For those who run away when they come across a thick book, here is some good news in the form of The World Almanac Puzzler Deck. This is a series of decks containing cards full of brain-engaging puzzles, activities and facts that are arranged according to subjects and age brackets. This trivia deck for kids (of all ages actually, because not all adults are smarter than a fifth grader, are they?), definitely commands attention due to its format and design, besides the content of course. There are puzzles and questions, often with multiple choice answers and some hints, and the card format makes it ideal to be used in groups, where friends can just pick up the cards randomly and answer the question themselves or test the knowledge of their friends.
Zooming in on three decks in the series, World History and Geography (ages 11 to 13), Vocabulary and Wordplay (ages 11 to 13) and Math (ages 9 to 11), one finds that each contains a combination of quizzes that are graphic-based and those that are more traditional multiple choice questions. Maps, flags, figures, columns and graphics are used to make creative quizzes that can catch the attention of schoolchildren. Regular quiz books and almanacs are more suitable for older children who don't mind turning pages upon pages of printed matter without coming across much illustration or pictorial matter.
These decks are even great for using at parties or picnics where you can spend hours testing each other's knowledge in a fun way.
However, the Vocabulary and Wordplay pack is, understandably, more conventional in terms of content because nothing but letters of the alphabet fit well with these, and there is a limit to the amount of creativity that can be shown in the theme. Nevertheless, the activity-based style makes learning fun.
— Mohammad Bilal
