Janod: Pirates! (Battleship)

In Janod’s magnetic Pirates Battleship, two players secretly position their ships and take turns trying to discover where their opponent is hiding. Choose a coordinate, make your attack and mark the result on the erasable grid. The first pirate to locate and sink the entire enemy fleet wins.

What makes this version especially good as a first Battleships game is its two difficulty levels. Younger players can begin with a simple 20-square grid, while more experienced captains can move on to the larger 64-square grid. It means children can grasp the logic of the game without being overwhelmed and progress to a more challenging version when they are ready.

And there is plenty of thinking behind every shot. Children practise using coordinates, spatial orientation and systematic searching while developing logical thinking, deduction and strategy, working out what they already know and where it makes sense to look next.

The clever magnetic case forms two separate playing areas, keeping each player’s fleet hidden from their opponent. The set includes 4 grids, 20 magnetic boats, 2 erasable grids and 2 markers.

Shipping: 2-5 days