Wiggle Waggle Game

Wiggle Waggle Whiskers is based on the classic Dots & Boxes pencil and paper game.

Wiggle Waggle Whiskers is a 2-player spatial game similar to a game that we played as kids called Dots & Boxes. Our game required only paper and pencil to play, so can still be easily played today.

The game starts with a grid. Wiggle Waggle Whiskers has a 5 x 5 square grid (25 spaces). With paper and pencil, make a grid using dots to indicate corners and add dots for as many squares as you want. Now players take turns placing one piece of fence (or drawing one line between two dots) anywhere on the plastic base. Each square has four sides and if you are the person who puts down the piece that closes a box, you get credit for that box. If you are playing Wiggle Waggle Whiskers, stand one of your animals in the box to indicate that you captured it. If you are playing with paper and pencil, write your initial in the box. It doesn't matter who placed the first three sides, only who places the last side and closes the box.

Each player gets 20 animals (cats or dogs) and the exact shaped set of 24 fence pieces. Eight of the pieces are made up of anywhere from two to five multiple pieces (see image below). You end up with 16 individual pieces of fence and 27 pieces that are combined into these shaped pieces.

Left:  All the different shaped pieces.                              Right:  Everything in the box.

You may be limited as to where you can put the shaped pieces as the board fills up, so consider playing them early on.   

Object:
Be the player with the most animals on the board when the game is over.

Set up:
Place the board between the players. Each players takes all piece of a single color.

Play:
Players take turns placing one piece anywhere on the board. If you place a piece on the board that will complete a square, you may put your animal inside the box to claim it. If you complete a square, you MUST play again. You can close as many boxes as become available as you play. If your piece does not complete a square, your turn is over. Keep playing until the entire board has been filled and all squares have been claimed. 

Don't place a piece on the board that leaves only one side open for your opponent to close and claim (if you can help it). Place the biggest weird shaped pieces on the board early on so you can have choices where to put them. If you hang on to them too long you may not be able to play them. If closing one box on your turn will set your opponent up for a multi box run, play somewhere else. 
 
Try this:

• Place the pieces on the board before playing a game. Practice standing them in the grooves and see how they fit together.
• Play a game with paper and pencil after trying this game. Which do you like better? Paper and pencil is definitely cheaper!
• Work on visual closure, visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, planning, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.

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