Games That Require a Writing Tool

Games that require a writing tool.

Games that require writing, drawing, doodling or keeping score are one way to get a writing tool into the hands of reluctant writers or those who need practice holding or using a writing tool. Below are the links for games, books and activities that I have blogged about that require using a writing or pencil shaped tool. Just click on any link to go to the blog about that item.

Pictionary Junior - Draw five items from a single category while others guess. Fun to play remotely.

Magnetic Stick & Stack Writing Board - A unique magnetic writing board that comes with 20 pattern cards.

Tetra - A game similar to Yahtzee with unique throwing pieces. Requires keeping score.

Alphabet Squiggle - Start with a letter of the alphabet and draw a picture around it.

Backseat Drawing Junior - Draw a picture based solely on verbal directions from a partner. One of my favorites.

Bowling Dice - Learn to keep score for bowling.

Buy it Right - Add 3 digit numbers on a score sheet.

Captain Clueless - Draw on a map. without sight, to get to your destination.

Cartoon It! - Look at a picture of a character head and then draw it from memory or by looking at a board with features. A favorite.

Color Counts - An adult level coloring book.

Coloring Dot Marker Pictures -  Practice coloring in circles with the same motion used for writing.

Cranium Puzzle Plus - Assemble a puzzle and then use a dry erase marker to find and mark items from cards.

Crayon Maze App - Use a stylus on your tablet, same size as a pencil.

Crayon Rubbings - Choose a plastic design, put a piece of paper over it, then color back and forth over the paper. Raised areas from the design will show a design in crayon.

Diamond Painting - This craft does not involve writing, but it uses a hand tool the shape of a pencil to attach small diamonds to a sticky canvas.

Doodle Quest - A fun spatial activity. Draw with a dry erase marker on erasable cards.

Dora Fashion Tracing Plates - Place a piece of paper over a raised plastic plate. Press hard with a crayon to see the design come to life.

Drawing Book of Faces - A favorite of mine. Practice drawing lots of different shapes and lines. Use pencil, crayon or marker on paper or a dry erase marker on a white board.

Erasable Geoboard Picture Book - Copy each picture onto your own geoboard - marker on laminated sheets.

Erasable Geoboard Pattern Book - Same as above except you are drawing patterns, not pictures.

Expo Dry Erase Board & ExpoMarkers - The only ones I use. I explain why.

Extreme Dot-to-Dot - Numbers go into the hundreds. Work a section at a time until the picture is finished.

Finger Painting Bugs Art Set - Press your fingertips into the small ink pads, press onto paper and draw small lines and symbols on print to make bugs.

Fish Stix - Keep score.

Get the Picture - A dot to dot game using dry erase marker and board. Guess the picture as you go.

Go Fish Go Magnetic Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil. 

Goody Gumdrops by Ed Emberly - Practice drawing lines and symbols while drawing whimsical animals. All animals start with the same shape - a gumdrop.

Google Eyes - Draw pictures that others can identify while wearing vision-distorting glasses.

Guess How I Feel? - Draw faces and try to guess the emotions.

Kidsbook Giant Scavenger Hunt -Figure ground, look and find pictures. Use writing tool to make a large X on or circle items when you find them. Use any number or shape you are working on for repeated practice. 

Lab Mice - Use dry erase markers to draw mazes on cards.

Lewo Magnetic Puzzle and DrawingBoard - Make patterns and pictures on the magnetic whiteboard following the 2D booklet. Then use dry erase markers to fill in the picture on the whiteboard.

Magnetic Colorpillar Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Magnetic Gumball Counting Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Magnetic Shapes Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace - Place the plastic item on a piece of paper and trace around it.

Oodles of Doodles - A fun game for doodlers. Draw 8 pictures as your opponents try to guess what you are drawing.

Pass the Pigs -  Keep score on a very small pad.

RapiDoodle -Using a single shape, draw as many items as you can around it.

Scrabble - Keep score.

Search & Find Cards - Search for objects on the erasable cards and circle them with a dry erase marker.

Shake 'N Take - A shape recognition game that requires you to circle like shapes on cards with dry erase markers.

Snout Pass the Pig Card Game - Keep score.

String Along Lacing Kit - Does not include a writing tool but the lacing tool is about the same size as a pencil.

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse - A coloring game.

Travel BINGO - Includes paper cards. Mark in the boxes as you spot each item.

What's So Amazing About Mazes? - Use writing tools for follow lines or complete mazes.

Farm Orchard Intellegence Car

 

There's something about a solid, brightly painted, wooden toy that just about everybody loves. This oddly-named vehicle falls nicely into that category.

 As I pulled the car out of the box to examine, durable is the word that came to mind. Off to a good start, I examined the wheels next. Nothing worse than a vehicle that loses its wheels, and these are on to stay. Next, paint. Is it going to chip and fade, or it it on there to stay too? Three for three, the paint is bright and has been sealed. The wooden pieces are smooth, no chance for splinters. The Kathy Test has been passed. Let's see what we can do with it.

Below is an image of what is included. All pieces are wooden, except for the felt leaves atop the carrots, small metal pieces atop the worms, and a small metal magnet embedded into the bottom of the rabbit.

There is one of each piece of fruit, and there are some unique fruits in this group - jack fruit, dragon fruit, star fruit, and pomegranate. There is one matching hole shape around the sides of the car for each piece of fruit. Load the fruit from the top or from the sides. There are 8 carrots that sit in the holes on top (see the image at the top of this page). The four white carrots are a tad smaller that the four red. I did not notice the difference until I tried to plant them. Four of the holes are a little bigger and the red carrots will go into those. There are 8 worms that sit down into holes around the carrots. There are five different colored worms, two of each color (green, yellow, purple, red, pink). The worms each have a small metal piece on the top.

You can load the fruit into the car and then plant the garden, or vice versa. There is enough room either way and the pieces will not come out once the car starts to roll.

Overseeing this bountiful carrot garden is one happy rabbit. The rabbit has a small magnet embedded in the bottom. Looking at the picture at the top of the page, the rabbit should be able to sit atop the worms. Unfortunately this is not the case, it is just too heavy. PhotoShop allows him to sit up there, but gravity does not. However, you can tap the bottom of the rabbit to the top of each worm and pull them out of the garden before they wreck havoc on your carrot crop. 

Try this:

• Load the fruit into the car through the sides, finding each matching hole. 
• Match each piece of fruit to the hole, but only push it in part way. Can you stop pushing before it falls into the car?
• Pull the worms out by pairs, using the bunny, and name the color as you go. 
• Pull the worms out by hand and see how many you can hold in your hand as you go without dropping any. Can you do it again and grab one more?
• Hide the fruit pieces around the room. The let the individual push the car around the floor and find and load the fruit pieces.
• Grab and pull multiple carrots, using only their leaves. How many can you manage to pull at the same time with only one hand? If you can get them all, declare yourself "Top Bunny" and choose a name for yourself.
• Hold the car in one hand while you pick up and manipulate each piece of fruit to load through the hole.
• Set up the activity by putting the fruit in positions (on the table top) where they must be manipulated, in-hand, to orient for placement.
• Name each fruit as you pick it up and load it.
• Have a bowl of fruit pieces standing by to enjoy as, or after you play. Try fruits you haven't tasted before.
• If you've made it reading this far, I will let you in on a little secret. I sure miss working with kids. It was fun to write this and I am ready to take this car and get to therapy. Alas, no one to use it with.
• Work on manual dexterity, spatial skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.