Shut the Box — 4 Player Wooden Dice Game
Wooden games · 2–4 players Four players, one wooden board, nobody reaching for their phone. Shut the Box is the oldest kind of good game: roll the dice, add them up, flip down your numbers. You will explain the rules once and then play for an hour. Each player gets their own side, so four people can go at it at the same time. 2 to 4 players Wooden board and tiles Felt-lined dice tray Numbers 1–10 each side Short, quick rounds How it plays 1 Everyone takes a side. All ten numbers start standing up. 2 Roll into the felt tray and add the dice up. 3 Flip down numbers that make that total — one tile, or two, or three. Your choice, and that choice is the whole game. 4 Keep rolling until nothing matches. Fewest numbers left standing wins — shut the whole row and you win outright. Why it earns its place on the table Learned in one round No rulebook to study and no setup. Everyone from six to sixty is playing properly by their second turn. Maths practice in disguise Kids add, split and combine numbers all game long and never once feel like they are doing sums. Made of wood, not plastic A wooden board with a felt-lined tray and painted number tiles. Good enough to leave out on the coffee table. Fits whoever turns up Two of you head to head, or four crowded round all sides. Rounds are short, so nobody is stuck waiting. In the box Wooden board with four numbered sides — 1 to 10 in yellow, green, blue and red Felt-lined centre tray, so the dice stay on the board and stay quiet A set of dice Details Players 2 to 4, one side each We recommend it for Ages 6 and up, and adults who like a short game Material Wood, with a felt-lined rolling tray Skills Mental addition, quick decisions, taking turns Good for Family game night, guests, travel, gifting Questions about this game Can younger children play? If they can add up to twelve, they can play. Below that, put them on a team with an adult — they will still love flipping the tiles. Do we need to keep score on paper? No. The tiles left standing are your score, which is half the reason the game moves so fast. Does it work for two players? Yes — take a side each and play best of five. The other two sides just stay up. How do we look after it? Wipe the wood with a dry cloth and keep it out of water. Count the dice back into the tray before it goes away. Leave it out on the table. It gets picked up far more often than the games in the cupboard. Safety: contains dice and small wooden tiles. Keep away from children under 3 years.