Time Tables Lotto

Age: from 7 years old

Objective: To help children to become more confident with their time tables in a fun way.

Materials:
It consists of 4 boards for 4 players and the associated cards to match the boards.

Directions:

Here is how you play:

Additional Information:

Daddy FECS and I played this with J (7Y9M23D) today. He knew all the answers from his board and could do all of them. We had a lot of fun with it. It is a fun way to help kids to master time table. It is more suited for kids who have already been exposed to multiplication and are finding a way to consolidate learning. We played the Game 2 matching equivalents. Next time we would play the Game 3 Bingo.

28 December 2016 (7Y9M23D)

 28 December 2016 (7Y9M23D)

 28 December 2016 (7Y9M23D)

 28 December 2016 (7Y9M23D)

We bought this fraction board game from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/2hN9k8l

Pizza Fraction Fun Board Game

Age: From 6 years old

Additional Information:

I am thinking of a way to make learning fractions fun and a board game that we could play during our Family Time. I bought this from Amazon. It contains 11 pizzas.

Initially, J wasn't so keen. We played with it today during our weekly family time to see who can build the most number of pizzas, and J enjoyed it a lot. He requested to play it again twice.

Available from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1SfjP4l

Fraction Action Snap Card Game

It contains 3 rule cards and 52 fraction cards in 5 various presentations:

Here are the 3 rule cards:

There are 2 ways to play them: Snap or Pairs

 Here is how you play "Snap":

Here is how you play "Pairs":

Additional Information:

We played this on today. At first J was not keen, then we had a lot of fun playing Pairs. J likes playing Pairs better than playing Snap. It gave us a chance to practise saying the fraction in Mandarin in a fun way. Apart from 1/2s, which was easy for J, it was a good chance for him to get more practice with matching 1/10, 1/8, etc.

It is available from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1SaVfP1

Fraction Action Lotto

Age: from 6 years old

Materials:
The Fraction Action Lotto board game. It consists of 4 boards for 4 players:

It has different formation of fractions from 1 whole to 1/10:

Directions:

Here is how you play:

Additional Information:

I almost did not notice, but I saw that many of the fractions game are for 6+ years old. Thus, J (7Y1M11D) is old enough to learn about fractions now, and I haven't really started into exploring fractions. We did do some simple lessons on fractions last year though.

It was raining today. We could not go and see the cherry blossom. So we decided to play the Fraction Action Lotto board game instead. Initially, he wasn't keen, but as we started, he actually had a lot of fun. We learned the fraction terminology in Mandarin, and this game is a good practice for him. I won him by completing my lotto just 1 piece ahead of him, so we were very very close, but I was the lucky one to find all my cards :-)

The next time, we will play by matching equivalent fractions :-)

We bought this fraction board game from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1XBmd3y

16 April 2016 (7Y1M11D): Playing Fraction Action board game for the first time with mommy :-)

LEGO 3842 Lunar Command

How to Play?

1. Basically, each player builds their own base using different white and coloured pieces- identical pieces cannot touch each other. You gain points for each astronaut (2 points) or robot (1 point) that you get inside your completed base. To complicate things, you can also place pieces to block your opponent getting astronauts/robots into their base! UFOs can also be moved under which astronauts can pass but not robots. You can also take over your opponents base by building more of your own coloured pieces into it than their coloured pieces.

2. Build your bases when you get a white square or coloured square on the dice - so for white its the sides and square bits and coloured bits are the other bits. Move the commander two spaces towards the space ship for every spaceman or robot that gets into any of your bases ! Dont build walls between bases as this is just annoying although you can extend if you want to cause a bit of blocking. Dont use the UFOs - again they are just annoying !

Two completely white sides of the dice in a row and a UFO gets to take away one of your robots - ie it goes against the person who gets the second white side, but maybe the better way is to have when you throw a second white side in a row you get to take away one of your opponent's robots or spacemen. And we had it that is you got three white sides in a row ! then the UFOs would destroy the whole game ! It added some excitement anyway.

3. The objective of the game is to get on the score track 11 points, which is obtained by astronauts (four in number + an orange and a green astronaut)! and robots (18 pieces) in his Raumstadtion that you can build from air locks, walls, stones and antennas on the stones you can put a dome of its color. The UFOs can move through a gray on the cube and the other player block building! With green or orange, you can put the airlock, the dome or the antenna of the appropriate color! By Yellow can vorrückken with a robot or astronaut four fields. And by know you can put a wall or a token into play. The dome but you can only put on a stone!

Cost:
99.95 DKK from Boghandler next to IRMA.

Additional Information:

Overall, it is a good and fun game that promotes personal development. It is not recommended it for any younger than 8 years unless you simplify the rules greatly.

Subtraction Domino Game

Age: From 5.5 years old

Players: 2-4

Objectives:
To teach subtraction in a fun way.

Materials:
Subtraction Dominos - each tile has subtraction problems on it (for example, 9- 5).

Directions:
1. Distribute the cards evenly among the players.
2. The youngest start by matching the answers of subtraction problems (for example, match 3-2 to 1-0, since they are both equal to 1).
3. The one who is first to get rid of all of his/her dominoes wins. But if no one can go out, then the person with the fewest dominos left is the winner.

Printables:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/dominoes/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/dominoes/subtraction/
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/addition/dominoes-matching-game-add_WNNFD.pdf

Additional Information:
We played this for the first time today during our WFMN. J (5Y10M6D) enjoyed it, can do the subtraction, but was overwhelmed with the number of cards he has on his hands. He needed help to find the right card. On hindsight, we each have too many cards.

It is also available from Amazon, but for older children (grade 4-6):

 

Addition Domino Game

Printable version

Card game version

Age: From 4 years old

Players: 2-4

Objectives:
To teach addition and counting in a fun way.

Materials:
Addition Dominos - each tile has addition problems on it (for example, 0 + 5).

Directions:
1. Distribute the cards evenly among the players.
2. The youngest start by matching the answers of addition problems (for example, match 3+2 to 4+1, since they are both equal to 5).
3. The one who is first to get rid of all of his/her dominoes wins. But if no one can go out, then the person with the fewest dominos left is the winner.

Printables:
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/dominoes/
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/dominoes/addition/
http://www.superteacherworksheets.com/addition/dominoes-matching-game-add_WNNFD.pdf

Additional Information:
We played this for the first time today during our WFMN. J (5Y1M21D) enjoyed it and could figure out the rules of the game as well as the concept of matching the correct addition.

It is also available from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1Myq6pq

References:
http://www.pinterest.com/drnicki7/domino-math/

Updates:

4 Jan 2015 (5Y9M30D) - We played addition domino during our WFMN this evening. Our Little FECS was able to follow the fame and got his addition right. We gave him two choices and he chose this right away, saying that it is the most fun Maths game.

Addition Board Game

Age: From 4 years old

Duration: 30 minutes

No. of players: 1-6

Objectives: To provide a fun way to learn counting and addition

Game rules:

Method 1:

The task cards and the answer cards are shuffled separately. Arrange the answer cards spread out on the table facing up. Place the task cards in a pile facing down.

The youngest player starts by picking the task card on top of the pile and placing it on the table facing up. The same player then finds the correct answer card, e.g . : 2 +7 = 9 teddy bears. If the player finds the correct answer card, he/she gets to keep both cards. If the cards are of the same frame color, the player has found the right card.

If the player picks a wrong answer card, the answer card is returned back to the same place on the table and the task card is returned to the bottom of the pile of task cards facing down. The turn is passed to the next player in a clockwise direction. The game ends when all the cards that pair formation is found. The winner is the player some have found the most matching pairs.

Method 2:

The cards are shuffled and spread out on the table facing down in two group, one group with the task cards and one group with answer cards. The youngest player starts and turns over a task card facing up and an answer card facing up. If they fit, for example, 1 +2 = 3 teddy bears, he/she gets to keep the cards. The same player continues until he/she turns over two cards that do not fit together. Cards that do not match are turned back facing down in the same place. The turn is passed to the next player in a clockwise direction. Repeat until all the cards are taken. The winner is the one with the most pairs of cards when the game ends.

Additional Information:

We tried this today during our WFMN.

Updates 12 Jan 2015 (5Y10M7D):

We tried this game again tonight. It was very boring for all of us. J was too old for this game. When we first started the game, he was too young and got frustrated. Now that he knew his single digit addition really well, this game was too boring. This game has reached its "shelf life" for us, and we will retire it. It wasn't a very fun and long lasting game, and I wouldn't recommend it on hindsight.

12 Jan 2015 (5Y10M7D)

Board Game: At The Farm (På Bondegården)

Age: From 4 years old

Duration: 15 minutes

Objectives:
1. Teach the child to learn to take turns
2. Teach the child color
3. Teach the child counting

Directions:
1. There are a total of 16 fences, 16 animals, 1 sun and 1 tractor.

2. Place all the animals in the middle of the farm.

3. Place the tractor at the starting point on the green spot with an arrow.

4.  Take turn to throw the dice.

5. The youngest player start by throwing the dice first and move to the spot corresponding to the color of the dice.

6. If one lands on a spot with the tractor's rut, one can have an animal of one's choice.

7. If one lands on a spot with the fence, one can have a fence.

8. If one lands on a spot with the animal escaping, one has to return 1 animal back to the farm, unless one has already 4 fences forming a closed enclosure.

9. If one lands on a sun, it means that time has flown, and the sun has to move one step.

10. If one lands on a star, one can take a fence and a animal of one's choice.

11. The game is over, either if all the animals have been captured or if the sun has fully set.

12. The player with the most animal in his fence enclosure has won.

Additional Information:
We played this game with J, when he was 4 years old, and we played again today during our WFMN.

LEGO Board Game: Shave the Sheep/Wild Wool

Age: From 4 years old (although package says from 5 years old)

Objectives:
1. Provide training for fine motor skills from building the lego items.
2. Teach turn-taking and sharing.

Directions:
Players try to steal wool and sheep from others, and the player with the most wool wins the game.

Here is how it is played:

1. First, build the 4 sheeps and a wolf from the lego bricks.

2. Next, build the dice.

3. Each player gets a sheep without the wool.

4. Each player takes turn to throw the dice:
- if one gets a white side, one gets to put 1 block of wool on one's sheep (if one gets 2x white, one gets to put 2 blocks of wool on one's sheep).
- if one gets a pink side, one gets to shave the sheep and keep the wool that adds to final count.
- if one gets a green side, one exchanges its sheep with another player's sheep.
- if one gets a grey side, one has to shave the sheep and return the wool to the wolf which deposits them back to the central pile.

5. Once the central pile of wool is depleted, the player with the most blocks of wool wins the game.

Additional Information:
I like the fact that this is both a Lego and a board game at the same time, providing dual benefits and giving value for money. This game is a good way to provide some wholesome family fun during family night or family week and easy for younger children to understand the game. It is a pretty cute game and provides the usual Lego fun of building the toy, and at the same time, provides a way to play with the built items as a board game. They are great as party presents too.

I bought this game to play with my nieces and nephews when we visit Singapore, but J saw it and repeatedly requested to (4Y9M23D) to play this game with Daddy today. Unfortunately, it was not such a good day for him, as he was overtired from the festive parties, and was rather cranky. He wasn't so keen to build the sheep or his own sheep (unlike the Lego Advent Calendar, where he was very interested to build the pieces). I stopped the game, when he threw the dice in a rather hard manner despite repeated requests to stop. He later regretted and wanted to continue the game, but faced the consequences that the time has gone.

You can read more from Amazon:

http://amzn.to/1VqE9jm