Tuesday, October 30, 2012

#3 - More Questions Answered about Game Making

Here are the remaining questions I was asked:

Other random questions
- What supplies should I always have on hand so I can make a board game or card game at a moment's notice?
- Where is the best place to buy contact paper? Also, you mention patterned contact paper for things like your math cards. Where do you buy that? Is it really expensive?


Taking them one at a time...

- What supplies should I always have on hand so I can make a board game or card game at a moment's notice?

My supplies began as a basket I kept handy. It contained things like:
file folders
Contact paper
cardstock in several colors
3/4" circle stickers
decorative stickers I started collecting
and the usual crafting supplies - scissors, pencils, permanent markers, watercolor markers, colored pencils, rulers, etc.

Some tips about these things. 

File folders - come in a wide variety of colors which make gameboards more fun. Remember that that manilla is a color too! They can be purchased at WalMart (and when I say WalMart I mean any of those type stores). Office supply stores have them as well. You can buy larger boxes of single color file folders at the office supply stores. They cost less this way and there is a large selection of colors. Consider getting with some friends and each purchasing one color and then sharing them. Some friends and I did this with a lot of our supplies.

Clear Contact paper can be purchased in many places. I found my best prices at WalMart. I always had a good supply on hand as I never knew when I would get into a big game-making binge!

Colored cardstock is now readily available in mixed colored packages at WalMart. When I began making games I went to print shops in order to get some good varieties without having to buy a large amount of any one color. Later I started buying reams of different colors at office supply stores - again sharing with friends.

3/4" circle stickers are so nice for making the spaces along a path. They are neat and quick to use. They also come in lots of colors. They can be purchased in multi-color packets at WalMart. To get larger packets and more color selection, check out office supply stores.

Decorative stickers are fun to collect. The children loved checking out stickers every time we would see a display. They add quick, easy, colorful, and fun decoration to a game board. Children love to play a game where they selected the stickers. Stickers may be themed around an interest or unit (such as horses, butterflies, vehicles, or animals). Children like games that are decorated with their favorite characters (Sesame Street, Thomas the Train, Spiderman, or Cinderella). Other stickers may just be pretty or fun (balloons, kites, flowers, or gems). Stickers are inexpensive and your extras can be traded with friends (or given to the children for their sticker collections).

The pictures on this gameboard were cut from a children's workbook and the castle from a picture book.

The crafting supplies (scissors, markers, etc.) are things we all usually have around the house. But here I want to make my MOST IMPORTANT TIP....

Make up YOUR OWN SUPPLY BASKET. I had MY scissors, MY markers, MY colored pencils, ...you get the idea. The children knew that they were never to touch MY basket on punishment of ______. I wouldn't even tell them what I might do if they touched my basket. But it inspired them to leave my things alone.  The reason is simple. If you don't have all the supplies you need in one place, you can spend all your time looking for them. I wanted to be able to work on games at a minute's notice. Sometimes I only had a few minutes, but I could make progress if I didn't have to waste time looking for a scissors that worked well.

- Where is the best place to buy contact paper? Also, you mention patterned contact paper for things like your math cards. Where do you buy that? Is it really expensive?

I have already mentioned that I found the best prices usually at WalMart for Contact paper.

The patterned Contact paper was located right by the clear in the same section as the shelf paper in the household department at most stores. I liked to pick a small pattern as it made pretty backs for card decks. It cost the same about as the clear. It would be expensive to purchase a patterned paper for just the backs of one deck. But you have to remember I was making LOTS of games. I bought several different patterns and, again, I would share with friends.

Notice the patterned Contact paper on the back of these cards.

ANOTHER IMPORTANT TIP -- remember to watch for all these things at garage sales and thrift stores. I have found partial rolls of Contact paper for just a few cents. Stickers (both the circle stickers and decorative ones) are often found (sometimes even unopened packages). I also have found file folders.

Don't forget the sharing with friends. This was also a great time for us moms to get together and talk about other things we were doing in our homeschools. We would share supplies, trade game ideas, and cutting boxes....

Oh, speaking of cutting boxes....This is ANOTHER BIG TIP... Keep a cutting box. Old workbooks (especially for phonics) with nice pictures are so helpful when making games. Children's picture books provide awesome pictures for decoration. Yes, I do cut up books. These are often torn, worn out, or duplicate books. I have find wonderful books in FREE boxes at garage sales. Some of the pages may be torn or missing, or all the pages have been done in the workbook, but the pictures are what I want. I have even purchased books at sales or thrift stores just to put into my cutting box because of the good pictures in them.

This game shows pictures from a book I paid full price for....

The pictures in this sticker/workbook were so darling I bought more than one copy of this book. I have made many games using the pictures from these books. I remember being so excited to find a copy in a garage sale FREE box. People often didn't understand my excitement over tattered books I would find...but my friends did when I would share at a game making day.

If you have any further questions, post a comment or email me at cole102486@yahoo.com.

Have fun game making.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Questions Answered #2 - Card Games

So here are the questions I was asked about card games:

Card games:
- How thick does the card stock need to be to make the cards durable?
- Is it faster to laminate or contact paper the cards?
- How do you organize/label your cards so you know what ways you can use them?



Do You Know Me Blends

My answers:

- How thick does the card stock need to be to make the cards durable?

I use a standard card stock that I purchase in packets of multiple colors at WalMart or other such stores. What makes the cards durable is Contact paper covering them.


Homonyms Pick-a-Pair

- Is it faster to laminate or contact paper the cards?

I imagine if you have a home laminator it is quick and easy to laminate the cards. However, not having that Contact paper is an easy and quick solution.  I can cover lots of cards in a very short time. 

The big secret is to do full sheets of cards, not individual cards.  Years ago I had a xerox machine in my home so I printed out (on colored card stock or bristol) pages of blank cards. These were then ready whenever I needed some cards. I would hand write on the cards. I could do this so easily while the children were doing their lessons, reading a story, or working on a unit. I would write out questions as we read a science or history book. When I had a page full of completed cards they could be covered, cut apart and used. Later, as the children got older, I had them write out the questions and answers (some times on the same side, often on the back, and occasionally we just made an answer key sheet.)


Using SPEED! cards - SPEED! Solitaire

- How do you organize/label your cards so you know what ways you can use them?

I store cards in zip-lock plastic sandwich bags (larger sets may require quart-size bags).  I put a piece of duct tape along the top edge and punch a hole. I hang these card games on a peg board.  I use cheap metal shower curtain hooks to hold several games. Then, several of these hooks will hang on each peg/hook on the peg board. When my children were young, my husband hung a door-size peg board on the inside of the door that lead to our basement. This door was in the kitchen right near the table where we did much of our schooling. This board held hundreds of games. At this time I had each game numbered and on the spread sheet. The games were hung by their numbers making them very easy to locate.

Like I mentioned in the previous post about organization....My current method and my old (preferred) method are different. Right now, because I have a limited number of games out, I simply store them together by school subject. I hope to get returned to the older method as I still feel it is best, even for a smaller number of games.

Now for the labels on the games....I try to NAME games in a way that it will help me know what the game is about and how we plan to play it. For example: Coin Search Cards tells me it is simply a card game (no board), we will be matching coins to money amounts, and playing Search (or many know this as Concentration or Memory).  I may add an index card with unusual directions to a game or a list of a variety of ways we may play the with the cards. This becomes less needed as you play more and more games. You will look at a deck of cards and know that you can probably play a variety of card games with them, or you can even add a game board you have around and play with them that way.  Much of game making and playing is a growing process...the more you do/make/play - the more you will know and the more ideas you will get of ways to use a simple deck of cards.


Color Match Search

NOTE:

Cards are easy to make and so versatile. Think of the many card games you may have played as a child...

Memory/Search/Concentration
Old Maid
Rummy
Go Fish
  .....just to name a few.

All of these and others you know have rules that usually can be applied to any deck of cards.

I love when I can add a gameboard and we have a whole new game. How? Just have the children draw a card, answer the skill BEFORE they can shake a die or spin to move.

Also you can change the rules a bit (making it a true family game) and play again. Take out the "Old Maid" card and play "Go Fish."  You are playing a whole new game and yet you are still drilling the same skill. Children will often play over and over when you make a simple change and you can drill their skills for a couple hours.

Have fun!!!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Board Games - Some Questions Answered

I received an email with LOTS of good questions about games. I will try to answer all the questions in a series of blogs.

Here are the first set of questions I was asked:

Board games:
- How to protect the stickers/etc. you put on the file folders. Do you laminate the whole thing? Cover the whole face with contact paper?
- How do you organize all your game boards so you don't spend hours
looking for them?
- Where do you buy spinners? And do you buy one for each game? Or can you change/modify/reuse them?

One point at a time....

How to protect the stickers/etc. you put on the file folders. Do you laminate the whole thing? Cover the whole face with contact paper?

To protect the stickers or pictures I have put on a gameboard I usually use clear Contact paper. Many of my games are over or nearly 20 years old. They have been used in our home, loaned to friends, used in a classroom (I taught in a private school for a few years). I would cut the Contact paper and just cover half of the file folder at a time (and just the surface with the stickers). I found if I covered over the fold it would often form puckers that I found undesireable. The negative: Some markers will react with the Contact paper and bleed slightly over the years. We still use these games as it was not severe. Also, as we are using some of the older games I have noticed that the Contact has shrunk some (maybe about 1/8")--this is slightly noticeable to me, but again does not cause us a problem.

I have laminated a few games while I was working in a teacher store and had ready access to a machine. The games turn out wonderful. The colors are bright and the game is well protected.

I got in the habit of using Contact paper before laminating was easily available. I always had a large supply of Contact on hand and I could complete my game right away. In those days the only place I knew for laminating was a print shop. It was not handy or inexpensive. So Contact won by default.

I still use Contact. I know several people who have purchased personal laminating machines and would go no other way. I have not made a price comparison. The laminating would likely be faster and easier (it takes a little patience to get Contact on smoothly every time.)

So I guess the answer to this is one of personal preference. I will likely stick with Contact paper.

NOTE: I would just love to know how many rolls of Contact I have used over the years???? Actually, I probably do not even want to know...LOL

- How do you organize all your game boards so you don't spend hours looking for them?

I will do a whole blog about organization soon as I have gotten lots of questions about that one.

I store my file folder games in milk crates and have since I started making games back in the early 1980's. The file folders fit perfect, standing up so the tabs are easily readable. The games stay neat and in order. The milk crates are easily stackable which helps conserve space.

Right now my games are not in their best order. Most of my games were stored and many others were loaned out. I have gotten most of them back and have begun sorting through my games to find the best ones to be using with my grandchildren. So right now my file folder games are sorted into four milk crates. One each for: Math Games, Reading, Phonics and Language Arts Games, Science and Bible Games, History and Geography Games. This is only a temporary solution as I continue to go through all my games. This is really more a of sorting process and reaquainting myself with what games I have on hand.

Years ago I had a spreadsheet of all my games. Each game was numbered, named, assigned a skill and level, type of game, how stored.  I could print this out with each item being the sorted topic. It made it so easy to find any game I was looking for in the hundreds I had. It helped me to see how many of each type of game I had. I know this sounds excessive, but I was teaching workshops showing other moms how to make games for their children. So I would have to be able to pack up several boxes of games to take to these workshops. Then, after, I would have to UNPACK (yucky!!) and put all the games back where they belonged so I could find them again. I am again hoping to do some workshops as I love teaching about game making. However, I am thinking that I would like to have all the games for workshops separate from what we use....so that means I will probably be remaking many of the games in order to have two copies. Many of the games are showing their years, but my grandchildren do not seem to mind using them. They love the idea that their mom and dad played on these exact game boards, or with these exact cards...and it reminds me to tell them stories of how the games came to be or the fun we had playing them.

OK...I am really rambling...I do that when I get talking games. And I am just talking to you all now. I am not trying to write in a most elegant way. I am not a writer...I am a talker...so that is what you are getting here.

- Where do you buy spinners? And do you buy one for each game? Or can you change/modify/reuse them?

Spinner have caused more people to give up on games. I have tried all kinds methods to make spinners and make them move more easily.

Now I have a winner. It is some spinners I have purchased. They are clear plastic and can just be set on any drawn spinner and work well. I actually use a paper fastener and attach them too the spinner while we are using it and them remove the spinner when we are finished with the game.

This shows a spinner that has not been attached to any drawn spinner. It comes with the arrow attached to the plastic and it spins so smoothly. I use a paper fastener to attach it to a drawn spinner.

Here are some examples of these plastic spinners being used on games:

This drawn spinner was attached to the file folder. It is under the clear Contact paper. The plastic piece with the arrow was fastened just for the time we played the game - then removed and returned to its storage box.


Here the spinner is completely separate. You can easily see the attached plastic spinner.

I got these spinners at a teacher store. They came in a package of 3 for around $5. They are worth every penny.  I got a couple different kinds, but they are basically the same. I have seen them also used on overhead projectors.  I store my spinners in a pencil box. We have another pencil box that is loaded with a variety of dice. Another pencil box holds all kinds of small items that we use as playing pieces on the gameboards....

You never know if you would like to be a fuzzy bunny, an army man, a jeep, horse, or dinosaur when you play a game...so we have a large selection. I have been known to buy a game at a garage sale just for the cute pieces or the dice it contains...or even the spinner!

Coming Up Next: 

Card games:
- How thick does the card stock need to be to make the cards durable?
- Is it faster to laminate or contact paper the cards?
- How do you organize/label your cards so you know what ways you can use them?






Thursday, October 25, 2012

Education Cubes

Ideas for Using Education Cubes


Since I shared about Education Cubes recently, I have received lots of messages about what other games I have made for them, or ideas I have. So here goes.... 

Shapes - These started with cards for just the simple shapes of circle, square, etc. However, there are a lot more shapes the children have drilled using these cubes. Each time some were introduced in their math we added more cards. We also talk about things like vertex, sides, edges, corners, perimeters...

Color Words - Learning to read the names of colors. We shake the cube, read the color and then the children locate something in the room of that color. Make it more difficult by not allowing repeats of items found.


Color Bears I found these cute bear cut-outs at a teacher store. The pack contained many different colors.  http://gamesforlearning-mary.blogspot.com/2011/10/education-cubes-colors.html

Alphabet - name letter or say sound, give its key word, name a word that starts with this letter, or name the letter that follows it in the alphabet

Alphabet Match - plays like bingo - match capital letter shook to small letter on card.

NOTE ABOUT BINGO: These BINGO ones are done in one of two ways. One way is to make bingo-like playing cards with the letters that are found on the cubes. We may be drilling a few or all of the letters. Each "bingo" card usually has about six matches to be found. The matches will all be on the same cube (for younger children) or on a variety of cubes for the older child.

Another way we do "Bingo" is to have 2 sets of cards. One set is placed in the cubes (for example: a stamped coin amount). The other set is the printed amounts (53 cents, $2.05, etc.) Each player is dealt some of the printed amounts. One cube is tossed, the amount read and the player with that amount turns it over or discards it.

Coin count - LOTS of different sets at different levels. These can be stamped using coin stamps, stickers, or pictures cut from a math workbook. (YES, I do cut up workbooks. Workbooks that are cut up are more useful than a stack of finished books.)

States/Capitals - one side has state, other capital so we can play either way. With older children, we are often racing to be the first one to give the correct response. We keep a tally score.

This one is easy to play with children of different levels. When I made this, Douglas was learning the capitals of the states. Charles was just learning the names/location of the states. So they took turns tossing the cube. Douglas had to name the capital of the state and Charles located it on a map. We kept no score as they were both learning these skills. But it was a fun way to drill.

Sentence/Fragment -  I didn't have to "think these up." I copied them out of a language workbook I had on the shelf. The child shook a cube, and decided if it was a fragment or complete sentence. We then could talk about what was missing from the group of words. Often after we had played awhile I gave them the assignment of finding 3 fragments and writing complete sentence using them.

Kinds of Sentences - These again could have been copied from a language workbook. However, sentences that use the children's names and incorporate activities from their lives are much more interesting to them. After identifying the type of sentence we talk about what kind of punctuation would be needed at the end (I left off the ending punctuation when I wrote the sentences).


Numbers 1-100 - read them, which is higher, lower (older children give sum or difference...or even multiply) http://gamesforlearning-mary.blogspot.com/2011/10/education-cubes-more-math-skills.html


Days of Week - read name and say days of week starting with this one

Homonyms Read the word. Spell its homonym. Use them both in sentences or explain their meanings. Ask if there is another homonym.

Synonyms List as many words that mean nearly the same. Score a point for each good word. We give bonus points for exceptionally good words given.

Antonyms Name an opposite.

Contractions Spell the two words that make up the contraction....or do it the other way. Put two words on the cube cards and have the child spell the contraction.

Vowel Bingo Because vowels are such an important part of phonics we play lots of games until the children are very confident of their sounds. We start with just the short vowels.

Months Just like with the Days of the Week, we practice reading the names of the months, tell the next month, name the month that comes before, or say all the months beginning with this one.
Digits 0-9 - shake two (or more) cubes, make largest number possible, or smallest, read numbers- discuss place value.
C-V-C Words Bingo Have words like cat, bun, bit, etc. on the cube cards. Child(ren) can just read the words or match them to bingo playing cards.
Digital Times to Read - Having a variety of times to read, we also have a play clock and practice setting the hands to match.
Number Words
Measurement Equivalents Cards have equivalents to complete (examples: 3 feet = ___ yards, 1 foot = ___ inches, etc.) I also made a more advanced set like 2 feet + 6 inches = ___inches. Match it to the needs of the child.
Money Counting - Set of dollar stickers found at teacher's store. I arranged them in many different combinations for the child to count. You can find lots of good pictures of money to count in math workbooks.
Division Bingo Put division facts on the cube cards, and quotients on bingo cards.
Abeka short vowel blend By making your own cards, you are able to make cards that exactly match any curriculum you may use. We use ABeka for our phonics so I have lots of games that match that. Games give the children the much needed practice that is needed for a good phonics base.
Singular/Plurals The cube has a singular word, the child spells the plural. This is expecially good for those interesting plurals like mouse-mice. 
This is just a list to get you started. The education cubes are so much fun. They provide a no-pressure drill that so many skills need.
Have fun learning!
Mama Jenn first told me about these cubes. Check out her site for purchasing them. (Note: she shows two sets from Amazon - I purchased 5 of the cheaper sets and have been very pleased with them.) Also consider her membership. I have a membership, but mostly use it for ideas. However, some of the sets are definately worth printing if you want the pretty colors.)  I get color mostly by using a stack of precut cards I have cut from a variety of colors of card stock (it was a great way to use much of my smaller pieces from my scrapbooking and card making supply).

Monday, October 22, 2012

Capture Blends

Words with beginning blends


 Capture is a fun game that the children really enjoy playing because it has the element of taking cards (capturing) from other players. They especially love capturing cards from Grandma.

There are two decks needed for the game. Deck 1 is the Blend Cards. Each card has a possible beginning blend (such as: st, br, str, ch, etc.). Deck 2 has word endings (like: and, art, ell, ush, etc.).

  Each deck is shuffled.

 The ending cards are divided into five piles (approximately even) and placed in the center of play. These are placed face-up

 The blend cards are placed face-down in a draw pile.

 In turn, a player draws a blend card.

 He then tries it with each of the ending cards... No word here!


No word here either...


 ...until he finds an ending that makes a word with his blend. Here is a word...SWELL!
 He picks up the ending card and confirms with the other player(s) that it is indeed a word.

 He then places the blend card UNDER the ending card and keeps them visible in front of him on the table.

 If the player is unable to find an acceptable word in the five ending piles. He then looks to the ending piles his opponent has accumulated. If he finds an ending that works here, he collects the entire pile and moves it to his side of the board.
 Here Grandma is "capturing" a pile from Douglas.

 Douglas is searching Grandma's piles to find a match to his blend. When he does not find one he can then look to his own piles. If he finds an ending that works, he can add his blend under that pile.
 If he finds no endings that work with his blend, his blend card is put on the bottom of the blend draw pile and his turn would end without a capture.

 A dictionary is kept handy to check any questionable words.

 Here is the end of the game. All the blend cards have be used. Both players have several captured ending piles in front of them.

Who wins???  Well, if you ask Grandma, I will always believe that I did as the children have played a game which drilled their skills and had some fun with me as well.  Now the children always want to know who the REAL winner is... so we usually count how many claimed piles we have at the end of the game. However, in order to possibly have TWO winners, I also will have the children stack all the cards they have in front of them into one stack and see which stack is higher. Do whatever works for your family.

HERE IS A VARIATION using the same cards.

Just reverse the piles...
 Place the blends in the piles in the middle and use the ending cards as a draw pile.


Monday, October 15, 2012

How Far Can I Move?

Our educational version of "Mother, May I?"


As a child, I loved playing the simple game of "Mother, May I?" For those that may not know or remember this game:  The players lined up at the starting line while a selected player was "Mother." Each player in turn requested how many and what type of steps he/she could take. We had fun kinds of steps. I remember the best was an alligator step. For us in our neighborhood, this meant stretching out flat on our tummies and reaching our hands over our heads (and opening and closing them - like the mouth of an alligator). The furthest point we could reach is where one alligator step would take us. Mother could give consent, refuse our request, or change it. Mother always wanted to keep all players in her good graces, as next she would be just a player.

Our educational version:  How Far Can I Move?



Jacob loves to play this game. He is waiting to hear the spelling word Grandma has for him. He knows that if he can't spell the word on his own, Grandma will help him sound it out - reminding him of phonics rules we are currently drilling. 

Today we are drilling the sound of /k/ at the end of words. We are learning that it is spelled ck after a short vowel sound and ke after a long vowel sound.

Jacob is asked to spell "duck."


 After Wesley spells "cake," he gets to take a giant step. He is determined to catch up to Jacob.


One especially nice thing about this game is they always get to take some kind of step after a turn. Grandma is in control and gives big steps for words spelled with no help, or extra difficult words. Also, Grandma is able to keep the game rather even and that is important to these two competitive boys. They are cousins. Jacob turned 6 in September and Wesley will be 6 on Christmas Eve.
They are fairly even in most of their subjects, so we play this with lots of different skills:

Addition facts
Simply story problems
Subtraction facts
Coin counting (I show flash cards I have made)
Time (I have a clock - I move the hands to different times)
Spelling
Reading words....or sentences (on flash cards I made)

Almost any skill is possible. I could ask questions for our history or science units, or the literature we have been reading.



Diana, age 3, is able to play the game with her oldest brother, Douglas, age 9.  Today I gave them words to spell. While she spells words like flag, slip, and dunk, Douglas spells screeched, heartened, and weathered.



Diana plays this game the same way she attacks all of life - full of flair and drama.
Douglas is determined to make the most of

his "giant step."


 
Cousin Aaron wanted to play, too. He is 3, and just learning his letter sounds so Grandma gave him a sound and he supplied the key word to go with it. He takes a "giant step" mimicking Douglas.