The Knights’ Trail

“The Knights’ Trail,” made for kids ages 7 to 10, turns your house, backyard, or a park into a training ground for knights. The king of the realm has left a trail to follow: five trials to pass, from the humblest squire to a fully dubbed knight. Every stop gives a clue that points to the next place, such as a crest to find, a banner code to crack, or a message in old-fashioned lettering to decode, plus a short test of skill or observation to pass before moving on. The kids move, search, compare, and figure things out without ever going in circles: every clue points clearly to the next one. The book includes the clue cards, a map of the realm to customize, a trail journal to fill in, and a guide for the grown-up that sets up the trail in a few minutes. The game works for a small group or a big crowd of kids, indoors or out. At the last trial, every player earns a knight’s diploma to cut out and fill in. The guide also offers options for different amounts of space, backup hints, and a shorter version for the youngest players. There is nothing to improvise on game day: just hide the cards, read out the king’s message, and let the knights in training set off on their quest.