When I bought this game for my granddaughter, I nearly bought one for myself.  The idea is to create faces from the 160 facial features — photographs by Saxton Freymann of street debris and other found objects, leaves, shells, and branches. My inner adult overrode the inner child, admonishing the idea as totally juvenile. Had my inner teen been awake she’d have rolled her eyes and retorted, “Well, yeah. Your point?”

During our week’s visit with Olivia and her family, I got my chance. Olivia and I built face after face. She went on to play with another toy while I made faces for a while longer. Each face had its own personality, its own emotional aura. Some were silly; some were grumpy; some were quite lovely. What a brilliant concept — creative, simple, endless possibilities.  Order a set of About Face. If your inner adult balks, tell her to take a walk.  Or better yet, invite her along to play with you. and if you make a face, send it along for me to share.