-->

Children learn through play. As an occupational therapist who works with children and youth, I use games and toys almost every day to help develop important cognitive, visual perceptual, motor, sensory, social, play and leisure skills. While many different types of activities can be used in therapy, this blog focuses on off-the-shelf games and toys that are accessible to most. Whether you are a therapist, parent, teacher, or a game lover like me, I hope you discover something useful while you are here. Learn a different way to play a game you already own or discover a new game for your next family game night. Either way, just go play. It's good for you!

The OT Magazine named The Playful Otter one of the Top 5 Pediatric OT Blogs.


Oct 11, 2016

It's The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown UNO

UNO - It's the Great Pumpkin Halloween

UNO Card Game, a popular game familiar to many people, is a fun family game because people of different ages and skill levels can play together. UNO games come in a variety of themes, each often having a special bonus card with special rules. This UNO game is based on the Halloween cartoon It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. Cards feature characters and pictures related to the story, and all the typical UNO cards - wild, draw 2, draw 4, skip, and reverse - are also included. A special bonus Trick or Treat card, with special rules, is also included.


Object:
Be the first person to play all your cards.

Set up:
Begin by dealing seven cards to each player. Set the rest of the deck face-down in the middle, this is the drawing pile. Turn the top card face-up and lay it next to the deck. This is the play pile. The top card on this stack is the card in play. 

Play:
Players take turns. On each turn, you have several options for play:
  • Play any card that matches the color of the card in play.
  • Play any card that matches the number of the card in play.
  • Play any Wild card and choose the color for the next person to play.
  • Play a Trick or Treat card. Each player picks one card off the draw pile. The person who played the card calls out a color. Anyone who drew a card of that color is allowed to discard it. The rest must put the card in their hand. The player then calls a color to be played, as the Trick or Treat card is also a wild card.
  • Play any Draw 4 card, which is also a Wild card. The next player must pick 4 cards and his turn is over. The person who played the Draw 4 card also chooses the color for the next player to play.
  • Play a Draw 2 card that is the same color (match color) as the card in play or play it on top of a Draw 2 card that is a different color (match card). The next person must draw two cards and his turn is over.
  • Play a Reverse card that is the same color as the card in play or play on an existing Reverse card of any color. This reverses the direction of play.
  • Play a Skip card that is the same color as the card in play or play one of any color on an existing Skip card. The next person to play loses his turn.
  • Draw a card if you can't play. If you can play it, play it. If you can't, your turn is over.
Each time you play you will place your card face-up on top of the play pile, making it the new card in play. If after you play you are left with only one card, call UNO (meaning one), to warn the others that you will be going out. If you fail to call UNO and another player points it out, you must immediately draw two additional cards and add them to your hand. Try to become the first person to run out of cards by using the special cards to your advantage and to block other players from going out. First person to play his last card wins the game.

To see a list of fall-themed games, click here.

To see a list of other UNO games with different themes and different special cards, click here.

Try this:
  • Take out all special cards for beginners and play matching color only. After that is learned, play matching number only. After that is learned play matching color or number.
  • Modify the game for younger players by taking out the special cards (reverse, skip, draw 2, etc.) and matching only color or number.
  • Have the individual deal the cards, holding the deck in the non-dominant hand and pushing each card off the top with the thumb.
  • Practice counting cards as dealing, dealing in a clockwise manner, shuffling.
  • Use a card holder for those who have trouble fanning cards and pulling cards out without dropping others.
  • Take out two of each card and make it a simple matching game.
  • Work on visual discrimination, manual dexterity, coordinated use of both hands, fanning/shuffling/dealing cards, visual memory, number and color recognition, planning, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation 
In the tin: 112 cards
Ages 7+, 2-10 players

No comments:

Post a Comment

Thank you for taking the time to comment.