If your children enjoy history, treasure hunts, or discovering unusual facts from the past, Dig! is a wonderfully engaging educational game that combines memory skills with archaeological adventure.
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Filled with beautifully illustrated artefacts, hidden treasures, and fascinating historical discoveries, this matching game encourages children to explore the past through playful, hands-on learning. My daughter hasn’t really been one for history but when it’s introduced through another form that she likes, in this case games and art, then she’s captivated.
We always love finding educational games that naturally spark curiosity, and Dig! feels like the sort of activity that could easily inspire further history projects, conversations, and imaginative play long after the game has ended.
What Is Dig!?
Dig! is a memory and matching game beautifully illustrated by Eleni Kalorkoti and published by Thames & Hudson. The game centres around discovering long-lost treasures and matching artefacts to the characters who have misplaced them.
Inside the box you’ll find:
- Character cards
- Matching object tiles
- A foldout educational poster
- Artefact cards
The gameplay is simple and accessible for younger children while still being engaging for older siblings and adults too.
Players take turns flipping over tiles to try and match together missing treasures, from ancient helmets and amulets to fascinating historical objects from around the world. However, not every hidden object is valuable, with worms, old cans, and random items mixed into the game to add extra fun and surprise. We always have a giggle when we spot these!
Beautiful Illustrations and a Calm Learning Style
One of the loveliest things about Dig! is the artwork. Eleni Kalorkoti’s illustrations have a soft, charming style that makes the game feel inviting and imaginative rather than overly busy or flashy. They style is certainly what drew my daughter into wanting to play the game.
The historical theme could potentially feel heavy in some educational games, but the gentle illustrations make everything feel playful and accessible for children. It also means that the game can be played at different levels – a simple matching game or delving in deeper to find out about each of the artefacts and who lost them.
The game pieces encourage curiosity immediately, with unusual artefacts and mysterious treasures naturally leading children to ask questions about where the objects came from and who might have used them. There’s a good amount of information on the educational poster about each artefact. Although, we did enjoy getting the globe and finding out where each of the places mentioned were.
It also feels like a genuinely thoughtful gift-quality game, with beautifully designed components that would work well for both home learning and family game nights.
Educational Benefits of Dig!
This game offers much more than simple matching practice.
While children are playing, they are also developing:
- Memory and concentration skills
- Observation and visual recognition
- Turn-taking and patience
- Vocabulary development
- Early historical awareness
- Curiosity about archaeology and ancient cultures
- Place around the world
The included foldout poster adds a particularly strong educational element. Children can learn more about the eighteen artefacts featured in the game and discover the real-world stories connected to them.
Some of the objects included relate to:
- Ancient farming
- Early astronomy
- Aztec history
- Ancient sculpture
- Archaeological discoveries from different cultures and time periods
For home educators, this game could fit beautifully into:
- Ancient history topics
- Archaeology studies
- World cultures projects
- Treasure hunt activities
- Hands-on history learning
It would also pair wonderfully with library books about archaeology, museum visits, or even simple excavation-style sensory play activities.
Who Would Enjoy This Game?
Dig! would particularly appeal to:
- Children interested in history or archaeology (interestingly, my daughter is much more interested in history now)
- Families looking for screen-free educational games
- Home educating families
- Children who enjoy treasure hunts and mystery themes
- Parents wanting gentle learning through play
- Grandparents looking for interactive family games
Because the gameplay itself is easy to understand, children can focus on enjoying the discoveries rather than struggling with complicated rules.
The historical theme also helps the game feel slightly different from many traditional memory games, giving children something genuinely new to explore.
Things To Consider Before Buying
Although Dig! has lots of educational value, there are a few things worth keeping in mind.
Some younger children may initially need help understanding the historical context of the artefacts, although this can naturally become part of the learning experience. You can begin with simple matching. You could also reduce down the amount of pairs that you introduce to be able to make the game simpler to start with. It’s often nice to introduce this type of game with 3-4 pairs initially.
Children who are particularly competitive may focus mainly on winning the game rather than exploring the educational poster, especially during early plays.
The game is also best enjoyed with multiple players, making it more suited to family learning or group activities than independent play.
Final Thoughts
Dig! is a lovely combination of educational learning, gentle strategy, and imaginative historical exploration. It introduces children to archaeology and historical artefacts in a way that feels playful, approachable, and genuinely engaging.
We especially loved the beautiful illustrations and the way the game encourages children to become curious about the stories behind the objects they discover.
If you are looking for a screen-free educational game that combines memory skills with history and archaeology, Dig! is definitely one worth exploring.
For families who enjoy hands-on learning, history topics, or educational games with a calm and creative feel, this would make a wonderful addition to your games shelf. The size of the game makes it very portable too!
We were kindly gifted this game, with no obligation to post a review.