"Orchard" is certainly the classic first rule game.
According to the manual up to eight players can play simultaneously. I really think, however, not a good idea. Especially young children (for the game's thought), usually do not have so long to wait until you are back at the series patience. In addition, there are only four fruit baskets and not every child had one. A maximum of four players I think is appropriate, but also to second it works fine.
Shelf life: usual good quality HABA. The game board is foldable and made of solid cardboard. The Raven cards are also stable. The fruits are made of wood and thus practically indestructible anyway (although they roll very happy times through the area). The weakest point is certainly the fruit basket, because they are really small baskets of bast. That leaves you naturally look particularly pretty on the material it not so durable.
Fun: For Babies certainly top. The rules are simple and the frustration level is quite low, because you significantly more likely to win than the raven loses. The specified age indication may incidentally be ignored. Even two years are the game can play without any major problems. For children over three, it is almost too simple, even older children are clearly not challenged and it will quickly become boring. As adults: A game that, although I find good for children, but that you play for the sake of them also.
Pedagogical value: language development. Fine motor skills: cubes, fruit and place it in the basket, puzzles. Learn colors and realize designate. Recognize dice symbols and act accordingly. Sense of community strengthening (we against the Ravens). Visual perception (the puzzle put together properly). Patience (when I'm back at the series?). First tactical considerations (which I take fruit best when I Würfele the basket?).
Also: It is a booklet with suggestions for language promotion in the box.
Conclusion: learn to play a perfect game. However, it also does a used version from the flea market because it is not safe to use it for many years (except for siblings). Our son has 2-3 1/2 at the age often and like to play it, now it is interesting because it's too easy and there are not enough non-random action.