Generic Board Games 101

What is a Generic Game Board?

The simple answer is it is a game playing board that has no educational skill directly a part of the board.

As example, if you are working to teach your child colors and needed a simple game, you would probably choose Candyland. The colors are on the skill cards and also a part of the playing board.

However, if your child no longer needs this basic skill, Candyland can become a generic gameboard. New skill cards would need to be provided. Maybe the child would draw a card with a letter on it and be required to give the sound it makes, a word that begins with that letter, or the name of the letter. After giving a correct response, the child would draw one of the Candyland cards and that would indicate how far he could move. The skill is no longer a part of the board.

This leaves the possibility that the format (method of play) is still Candyland by its rules, but so many skills could be used to play the game.

Simply grab ANY game skill cards you may have or even flashcards and use the Candyland board and rules and have some fun drilling the skill.

Examples of Generic Gameboards

Save the Princess

Save the Princess

Using a blue filefolder I attached the two pictures. These are notepads I had on hand and seemed a natural for my daughter who was princess crazy at the time. The spaces are 3/4" circle stickers that can be purchased at most big box stores or office supply shops. After attaching the pictures, adding the name to the knight's shield, and creating the path, I covered both halves of the filefolder with clear Contact paper. Next I attached some fun gems I had in my crafting supplies. I notice that a few of the gems have disappeared over the years, but the board is still usable for my granddaughters. 

To Play: Players select a game piece and place it on the knight. In turn, players give a response to a skill card. When they have given a correct answer (even if help is needed), they shake a die and move the indicated number of spaces.

Generic Worm Board

Generic Worm Board

Using a red filefolder, I drew the path using a circle template. I added the simplistic art work and wording. No need to cover this gameboard as there is nothing special to protect. If the gameboard wears out it is easy enough to remake.

To Play: This is a great board for younger players as the spaces are large. It is also a fun time to use some of our larger game pieces. After placing their chosen pieces on start, players would take turns responding to whatever skill cards we had selected for play. Dice or spinners could be used to decide how far a player may move.

Coral Reef

Coral Reef

I chose a blue filefolder to represent water. The stickers along the path are reinforcement stickers for the holes in notebook paper. I like them because they look like bubbles and are something a little different.  Easy to add a fun theme to this game using the fish stickers.

To Play: If you notice that there are some fish along the path this game could be played like Candyland - sort of. Cards with matching stickers would be place among the skill cards. If one of these cards is drawn, then the player would not give an answer, nor would he shake a die to see how far he would move. He would simply move to the corresponding space. This could be a forward or backward move. I usually find that having two of each matching stickers within the cards makes for a fun game. 

The play could simply ignore these sticker spaces and just consider them as added decoration to the game.

Speedway

Speedway

This gameboard was made extra large using two filefolders taped together on the reverse side. The spaces are pieces of colored paper cut and glued to the board in an oval path. I then covered the board using 4 pieces of Contact paper.

To Play: Players begin on START and, in turn, answer a skill card and move after shaking a die. The player then follows the directions on the landed on space. Because of the interesting directions play can go forward and backward, even returning to START. However, because there are 4 WIN spaces on the path the game can be over very quickly or last for quite awhile. Cars make for fun game pieces.

Feel free to join Games For Learning on FaceBook if you have questions about these games. 

I will be sharing some more generic gameboard examples.