3 years & up. Tap out ice blocks one by one, but Don't Break the Ice! To win, the bear must stay on top. One wrong block, and he'll go ker-plop! 2-4 players. No reading required.

Tread carefully and win in this classic game

Tap out ice blocks one by one

Take your time and do some thinking to keep the polar bear from sinking

To win, the bear must stay on top

For 2 to 4 players

Average Customer Review: ( 69 customer reviews )
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My young son loves this game and we play all sorts of variations including moving the main ice piece that holds the bear to different places so we can experiment with the "physics" of the game. (So there is a true educational element.) We also try to put the ice pieces back in the frame using different patterns of insertion. This helps kill the time factor in getting the game pieces ready to play.

With its minimum of rules anyone can pick this game up in a minute. It's fun and can be played by "kids" of all ages. Given its low price, it's a no miss. Even if little children get more fun out of making the bear fall than not, so what? Think of it as a more versatile "hammer & peg bench" toy.

There are some durability issues. If one of the tabs that hold the ice breaks, you are out of luck. The frame consists of two pieces that slide together and the connection is prone to breakage. Still, at this price point it's a lot easier to replace than many of the fragile toys that cost far more. In fact you could buy every toy in the Milton Bradley "Cootie" line and still be under the cost of just one other plastic toy.

A good bet for a good price.

31 of 34 found the following review helpful:

Classic fun that's sure to impressSep 12, 2000
By jasenao
I'll never forget playing Don't Break The Ice when I was a kid, because it's always been one of my favorites. I don't have any kids of my own yet, but I have a niece and she and I played this game for a few hours straight one day last week. She probably has even more fun playing it than I used to. It's a simplistic game that any adult can play with their kid, niece, etc., and find themselves having fun doing it and feeling like a kid again themselves! My niece especially gets a kick out of it when I break the wrong piece of ice I lose.

A game of Don't Break The Ice doesn't usually last long. You basically place all of about 20 plastic ice cubes into the holder, with the red man standing in the center. Both you and your opponent have a plastic hammer and you take turns knocking out one block of ice. But soon you won't be able to help breaking into 2 or 3 blocks of ice in one turn and the poor guy in the middle will be tilted downward staring into a chilling abyss. Whoever hits the piece of ice that results in the guy falling through, loses. This can inspire some competitive spirit, laughs, and trash talking.

If you have any kids around, I recommend getting Don't Break The Ice for sure; it's a great way to spend time together.

22 of 23 found the following review helpful:

This one is a classicNov 13, 2003
By Matthew Edmundson
I loved this game as a child. We still have the one I played with 16 years ago.

Break the Ice is a simple game anybody can play. There is a man sitting on a big piece of ice. You want to knock out the pieces around him, but not knock out piece that will send him falling. It's simple enough but it does take some stratedgy.

We have a lot of kids that come through my house for different reasons, and I've never met one that didn't get a kick out of this game. It's a fun family game and a must for a small child.

10 of 10 found the following review helpful:

Needs Parents InvolvementNov 29, 2001
By A. P. Snair
The kids (2 & 4 years old) do enjoy playing the game, but they think it is really funny when the ice breaks, so they see who can make the bear fall the fastest. I timed them and it takes 15 - 20 seconds for them to break the ice. As a parent I get tired putting all the ice back in the frame.

16 of 18 found the following review helpful:

Love to break the ice!Dec 30, 2000
By Jodie Skinner
A wonderful classic toy! Buy it and keep it for life! I would only like to see this toy produced as it was originally. The frame, blocks and hammers are not as heavy duty as they used to be and it was the first thing I noticed...to the maker...they kids will play with it but the parents are buying it and classic toys that aren't as we remember them are dissapointing. We await an "Original" version and we will keep it for life!

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