Sequence Letters

 

Sequence Letters A-Z for kids.

Sequence is a fun game that has been around for a while. Sequence Letters is a great figure ground/strategy game for beginners that will help familiarize kids with letters and their sounds. There are many versions of Sequence and I have blogged about several. I will put links to them at the bottom. 

As the name implies, the object of the game is to claim four squares in a row.The game includes a large game board that has 48 squares, enough for each letter of the alphabet to be represented twice. Each square has a different object and none of the objects are duplicated. Unlike other game boards, half of the squares face the person who sits at one end, and the other half face the person sitting at the other end (see image below). This bears no significance on the game.

There are 48 playing cards, one to match each picture on the board. Each card, except X and Z, has one letter on it - an upper case version in the middle of the card, and the lower case version top left on the card. Cards X and Z are wild cards of sorts. Card X says "Remove one opponent's chip", and card Z says "Place your chip on any open space."

Included are three bags of tokens - one bag of red tokens, one bag of blue, one bag of yellow. 

Other Sequence games I have blogged about:

• Sequence Dogs
• Sequence State & Capitals
• Coming soon - Original Sequence, Sequence for Kids, Sequence Numbers
  

Object:

Be the first to get four of your colored chips in a row - up, down, horizontal

Set up:

Place the board between the players. Each player chooses a bag of tokens. Shuffle the cards and deal five cards, face down, to each player. Place the remaining deck, face down, near the board.

Play:

Players take turns. Choose a card from your hand, say the letter and sound it out. Find a picture on the game board that starts with that letter/sound and place your chip on it. Look for both pictures of that letter before placing your chip to see which one will/may help you in getting four in a row, or that will/may help you block an opponent from getting four in a row. Discard the card and draw another card to replace it. Your turn is over.  If you have an X or Z card and want to play it on your turn, follow the directions on the card. Use these cards carefully as they may help you win or keep your opponent from winning.

Try this:

• Skip the game. Sort out one card for each letter A-Z and shuffle. Look at one card, trace the letter with your finger, name it, and make the sound. Now find the two objects on the board that represent that letter/sound.
• Practice shuffling/dealing/holding cards. Deal the cards by holding a stack in your non-dominant hand and, using your thumb, push the top card off the deck. Take it with your dominant hand and deal.
• Deal the cards by shuffling the deck, face down, and placing it in front of you. Take one card off the deck at a time, separating it without sliding other cards off or toppling the deck, and deal it.
  
• Fan the cards using both hands. Hold them in a stack in one hand and fan them apart by separating them, one at a time, with your thumb.
• Use a card holder if you cannot hold fanned cards in-hand. Here is an inexpensive one I use and have blogged about.  Card holder.
• Stop and analyze the board frequently for someone who cannot "see" four in a row. Point out the areas, ask them to point out the places where they have a better chance of getting four. 
• Place an image of four-in-a-row next to the board for someone who has trouble with figure ground (see below).
• Fill the board with two different color chips before play, embedding several "win". Practice finding the wins in the busy background.
  
• Start with simple bingo games if the individual cannot find the "win" on a bigger board like this. Start with a 3X3 grid and move your way up to a 5X5 grid. See suggestions for working on bingo games here.
  
• Work on letters and sounds, visual discrimination, spatial relations, figure ground, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, planning and strategy, process skills, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.
  

 

In the box: Game board, 48 cards, 3 bags of tokens.