- Set-up
- About 2 min
- Reading
- None
The quick verdict
Full verdict ↓Great for Children of about 6 to 10 who enjoy mazes, spot-the-difference and puzzle books
Think twice if You need a game for three or more; Dig Up is for two
How we rate it
Learning curve. Spin, look and shout: the rules take a minute and a six-year-old can play after one round, so it sits with UNO and Connect 4 at 1 on our scale. The challenge is the speed of your eyes, not the rules.
Luck & skill. Each round is won by whoever traces the path faster, which is skill. The spinner adds some luck with Swap and Order Mix Up, and which food comes up decides whether it fits your order.
Interaction. Both players race on the same maze at the same moment, and Swap and Order Mix Up change each other's orders.
Set-up. Lay out the six boards as a maze, put the food tokens to one side and give each player an order card.
Reading. Pictures only during play; the instructions are in English for the adult.
Learning curve: 1 = UNO or Connect 4; 3 = Catan; 5 = a heavy strategy game. These describe the experience, not an overall score.
Is Dig Up right for you?
Great if
- Children of about 6 to 10 who enjoy mazes, spot-the-difference and puzzle books
- Two siblings, or a parent and child, who want a quick head-to-head game
- Parents looking for a screen-free game that practises focus and following lines with the eyes
- Repeat play: flipping the boards changes the paths, so the maze is different every turn
Skip it if
- You need a game for three or more; Dig Up is for two
- Your child gets upset losing speed races to an older sibling: the quicker eye wins each round
- You want a longer game with strategy; each round is a quick race
How Dig Up plays
Lay out the six boards to make the maze: two animal boards, two ground boards full of tangled underground paths, and two food boards. Each player takes a party order card that shows the five foods they need, and the 20 food tokens go to one side.
- Time to teach: about 5 minutes.
- Reading and language: The boards, tokens and order cards use pictures of animals and food, so nobody reads during play; the only word to shout is 'Dug!', which works in any language. The instructions are in English.
Chalk and Chuckles Dig Up Mental Tracking Game · Chalk and Chuckles · Official
If this creator doesn’t allow embedded playback, watch on YouTube ↗.
A turn, step by step
- 1Spin
Spin the wooden spinner: an animal, a Swap or an Order Mix Up.
- 2Trace
On an animal, both players follow its underground path to the food with their eyes; the first to shout 'Dug!' takes that food.
- 3Flip
Flip any of the boards so the paths change for the next turn.
- 4Win
The first player to collect the five foods on their order card wins.
The full explanation: how a game of Dig Up goes
Spin the wooden spinner. If it lands on an animal, both players find that animal and follow its underground path just with their eyes, all the way to the food at the other end. The first to shout 'Dug!' collects that food token.
The spinner can also land on Swap, when players exchange food items to help complete their orders, or on Order Mix Up, when they swap order cards. After every turn, flip any of the boards over, so the paths change and nobody can learn the maze by heart. The first player to collect the five foods on their order card wins.
For parents: a six-year-old can play another child once they have seen a round, and an adult can check a disputed path with a finger after the shout. For 4- and 5-year-olds, the maker suggests playing with only two boards for a shorter maze. The box also holds two heart tokens and a paper bag, which the maker's page doesn't explain; the printed instructions cover them.
What's in the box
- 2Animal boards
- 2Ground boards
with the underground paths - 2Food boards
- 1Wooden spinner
- 20Food tokens
- 8Party order cards
each shows five foods to collect - 2Heart tokens
- 1Care paper bag
Box: 26.7 × 21.6 × 4.6 cm, 0.51 kg. Handy to know for gifting and travel.
Contents are from Chalk and Chuckles' product page for this box (item code CCPPL024); the US listing for the same game gives the same list. There is only one edition.
Where to buy
How to make sure you get a genuine copyEditions and the details worth checking.
What reviewers and players say
We found no independent reviews, parent blogs or forum threads about Dig Up, so there is little to go on beyond Chalk and Chuckles' own description and its short video. On paper it is a simple, quick two-player race that turns the 'follow the line' puzzles from activity books into a game, and flipping the boards keeps the maze fresh. The maker's written rules are short and leave a few details, such as what the heart tokens are for, to the printed instructions.
What people love
- A quick head-to-head race that needs no reading
- Flipping the boards changes the paths, so the maze stays fresh
- A two-board version lets 4- and 5-year-olds join in
- Practises concentration and eye tracking without feeling like homework
Common complaints
- Only for two players
- The faster child wins most rounds, so a big age gap can be frustrating
- The maker's online rules don't explain every piece in the box
4 research sources
- Reference Dig Up: Mental Tracking Game (Chalk and Chuckles product page, October 2026) · Chalk and Chuckles
- Reference Dig Up product data (Chalk and Chuckles, July 2022) · Chalk and Chuckles
- Reference Chalk and Chuckles Dig Up Mental Tracking Game (Chalk and Chuckles, about 2017) · YouTube
- Reference Chalk & Chuckles Dig-Up Maze Game (US distributor listing, January 2025) · Safari Ltd
Summarised in our own words from the sources above. We don't use Amazon reviews or ratings.
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Why consider it | This game Follow the underground paths with your eyes and race to shout Dug | A different fit Another race to solve the same maze first, for children of 7 and up | A different fit A family maze game where the paths shift every turn, slower and more strategic | A different fit Another quick test of sharp eyes for young children, for up to 8 players |
| Players | 2 | 2–4 | 2–4 | 2–8 |
| Best with | 2 | 3-4 | 2-4 | 3-6 |
| Play time | 10–20 min | 10–20 min | 20–30 min | 10–15 min |
| Age | 6+ | 7+ | 7+ | 4+ |
| Rules | Easy | Easy | Easy | Easy |
| Indian edition | Available | Available | Imported | Available |
| On this page | Explore Puzzlepads Maze Race | Explore Labyrinth | Explore Dobble Kids |
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Questions people ask about Dig Up
What age is Dig Up for?
The box front and the maker's page say 6 to 12 years, and some listings say 5 and up. The maker also suggests a shorter two-board maze so that 4- and 5-year-olds can join in.
How many players can play Dig Up?
It is a race between two players. The box says 1 to 2, but the maker's rules are for two; a child on their own can still practise tracing the paths.
How do you play Dig Up?
Spin the spinner; if it shows an animal, both players follow that animal's underground path to the food with their eyes, and the first to shout 'Dug!' collects the food. Boards are flipped after every turn, and the first to collect the five foods on their order card wins.
What skills does Dig Up build?
The maker says it builds attention, focus and visual tracking, the skill of following a line with the eyes that early reading also uses. For children, it is simply a quick race against each other.
Is Dig Up made in India?
It is designed by Chalk and Chuckles, an Indian company that lists its own factory in Kundli, Haryana. The maker's pages don't state where this box is made, so check the box if it matters to you.
Game facts
- Publisher
- Chalk and Chuckles (Chalk and Chuckles Products Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India)
- In India
- Chalk and Chuckles, an Indian company (registered office in New Delhi, factory in Kundli, Haryana), which makes and sells the game in India
- Players
- The box and the maker's page say 1-2 players, but the rules describe a race between two; one child can practise tracing the paths alone.
- Barcode
- 8906045560245
- Language
- No reading – The boards, tokens and order cards use pictures of animals and food, so nobody reads during play; the only word to shout is 'Dug!', which works in any language. The instructions are in English.
- Box size and weight
- 26.7 × 21.6 × 4.6 cm, 0.51 kg
Sources & photo creditsThe references behind this guide.
Facts on this page come from the publisher, the Indian maker or distributor, and the sources below. Photos are credited under each one.
- Chalk and Chuckles - Dig Up (how to play, contents, size)
- Chalk and Chuckles - Dig Up product data (SKU CCPPL024, barcode)
- Chalk and Chuckles - Dig Up Mental Tracking Game (YouTube)
- Safari Ltd - Chalk & Chuckles Dig-Up Maze Game (US distributor listing: item number, barcode, contents)
- Chalk and Chuckles - Contact (registered office and factory address)