What makes you look at Dominoes in a new way? More rules? More tiles? A faster game? Loomino took a different approach – it changed the shape of Dominoes. Instead of the usual rectangular tiles, it uses curved pieces that let players build paths with turns, curves, and even closed shapes. This unusual idea caught the attention of several organizations, and Loomino received the Family Choice Award, Good Play Guide Accreditation, and Creative Child Award 2026.

For a player, these awards are more than just a nice label on the box, even though that is how most people see them. Games win awards for a reason. There must be a good reason why the game received these awards. So, who gives them, and what did they see in Loomino?

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Family Choice Award Board Game That Brings Everyone to the Table

Family Choice Awards is an awards program for products made for kids and families. It has been running for many years, and the winners include toys, games, books, and other family products. When choosing the winners, they look at how interesting, good-quality, useful, and suitable a product is for family use. So, this award can be a good guide for parents looking for a game for the family.

First of all, a Family Choice Award Board Game has to pass a simple test: different generations should have fun playing it together. A child should be able to quickly understand the rules and what is going on at the table. Adults should not lose interest after the first moves. And for everyone, you need a game that lets you spend time together at the same table instead of everyone sitting next to each other on their phones.

With Loomino, this works thanks to the familiar Domino idea and its unusual format. The game is made for kids aged 8 and up, but it is not only for children. Adults can play on the same level too: everyone gets their own tiles, builds their own route, and makes their own decisions during the game.

Another advantage for families is the number of players. Loomino can be played with a small group or with more people, so you do not have to stick to the “one adult and one child” format. Parents can play with several kids, while older children can play with friends or other family members.

Finally, one more thing that defines a top family game is wanting to play it again and again. It is interesting when a game does not have a clear scenario that repeats and gets boring quickly. It is always the opposite! Different numbers, tile shapes, different strategies, and players' decisions take the game in a new direction every time.

So, does Loomino deserve The Family Choice Award? Without a doubt, yes. It was not given just for the shape of the tiles or the simple rules, but for bringing together all the qualities that make the game valuable and recommended for a family game night.

Good Play Guide Board Game With Real Play Experience

Good Play Guide was founded by child development expert Dr. Amanda Gummer. The organization looks at toys and games not only by their appearance or the manufacturer's description. What matters is seeing how children play with the product in real life, if they enjoy the game, how easy it is to understand the rules, and what skills they use while playing. Good Play Guide also looks at whether a product works well for playing together and if kids want to come back to it again.

For Loomino, the review gave these results:

• 4/5 for fun – kids enjoyed playing.
• 4/5 for skill development – the game uses logical thinking, problem-solving, and strategic planning.
• 3/5 for ease of use – the rules can seem a little hard at first, but they became much easier for the kids once they started playing.

Now, let’s look at what is behind these scores.

Loomino got a good score for fun because kids enjoyed the game and the competition. One 8-year-old player was happy when he managed to block another player. An 11-year-old girl noticed the special tunnel piece, which lets you jump over a blockage. So, the kids were not just following the rules – they noticed opportunities and used them during the game.

Another strong point of Loomino is the skills kids use during the game:

• Logical thinking – matching numbers and thinking about possible moves.
• Problem-solving – finding another option when a route is blocked.
• Strategic thinking – planning the next moves and creating obstacles for other players.
• Waiting for your turn – watching what other players do and waiting for your move.
• Independence – after learning the rules, kids can gradually play with less help from adults.

There is also a specific example from the testing. At first, the instructions seemed a little hard for the kids. But once the game was set up and they started playing, the rules became much easier to understand. Later, the kids were playing confidently with almost no help from adults and even reminded each other of the rules during their turns.

This shows well why Loomino received accreditation as a Good Play Guide BoardGame. It was not only recognized for its unusual curved tiles. The game gives kids a chance to make their own decisions, try different moves, and compete with others. For parents, this means one simple thing: after the rules are explained, they do not need to stand next to the child and tell them what to do on every turn.

Creative Child Award 2026 for a Creative Game Idea

Creative Child Awards recognize products for children that have an interesting idea, unusual design, or a new approach to a familiar format. Parents, teachers, and other adults who work with children take part in the selection, and the process itself is very interesting because everything needs to be tried and a decision needs to be made. They get to know the products, test them, and leave their ratings. In 2026, Loomino Mexican Train Game received the title Game of the Year, meaning it became the winner in its category.

When choosing a game, the evaluators pay attention to the following things:

• Interesting idea – what new thing the game offers children.
• Creative design – how the product is different from usual games.
• Interest for children – whether they want to play and explore the game.
• New approach – whether there is something in the familiar format that changes the usual way of playing.

With Loomino, the main unusual idea is visible – it is the shape of the tiles, and we already mentioned this. Instead of the usual straight Dominoes, curved pieces are used here. They allow players to build not only straight lines, but also turns, curves, circles, and other shapes.

And it is not just a change in appearance. The shape of the tiles affects how the game develops. The player thinks not only about matching the tiles by numbers, but also about where their route will go. For example, you have two tiles with the number you need. Both fit the rules, but one will continue the route straight, while the other will turn it to the side. The choice now depends not only on the numbers. You need to think about which option will be more convenient for the next moves because your opponent may not have the right shape to continue your chain.

That is why the Creative Child Award 2026 highlights the main feature of Loomino so well. The game does not try to become new by adding dozens of complicated rules. It takes the familiar Mexican Train and changes one important element – the shape of the tiles. This is enough for players to look at a familiar game in a new way.

For the buyer, this award means that Loomino is not about a different box design, but about a truly creative idea that makes the game a little more challenging.

Did you know? In the Creative Child Awards, only one product per category can actually win "Game of the Year." Everyone else who scores well gets a Preferred Choice award instead. So Loomino didn't just get a good review. It beat out every other board game entered that year to take the top spot.

Does Loomino Really Deserve These Awards?

Let’s first briefly explain how to play, so everyone can picture the game, even if they have never played Dominoes before. Loomino starts with Double 12 tiles. There are 91 tiles in the set, with numbers from 0 to 12. Players take turns placing tiles, matching the same numbers and continuing their routes. That is where the similarity to Dominoes ends, because the curved shape of the tiles adds one more thing to think about.

A tile may match the number but change the direction of the route. It can turn the line, create a curve, or take up a space that may become important for the next move. So, before placing a tile, it is worth looking not only at the number, but also at the shape and position of the other tiles.

During the game, players need to:

• Find tiles with the needed numbers
• Choose between several possible moves
• Watch the direction of their own route
• Consider where there is still free space
• Watch what other players are placing
• Change the plan if the move they wanted is no longer possible

Kids can start by simply looking for matching numbers and then gradually notice other options. They see how one tile changes the entire structure, learn to wait for their turn, watch what other players are doing, and find a way out when their planned move does not work. And adults do not have to play easy or give hints on every move. Yes, many people do that. But here, everyone has their own tiles, their own route, and a chance to change the situation on the table.

So, the different sides of Loomino Mexican Train Game match the different awards quite well. The family format matters for the Family Choice Award. The children's reactions, enjoyment of the game, and skills they use during play explain the Good Play Guide rating. And the unusual design of the game is the creative detail recognized by the Creative Child Award 2026.

These three logos on the box show what people noticed and valued about the game and give you a good idea that something is interesting inside, something worth trying for a family game night.

Ready to Play Loomino? Shop Loomino Double 12 →

Three Awards Are More Than Just a "Nice Badge"

Usually a game picks up one award – for its design, for being fun, or for some educational value. But having a game judged from three completely different angles, and passing each one, doesn't happen often.

The Family Choice Award looks at whether the whole family actually has fun playing together at the table. Good Play Guide checks the game through the eyes of a child development expert and, more importantly, the kids themselves – watching how they really play. And the Creative Child Award looks at whether the game is genuinely something new, not just another copy of a familiar format. These are three completely different perspectives, judged by three different teams in their own way, and Loomino won all three over.

That's why these three awards together mean a lot more than just one on its own would. Imagine a game that parents love, but kids don't. Or one that's creative but awkward to actually play. Either way, the picture is incomplete. But when parents are happy, kids are having fun, and experts are saying "this is something new," that's when you can really trust it.

So if you're seeing these three badges on the box for the first time, you don't need to wonder: the game has already been checked out by people who know what they're talking about, and it held up from every angle.

So why wait? Get Loomino Mexican Train Game now and see for yourself why three different panels of judges all said yes to this game.