Turtle Shells Memory Game

Turtle Shells - a First Memory Game

Turtle Shells offers two versions for play, and neither is your typical memory game. The game comes with three plastic turtles with removable shells. The turtle come in three colors - orange, blue, and green. The shells come in the same three colors. Shells can be mixed and matched on the turtles to form nine different color combinations. The shells are easy to place and easy to pull off. The shells do not snap into place, they just sit on the turtle. However, you can see from the image below that the shell does have a small peg in the top which will sit inside of a hole in the top of the turtle.

Each of the 27 cards shows one turtle combination, such as blue turtle with blue shell, blue turtle with red shell, or blue turtle with green shell. There are nine possible combinations so there are three cards of each color combination. The cards will not be matched to each other, as in a typical memory game, they will be matched to the turtles. 

There are also two oversized dice. Each die has one single color per side, with a total of each color appearing twice on each die.

To read more about why memory games are so popular, read my post Memory Games. Why are They so Popular? This post also has links to the other memory games I have blogged about. 

Object:
Be the first person to win four cards.

Set up:
Place the 27 cards, face-down, on the table. Putting them in a grid may help you remember their locations better than if they are just scattered around the table. Randomly place one shell on each turtle.

Play:
Version 1 - Players take turns. Turn one of the cards face-up. If it matches one of the turtles, you keep the card. You then switch at least two of the turtle shells. If the card does not match, turn the card back over and your turn is over. Try to remember the different color combinations on the cards that have been turned over, you may be able to make a match on your turn. This is easier said than done as the turtles are changing shells, and therefore colors, on each correct play.

Version 2 - Players take turns. Throw the two large dice. If the colors on the dice match a turtle color combination, then you get to turn over a card and play as above. The first player to win four (or more) cards wins.

Try this:

• Skip the game. Place one card at a time in front of the individual and ask him to build the turtle.
• Lay all the cards face-up on the table. Place a random shell on a turtle. See who can be the first to find the three matching cards. Start with one card, or a two card set for a simpler game.
• Assemble the three turtles. Throw the dice until you come up with the colors to match one of the turtles.
• Throw the dice. Make a turtle to match the color combination.
• Throw the dice. If the two colors are different, make the two turtles that would match. For instance, red and blue dice would make a red turtle with a blue shell and a blue turtle with a red shell.
• Mix the cards and place them in a grid on the table. Play a game of memory where you have to match all three to win a set. Therefore, each player can turn three cards on his turn instead of the usual two. For an easier game, if your second turn over does not match your first, go ahead and turn a third card anyway to give players more chances to memorize card locations. For a harder game, if the second turn over does not match the first, end you turn then and flip the cards back over.
• Set up the turtles with shells in any color combination. Pick up a small stack of cards in the non-dominant hand and sort through them, pushing the top card off the the thumb one at a time, looking for any of the nine cards that will be matches. Keep going through stacks of cards until you have found and sorted out all nine matches.
• Use two hands to throw the dice. Place one die in one hand and one die in the other. The are big, so you will not be able to roll them in-hand like a typical, smaller die. So, being careful, roll each one around in one hand, simultaneously, and then throw. Can you coordinate your hands so that you can accomplish this task?
• Pick up one turtle in one hand and pick up and place the shell with the other hand, to engage both hands (instead of letting the turtle sit on the table top while you add the shell).
• Sort out two cards from each color combination (18 cards total). Mix them and place them in a face-down grid on the table. Place one turtle combination on the table. Play a memory game until you find the two color combinations. Keep playing in this way until all nine sets have been found. 
• Work on visual memory, visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual scanning, figure ground, manual dexterity, play and leisure exploration and participation, socialization skills, process skills
  
  In the box: 3 plastic turtles, 3 turtle shells, 2 extra large dice, 27 memory game cards (nine sets of three matching cards
  Ages 3+, 2-4 players
   

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, click on the image below.