Tip the Cows

Tip the Cows - Miniature cows are this game's appeal

Similar to Pass the Pigs, Tip the Cows is a simple game played with 2 very small rubbery animals. The game is played in 10 rounds and the person with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

You will be throwing the cows and they will land randomly, so there is no strategy or skill that can help you gain a higher score. I like Tip the Cows! because it requires you to cup the hand and hold it in that position while shaking the cows, over and over and over again. It's a great way to work on palmar arch development and stability. Strengthening the palmar arches often leads to more fine motor control. It is also a fun alternative to dice games as the kids like the miniature animals. The box has an insert that you can see above, decorated like a farm. We usually throw on a table top but you can throw in the box instead.

Miniature cows.

After each player throws the pigs once it is called a round. Each time you throw the pigs you will note how they land and then consult the rule booklet for your score. Each possible position is worth a specific number of points. The less often a position is apt to come up, the more points it is worth. For example, most often cows just land on their sides and are called siders, worth 1 point per cow. Cows that land udder up are worth 5 points each and hoofers, those that land on their feet, are worth 10 points each. Throw a holy cow, a cow standing on his front two legs with nose resting on the table top, and gain 50 points. They come up so rarely that if you throw one you are almost guaranteed a win.

 

Write your score on the miniature score pad as you go. I like the pad because it is small and gives big writers practice writing within the confines of the small boxes. I usually assign that job to the other player. 

If you like the little rubbery animals, also check out Pig Pile. It includes 40 miniature pigs. 

Object:

Have the highest score after 10 rounds.

Set up:

Give everyone a score sheet and a pencil. Place the pigs and rule booklet between the players.

To Play:

Players take turns. Pick up the two cows, shake them and throw them on a flat surface. Look at the position of the cows and then check the rule booklet to determine how many points you get.Play 10 rounds and the person with the highest score is the winner.

 

Try this:

• Cup both hands and place them together on top of each other, then shake the cows.
• Keep the hand in a cupped shape longer by counting to 10 while shaking before the cows can be thrown or listening/watching a few seconds as the cows "dance".
• Cup the hand by placing a small ball into the palm, then remove the ball and add the cows.
• Ask the individual to position the two cows in each scenario on the score card. Put both cows into the palm of the dominant hand and ask the player to bring the cows, one at a time, to the fingertips and orient before placing on the table top.
• Use the opportunity to practice small writing and mental math. Use a large sheet of paper if the score sheet is just too small.
• Work on palmar arch development, precise fine motor control, in-hand manipulation, coordinated use of both hands, manual dexterity, spatial relations, socialization skills, process skills, executive functioning skills, play  and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 2 small cows, rules with pictures of cow positions and points, score pad and pencil

Bulls & Cows

Bulls & Cows is an animal themed code-breaking game.

Bulls & Cows is a two-player code-breaking game that features, you guessed it, bulls and cows. Bulls & Cows is manufactured by Front Porch Classics, a company that encourages people to unplug and spend time doing things together. If you have ever played Mastermind, this game is similar to that.

Object:

Be the player who has made the fewest code-breaking guesses after 5 rounds.

Set Up:

Place the wooden card rack in front of one of the players. Place the number code cards in a face-down pile by the rack. Place the cow chips in a pile. Place the bull chips in a pile.

Play:

Determine if you will be breaking a 3-number code or a 4-number code. Three-number codes are easier to break and thus may be a good place to start while teaching the game. The first player, the person with the rack, places three or four cards on the rack. If playing a three-number game, only use the numbers 1-3. The player can either take the numbers randomly from the pile or look at the number cards and create their own unique number. Place the cards in the rack so that the other player cannot see the numbers.

The second player will now try to guess the three numbers and their order, and will place three numbers, face-up, in front of the rack. The first player will use the cow and bull chips to let the person know if they have gotten any of the numbers correct. A cow chip placed by the line of numbers means that you have a number correct and in the correct position. A bull chip will indicate that you got a number correct but it is in the wrong position. Neither cow or bull chip will tell you which numbers are correct. That is for you to decide. Here is a picture from the instructions that will help explain this. Player two has made two guesses, the second guess based on the feedback from the first guess.

Player two keeps guessing until he has the correct numbers in the correct order.

Try this:

• Start with a two number game to teach, then three, then four.
• Start by playing a game yourself. Talk out loud as you reason and try different things so that the individual can hear and see you model the process.
• On a three number game, if one number comes up as the correct number in the correct position, only change one number during the next two turns to find out what number is positioned correctly. 
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, executive functioning skills, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation. 
  
  
  
  In the box: Card rack, 25 cow chips, 15 bull chips, 60 number code cards