OH NUTS! Deluxe - An Over-sized Gameboard

An over-sized gameboard just adds to the fun. 

Oh Nuts! was a favorite format of my children at home and in the classroom. It is still a winner with my grandchildren.

The original Oh Nuts! is played a little different than this DELUXE version. But one thing I learned about my children is that BIGGER IS OFTEN BETTER. They loved larger gameboards. When I made this gameboard, I decided to add the spinner, thus making ANY skill cards I had usable with it without adding OH NUTS CARDS.

TO MAKE:

I used three filefolders, two green and one blue. First, using duct tape, I taped one blue and one green filefolders together, making a large square board. Then, because I wanted it to look like a hill, I cut the second green filefolder and glued it along the taped edge over the blue filefolder.

I added the pictures of the chipmunk and the tree. Then I added the spinner and the black and white 3/4 inch circle stickers for a path. After I covered it with clear Contact paper, I added the arrow to the spinner.

TO PLAY:

The players all start with their markers on the chipmunk. The first player draws a skill card and answers it. If he is correct, he spins and moves his game piece accordingly.

If he spins "Oh Nuts!" he does not get to move and his turn ends.

The use of a spinner in this format allows use of any skill cards with the addition of OH NUTS! cards. 

However, if he spins a number and moves he has a decision to make. He may play again. The danger in playing again is: At anytime he incorrectly answers a skill card OR spins "Oh Nuts!" ALL progress on this turn is lost and he returns to the space where THIS turn began. (We would mark this space with a penny, as a player begins his turn.)

A player may continue his turn as long as he wants unless he answers incorrectly or spins "Oh Nuts!" When a player is satisfied with the progress he has made on a turn, he simply passes the play to the next player. THIS progress he can never lose.

The first player to reach the tree is the winner.

Click to see a Cooperative Play OH NUTS! Version

Wilbur - A Favorite Learning Tool

Remember Wilbur of "Charlotte's Web" fame? 
Wilbur is a most versatile format and a favorite of young children.
Turn an old bleach bottle into a "funtastic" learning tool! 

Draw eyes and a mouth with permanent markers.
Add pink felt ears and a pipe cleaner tail.
Use egg carton sections for feet.
Decorate sides as desired.
Cut a slit about 1/4 inch wide across his head, just behind his ears.

These were the old instructions for making Wilbur and I have made many this way. But, like everything else, he got an update.  

This is the original very first Wilbur after his many face-lifts. This guy is around 30 years old. Looks pretty good for his age I think. The permanent marker needs a new paint job every few years to keep it bright. The tail has been replaced a few times and the ears have had to be reattached. 

The biggest improvement is his feet. There has been much trial and error with these. Egg cartons just glued like in the first picture was the start. Different glues were tried. Later, stones were added to give extra weight and help with balance. The stones are important, be sure to add some to each egg carton section. Finally,one day I just grabbed the good old duct tape and covered it all. Finally, a good solid base that has held up for a couple years. The next improvement will be to look for a color different than the yellow and make it more to my liking. But the key is that he now works, is stable, and has held up for some time. 

Here is Wilbur in action:  

With a stack of skill cards placed in the slot, Wilbur is ready to teach. For these cards, Charlotte counted the items and stated the number.

To view the answer, the child removes the bottle cap and peers inside.

Charlotte removed the cap and looked inside to see the answer revealed. If she is correct, she simply takes the card out and another is already in place. NOTE: Children enjoy removing the cap, so I suggest they put it back on before they change the card.

Here is what she saw when she looked inside. 

The cards should measure about 5 inches by 8 inches. 

Put the "skill" at the top edge of the card. 

The correct answer should be at the bottom center of the card.

Here are a few examples of the many possible skills that can be put on cards. 

Douglas was beginning to read and we made these card for him to recognize his name and the names of those most important to him.

Beginning letter sounds

Beginning blends and diagraphs

Fill in the missing vowel

Read the number words

Addition

Multiplication

States and Capitals - notice this set was written by one of the children. Having them make the cards is just another step for them to be learning the skill.

Questions to review a unit on bees.

Wilbur is enjoyed by ALL ages and I guarantee when you put him out with some cards, EVERYONE will have to remove the cap and take a look.

Hope Wilbur is loved at your house as much as he is at ours. 

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.