of course I don’t have to encourage Rhiannon at all, who is at this very moment tugging on my skirt, “Come on, Mama, let’s go Wildcraft!”.
