Buggo

Buggo - A bug-themed game that teaches simple counting (1-5), VP skills

If you're not put off by the thought of building your own collection of creepy crawlers, check out this game. It is billed as a counting game for beginners. Players will be required to find from 1-5 bugs on each turn. Strangely (to me) there are no numbers on these cards. The bug cards (see images below) show words instead of numbers. If the individual does not read, you can count the bugs on the bug card instead. If the card says TWO BUGS, it will show two bugs. The bug tiles (yellow cards below) will show one, two or three bugs each. BUGGO is the spider with the brown and blue body (see him on the box cover above).

Object of the game:

Collect the most bug tiles and BUGGO tiles.

Set up:

Shuffle the playing cards and place them in a pile, face-down on the table. Mix and place the bug tiles face-down on the table, side-by-side (not in a pile). This is called the "sandbox" of tiles.

LEFT: Bug card.  RIGHT: Bug tile.

Play:

Players take turns. On your turn, take the top card off the bug card pile and turn it face up on the table. It will either have a number or it will read BUGGO.

• If the card shows a number - Attempt to find that many bugs on bug tiles in the sandbox. Turn tiles over one at a time. If you get the exact number, take the tile and your turn is over. If you get a tile with fewer than the number on your bug card, you have the option of turning over more tiles or stopping. If you stop, you will keep the tile(s) you have turned over that total lower than the number on your bug card. If you keep going and end up revealing more bugs than the number allowed on the big card, turn all tiles back over (face-down) and leave them where they are. Your turn is over. When someone has to do this, try to remember where the bugs are so you can turn them when you need them.
• If the card reads BUGGO - Attempt to turn over a bug tile with BUGGO's picture on it (the blue and brown spider in the image above). If you succeed, take the BUGGO tile and your turn is over. If you fail to find a BUGGO tile, turn the tile back over and your turn is over. If you happen to turn a BUGGO tile over when you are looking for other bugs, say you have a FOUR BUGS card (image above), your turn ends immediately. You must turn face-down any other tiles you have already turned over in that turn and you must also put one of the tiles you have previously won back into the sandbox, face-down. If this happens to someone else while they are playing, try to remember where BUGGO is so it won't happen to you too! AND, so that when you need BUGGO, you will know where to find him.

The game ends when four BUGGO cards have been collected. The person with the most bug tiles is the winner.

Try this:

• Turn the bug tiles where they lay. Don't allow the individual to pull the cards to the edge of the table for easier handling.
• Play with the cards before starting the game. Practice counting the bugs on the cards.
• Place a line of tiles on the table and count the bugs across. Place more tiles as the individual learns to count higher.
• Place two like tiles on the table, making sure they are in different orientations. Ask the player to turn the tiles so that the two are facing the same direction.
• Turn tiles face-down on the table and play a game of matching/memory. This will be easier than the typical version where there are only two of each kind because there are many identical of each card. Adjust for difficulty by subtracting or adding additional matches.
• Sort tiles by images. Four different images.
• Stack the tiles before putting them in the box. How many can you hold in your hand as the stack gets taller. Place the stack on top of each new tile, picking it up as part of the stack. Place them in the box by handfuls.
• Place the tiles face-up on the table. As the player learns to count higher, say a number such as 10, and ask the player to pick up cards with bugs that equal 10. How many different combinations can you get for 10?
• Place all the bug tiles on the table face-down, except for the BUGGO tiles. Mix them in with the other tiles but leave them face-up. Study the tiles. Now turn the BUGGO cards face-down and see how many bug tiles you can turn over and collect before you reveal a BUGGO tiles.
• Set up the game as in the suggestion directly above this one. Now mix the bug cards and place the pile, face-down, by the tiles. Each player turns one card over on his turn and picks that many bug tiles off the table, avoiding the BUGGO tile. When someone reveals a BUGGO tile, end the game. The person with the most tiles is the winner.
• Work on visual discrimination, visual memory, spatial relations, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, simple counting, process skills, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

 In the box: 55 playing cards, 36 bug tiles