Gameplay
The game is played in 9 rounds (7 rounds in a 2-player game). Each round consists of the following phases:
1. Revealing the cat tile and moving the cat
2. Movement
3. Evaluating the seesaw or the merry-go-round (in 3 or 4 players game)
4. Evaluating the other tiles (from top to bottom, from left to right)
5. Passing on the first player marker clockwise.
Movement
Beginning with the starting player and in clockwise order, taking turns, each player must move a kid to a neighbouring tile (adjacent and diagonal movement is allowed). The players may move a kid by 2 or more tiles, but in this case for each extra step they must pay one energy card, ignoring its value.
Summary of components
Playground tiles
- Competition (red borders): These tile actions can be performed only by 1 player, being decided by competition. The winner performs the action only once, even if more kids are in the same location.
- Non-competitive (blue and yellow borders): No competition is required for these tiles, all players on them perform the action with all their kids.
Competition
Competition is won by having the most standing kids on the given tile. In case of a tie, the players decide the winner by bidding.
Only 2 players may participate in the bidding! If more players are tied, only the two that are the closest to the starting player (including the starting player) participate in bidding.
Bidding
Choose at least 1 energy card from your hand, and exchange them with the other player. The winner will be the player that passed the most energy to the other player. If the same amount of energy is exchanged, then repeat the process. If it is tied again, then the involved players’ kids are moved to the Punishment tile.
Grund cards
A player may use only one Grund card in a round, it is discarded after use.
The cat
The cat will move throughout the playground in a random way.
To win the calm cat, you must compete for it when you reach the tile with the cat on it. The winner will take the bonus indicated on the cat tile. This may be happiness points, sandcastle tile, photo card or a Grund card. The cat card and the playground tile it’s on is determined once in the same competition, thus if a tie is present, the winner for both rewards is determined once with the same bidding. You must still compete for the cat even if it is on a non-competition tile.
The angry cat on the other hand does not give any bonuses, so there is no competition for it. However, all kids that complete their movement in a row or column that is indicated on the cat tile must discard an energy card.
The Scoring
The player with the most happiness points will be declared the winner. In case of a tie, the player with most kids on the board is the winner. In case of a tie still remaining, the game has several winners.
-> Happiness points gained during the game
-> Energy cards: 1 happiness point for each 3 energy (value)
-> Sandcastle: If a sandcastle is incomplete, then the left one, if it is complete, then the right-hand side happiness points are scored on the tiles.
-> Photos: Points are scored for cards of the same type (plants or animals). 1/2/3/4/5 photos of the same type score you 1/2/5/8/9 points. Several series of the same type can be collected if the first one is complete.
-> Goal cards: For each card players score 8/4/2 hapiness points based on their ranking. In case of a tie scores are summed and divided. Only players who gained at least 1 value for the goal card can score points for it.
Grund cards
Ball: Choose a Relax tile, all players take happiness points equal to the number of their kids on it.
Better bend: Move one of your standing kids from a competition tile to a Relax tile. You gain 2 happiness points.
Big brother: You can participate in bidding with as little as 1 kid on a competition tile.
Bus ticket: You can invite a friend for only 7 energy at the Housing estates.
Coffee break: In this round, the other players may not play any Grund cards!
Come here son!: Move one of your opponent’s kids from an unlimited access tile to the Parents/Grandparents tile.
Come on mate!: Reposition an own kid from a neighbouring tile to a competition tile, where you are already present.
Comforting: If you lose a competitive tile due to majority or bidding, you may also carry out the site action.
Fight: Starting from the player to your left, everyone moves one of their own kids to the Punishment tile.
Hug: Take 2 happiness points from stock.
Jungle fighter: In a bush that you won, take another photo card.
Little mole: In a sandpit that you won, take another sandcastle tile.
Look mummy!: If you have kids on all tiles in a row, you gain 3 happiness points.
My daddy is stronger!: Cancel the effect of any Grund card played by an opponent.
Newspaper: At the end of the game, it counts as a photo card of the animal type.
Pile up: Move to a limited access tile ignoring the restrictions.
Postcard: At the end of the game, it counts as a photo card of the plant type.
Recycle: Take a Grund card from the discard pile.
Rest: One of your kids does not move this round.
Scooter: Move any of your kids to any tile respecting the access restrictions.
Shoo: Move the cat to a neighbouring tile.
Snack: Take 3 value 1 energy cards from stock.
Tantrum: You automatically win a bid.
Telling: Move any kid belonging to any player (in an unlimited access tile) to the Punishment tile. You lose 1 happiness point.