Maurice joined me this week to make a board game, and create a space to engage with young children in a fun, yet thoughtful way. Making those games with children can take us all to another level, allowing 1) the young child (or children) to gain ownership over the game 2) the not so-young-anymore person–parent, grand parent, older sibling, teacher, etc– to informally do a lot of modeling around drawing and writing, and 3) both to build up a meaningful story together, based on their own recent experiences, and ask each other questions on an endless range of topics. I am glad I had a chance to involve Maurice this week, who needed some “cheer me” up.

First step, think about a story to build up the game, any story, really, a previous experience you had with the young child(ren), a book you recently read with them, some little characters they like to play with, etc. For instance, the game Maurice and I created involved a Pouille, who wants to keep spreading more love around here. Every player has a Pouille, no need to be first to arrive, there is love for everyone. Quite simple.

Once you have the story, it is time to create a path on a piece of paper. I usually draw the path, as parallel lines and even “squares” can be tricky, but I go through my process out loud, involving children with the path’s shape,  and the decoration. Again, there is no right or wrong way to design it–the path can be a straight line to start, or be more complex with time. It can even look like a letter, like the M of Maurice’s game.

Next step, make some cards, with some ideas, or concepts you want to focus on. One card may be “Numbers”, one may be “Shapes”, for instance. But you could also focus on “Colors”, or “Dinosaurs”, or whatever your child may be into. I also like adding symbols so the young child can pretend to read the card (e.g., numerals next to the word “Numbers”). Labeled some of the squares, (e.g., with a sticker,  a different color, etc); when a player lands on them, they pull a card, and are asked a question. Having just an idea or concept allows you to invent a question, or a task on the spot, tailored to the child’s level.

What shape can you spot in our living room? Show me one number you can spot in our classroom.

It also allows the young child, who may not be able to read yet, to invent a question for you, based on the symbols.

“What is the biggest number ever?”

Last step, gather some dice, or even better, make your own. Rolling a die, and moving forward the number the die lands on, may look easy, but for young children, it can be a lot to process–rolling the die on the table, counting the dots, moving forward, etc. Starting with a die with only zeros (do not forget zero!), ones and twos is a good way to introduce the game. Then, add some dots, or combine two dice (perfect to compose numbers, i.e., one and on is two, but two and zero is also two!).

That’s it! You are all set to play.

Take turns with the child(ren). Every time the child lands on a labeled square, invite them to answer a question. When you land on a labeled square, it is their turn.

It is quite basic, but you can add some complexity with time. Some years ago, Rosie decided to create a looooong path, so we could play for a loooong time. We both added some decoration. I started adding numbers on each square, but soon, she took over, noticing patterns in the number sequence, and writing up numbers up to 84 with pride. Those easy board games have endless possibilities, indeed.

Check out our first video on YouTube if you want to see Maurice and I creating the Pouille game in real-time : )

We will write another post soon with samples of questions focusing on early mathematics. Meanwhile, let us know how it goes in the comment section or through our contact form!