Wingspan describes itself as a competitive, medium-weight, card-driven, engine-building board game. Which is a mouthful and very confusing for people not too familiar with board games in general. It's a shame too as I feel this is a great game to introduce people to the board game hobby. The rules are approachable, the art is gorgeous, and the pieces lend a lovely, tactile oomph that draws people into the game.
Players take on the role of bird enthusiasts that are trying to attract the best birds to their network of wildlife preserves. Think of yourselves as bird watchers with acres of land spanning fields, forests, and wetlands. Each player works off of their own player boards placing birds, gaining food, laying eggs, and drawing more cards. Every bird in your preserve makes each of your actions more powerful and certain types of birds will score you more points over the 4 rounds of the game. Whoever has the most points at the end of the fourth round wins.
As I said, the game itself is very approachable and great for introducing people to modern board gaming. The design by Elizabeth Hargrave is elegant and approachable matched perfectly with the art by Natalia Rojas and Ana Maria Martinez. It is a fantastic family game so long as you have children who are a bit older (somewhere in the 10+ range). However, even the younger children may find the birds depicted worth watching out for, each with a small fact on their cards. Of course there is also the bird feeder dice tower that even grown-up children like me can't resist playing with.
The benefit of a game like this using real birds is that it can pique interest in the birds themselves. So why not take the opportunity to take to trying to find some of them in the wild as well. The outdoor kids series by Uitgeverij Snor gives lots of information on various topics about nature. Their Vogelspotten guide is a great resource to help teach your kids (and yourself) how to get started in recognizing and watching our feathered friends. It too includes beautiful illustrations, straightforward and easy to follow instructions, and many facts and tips to get you started in finding birds in nature.
Maybe, though, you have a youngster who needs a bit more convincing about the appeals of bird watching. Or you're looking for the perfect picture book for your adventurous child. Then I can absolutely recommend Otto Blotter. Following the theme of gorgeous illustrations, Otto Blotter follows the adventures of the titular Otto as he discovers a tiny bird with the incredible ability to hide. As the bird continues to grow and grow, Otto has to do more and more to keep his family from finding out. It is a lovely story with a sweet ending.
If you haven't played Wingspan or one of it's spin-offs, I highly recommend it. The game is approachable and fun as well as beautiful. I also can say without a doubt that it can definitely spur a new appreciation for the world of birds and possibly lead to a new hobby in bird spotting. If you're interested in trying both, then be sure to check out the bundles being offered this month tying Wingspan to Otto Blotter and Vogelspotten or maybe even get all three.