Scoop's Surprises

Scoop's Surprises

Since it was 107 degrees today, it seemed like a good time to bring out the frosty treats in Scoop's Surprises. This game is an ice cream themed game that will challenge your memory. Be the first to build a stack of four different flavor scoops and win the game. 

All pieces are brightly painted wood. There are four ice cream cones (see image below) and they all look exactly the same. There are 12 pieces (scoops of ice cream), all the same size as the brown piece below and all stack-able (see the three pink stacked in the image below). As you can see from the piece I am holding, the cones are hollow and fit nicely over one stack of three scoops of ice cream. There are three scoops for each flavor: Pink - strawberry, Brown - chocolate, Yellow - vanilla or lemon, Green - mint or lime (or whatever flavors you want them to be).

It plays like the old shell game. Cover the the colored scoops, move the cones around, and try to remember what color ice cream is under each cone.

Object:

Be the first to stack four different ice cream scoops.

Set up:

Stack the three pieces (scoops) of like colors into four columns. Place one ice cream cone over each stack. Remember where each color is!

Play:

The first player chooses two cones, moving them across the table without lifting them so the scoops inside stay hidden. They mix these two cones, twice. The player to the left calls a flavor and then lifts the cone where he expects to find it to see if he is correct. If he is right, he takes one of the scoops and places the cone back over the remaining scoops. If he is wrong, he covers the stack of scoops, chooses two cones to mix, and mixes them for the next person. If you forget where the colors are or get confused, remember the last color or two shown, and try to deduce where the others are.  

Try this:

• Start with two colors of ice cream, then move to three, and finally to four to increase the difficulty.
• Keep playing until all the pieces are removed instead of stopping after four pieces. Person with the most scoops wins.
• Stack one of each color. Ask the player to use the pattern and stack three more just like it. Or ask the player to stack three more and none of them can match.
• Skip the game. Stack them all in one high tower. Make a pattern.
• Mix the cones once for an easier game, three times for a more difficult game.
• If things get real confusing, stop and lift all the cone covers. Let everybody have a look, memorize where everything is, recover and keep playing.
• Work on visual discrimination, eye-hand coordination, motor planning, visual memory, manual dexterity, socialization skills, process skills, play exploration and participation, executive functioning skills

In the box: 4 wooden ice cream cones, 12 wooden stackable pieces (3 strawberry, 3 chocolate, 3 vanilla, 3 mint)
Ages 5+, 2+ players
 
If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.