Mancala for Kids

Mancala for Kids - Practice thinking ahead and using strategy

Mancala is a 2-person game that has been around for hundreds of years, some say thousands, and is played around the world. Mancala will require strategic thinking and problem solving skills. As the old saying goes for so many of these types of games, it takes minutes to learn and a lifetime to master. Playing Mancala is also a great way to practice in-hand manipulation skills, over and over and over, without it even feeling like work. 

I have seen this game in many sizes and with a variety of different playing pieces. The game board comes in a couple of different versions - either manufactured in one long piece or hinged like this one, so that you can fold it over on top of itself and store the pieces inside. The board has 12 identical holes/pits/pockets (different people call them different things) cut into it and two longer holes, one at each end, called stores or mancalas.

This particular game comes with small plastic animals for playing pieces, which are popular with kids. Many of the mancala games come with smooth glass stones, easier for sliding in and out of the hand. You can use anything you want to use for playing pieces as long as you can fit about 9-10 of them into one of the pits. Dried beans, small stones, marbles, anything small that you have 48 of would probably work. In some areas Mancala is played by digging small pits into the ground and using seeds for markers. It's a lot to think about and watch, but it's a fun game.

Object:
Have the most playing pieces in your store at the end of the game.

Set up:
Place the board lengthwise between the two players, so that each player is facing a row of 6 pits. Randomly place four animals in each of the 12 pits.

Play:
Players take turns. A player starts his turn by picking up the contents from one pit on his side of the board and, moving to the right and starting with the very next pit, drops one of the animals in each pit until they are gone. If he passes his store (on the far right of his side of the board) he drops in one animal. If he is still holding animals after he passes his store, he will continue around the board, dropping them into his opponents pits. If he gets as far as his opponents store and is still dropping animals, he skips dropping one into his opponents store.

If the last animal you drop ends up in your store, you get another turn. You can do this a number of times in one turn as long as the last animal each time ends up in your store.

If the last animal you drop ends up in an empty pit on your side of the board, and your opponent has animals in his pit directly across from it, take that animal and any animals that are directly across from you in your opponents pit. (I have read directions that say you get to take your piece in addition to those across from you and I have read directions that say only take your opponents pieces.) Place them all into your store and your turn is over. Once animals are in your store they are safe.

Keep playing until all of the pits on one side of the board are empty - the game is over. The other player can keep all the animals that are still on his side of the board and places them into his store. Players each count the animals in their stores and the player with the most is the winner. 

As you play, try to count the number of animals that are in a pit so that you will know exactly where they will land. It is a little harder to do with this particular board because the pits are smaller and when the animals get stacked up, they are hard to count. 

Strategies:

• Pick up and play animals that will end in your store so that you can collect animals and take another turn.
• Pick up and play animals that set you up for landing the most animals into your store on your next turn.
• Pick up and play animals from a pit that has gotten built up so that your opponent cannot steal a lot of animals in one shot.
• Count the animals and watch your opponents side as well as your own so you can anticipate their next move and keep your animals from being captured.
• Pick up and play animals that will throw off your opponent's count if you see that they have set up their animals to get several into their store on their next turn.
• Work on spatial relations, critical and strategic thinking, problem solving, planning ahead, in-hand manipulation, manual dexterity, process skills, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: game board, 48 playing pieces

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

Kid K'Nex Furry Friends

Build 8 models with 22 pieces.

K'Nex is one of my favorite construction sets (LEGO is my top favorite). K'Nex pieces are unlike any other construction set that I know of and many of the sets are animal-themed, like this Furry Friends set. Some of the pieces are somewhat flexible while others are not flexible at all (like feet and eyes). This is definitely a two-handed activity and the pieces take some strength to push/pinch together.

One big reason that I prefer LEGOs over other construction sets is because sets typically include a step-by-step guide. K'Nex sets do not. You will typically get a large sheet with a number of images of finished models. The individual must be able to create a 3D model from a 2D model where parts of pieces, and even whole pieces at times, are not visible. This will take some thinking. This set includes images for eight furry friends (see below). You can only make one model at a time. To build a different model you will have to disassemble the first one since there are only 22 pieces.

The 8 models in this set.

To read more about construction toys, click here.

Try this:

• Give time for free play at the beginning so that the person can examine the different shaped pieces and how they snap together.
• Ask the individual to pick up the model when possible and hold it in one hand while adding pieces with the other hand so that both hands work together while adding pieces.
• Hold the model in the non-dominant hand and pick up the correct piece in the dominant hand, setting up a natural opportunity to manipulate the piece in-hand for placement. 
• Turn pieces on the table so they are not in the correct orientation. Ask the individual to pick up a piece and turn it in-hand to the correct orientation.
• Set a piece, or only a few pieces, at a time in front of the individual to cue him which piece(s) he will be placing next. It can be difficult to look at a completed model and determine where to start and/or how to proceed. 
• Give the beginner one piece at a time as he needs it and point to the piece on the picture to direct where he should place it. Or gives clues such as 'let's add the head next', or 'now it's time to add the legs'.
• Cover the part of the model that you are not working on to reduce confusion or to direct the building sequence. 
• Keep the unused pieces in a pile so the child will have to search for each needed piece. Turn some of the pieces upside down or half bury them under other pieces so they will look different from the picture.
• Add a piece while the individual watches if he gets stuck. Then take the piece off, turn it so that it is not in the correct orientation, and hand it to the individual to add back on.
• Advise the child to hold the model in the same orientation as the one in the picture to aid in orienting pieces.
• Have fun building your own creations. Describe them, name them, talk about the different body parts and how they will get around.
• Work on visual discrimination, visual closure, visual form constancy, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, coordinated use of both hands, in-hand manipulation, finger/hand strength, motor planning, executive functioning skills, sequencing, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 22 pieces, building guide