Apples to Apples

Apples to Apples - A game of comparisons for the whole family.

 

I don't use Apples to Apples often in therapy, but it is one of my family's favorite games and we often play it when we have a get-together. Apples to Apples is one of those games that even reluctant game players will play and always results in laughter and a good time for us. The more people that play the better, and there is no down time or waiting between turns for anyone. There are no wrong answers and you won't be put on the spot to know trivia. Lots of reasons to like it!

As you can see below, there are several different versions and we have played most of them. First I will describe the original game (red box), then I'll give a little info about each version.

This game consists of two kinds of cards: red cards and green cards (see image below). The red cards each have one name of a person, place, thing or event. The green cards each have a word that describes a person, place, thing or event. 

Object:
Be the first player to earn 4 green cards.

Set up:
Separate the cards by type. Shuffle the cards. Deal seven red cards, face down, to each player. Stack the rest of the cards on the playing surface. We usually make several smaller stacks and place them at the ends of the table so there is no long-distance reaching necessary. Pick a player to be the first judge.

Play:
The judge takes the top green card off the deck, places it face up in the middle of the table and reads it aloud. The rest of the players each look at their cards and choose the one they think is most like the green card. Each player places his card face down on the table. Think about the judge and how they think. You can go for serious, funny, outrageous, whatever you think will appeal to the judge so that he will choose your card as the best match. When all cards are in the middle, the judge will turn them face up one at a time and read them aloud. He will then choose the card he likes the best. The judge does not have to defend his answer and no questions asked. The one he picks is final. The person who put down the chosen card gets it back and now has one card toward the four he needs to win. Play continues around the table, with players taking turns being the judge, until someone earns four cards and wins the game.

Apples to Apples Party Box

Other versions of Apples to Apples:

Apples to Apples Party Box - This is the original game. It's called the Party Edition because it has a lot more cards (1000+) than the original game to accommodate a big group, which equals a lot more combinations.

Apples to Apples Kids 7+ - Cards feature content for young kids. Fewer cards (263) than the other games.

Apples to Apples Bible Edition - Cards are related to Christians and Biblical history.

Apples to Apples Freestyle -Contents much different than the other games. Includes cards with a single unfinished statement (ex. You should always run when you hear ______.) Includes 4 small erasable boards and erasable markers to write your answer.

Apples to Apples Junior -576 cards with content for kids and youth 9+ years.

Apples to Apples To Go - 270 red apple cards, 90 green apple cards. Comes in a portable 8" x 8" box with a handy handle.

Sour Apples to Apples - The best comparison wins and the worst comparison has to spin the sour apple to find out their fate. Fates include the benefit of playing two red cards in the next round, not talking for a round and losing a red card out of your hand.

Trendy Apples to Apples -Content is more pop culture. Includes things like  photo bombing, kickstarter, groupons, doggie day care and Siri. Fewer cards.

Apples to Apples Family - Family friendly content, suitable for all ages.

Apples to Apples Dice - 1 20-sided green die and 6 6-sided red dice. Both dice have letters only. Judge chooses his own topic depending on the letter thrown on the big die. Next players each throw a 6-sided die to determine a letter they will use for an appropriate noun.

Big Picture Apples to Apples- 463 picture cards instead of red cards. Also includes 7 blank cards for you to draw your own pictures. A fun change.

Apples to Apples is on my list of fall games. To see a list of other fall-themed games, click here.

• Work on dealing/fanning/holding cards, manual dexterity, socialization skills, comparisons, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: Varies per game, but most games have red apple cards and green apple cards. Several games include card trays.

Circle of Friends Matching Game

Circle of Friends Matching Game - A matching game based on classic Golden Book characters

Shortly after I blogged about my fond childhood memories of Golden Books and a related game called I See You Game I found Circle of Friends Matching Game, another Golden Book game featuring classic characters from days gone by. Let me say up front that my game is in a tin, and this one is in a box. But, the board and all the pieces are the same, so I am going on the assumption that we will be talking about the same game.

The path on the board is a spiral and each step on the path pictures one of the six original characters (Shy Little Kitten, Poky Little Puppy, Tawny Scrawny Lion, Tootle the Train, Scuffy the Tugboat and The Saggy, Baggy Elephant. These characters are all best friends and the premise is that although they have jumped off the pages of your golden books to play with you, they must now return home and once again become the circle of friends. The players of the game are racing to see who will be the first person to join this elite circle of friends.

Object:

Be the first person to reach the circle of friends, land on the Saggy Baggy Elephant face card, turn over a matching Elephant card, and enter the circle of friends. 

Set up:

Place the board in the middle of the players. Each player chooses one of the characters (token) and places it into a plastic base. Each player places their character on the Start square. Shuffle the cards and place them in a stack, face down, near the board.

Play:

In turn, each player will spin the spinner and move 1, 2 or 3 spaces. 

• If the spinner is pointing to your character, move your token forward to the nearest square on the board that has your character's image. 
• If the spinner is pointing to the Saggy Baggy Elephant, move your token forward to the nearest Saggy Baggy Elephant square on the board.

If you land on a Saggy Baggy Elephant square follow these directions:

• Elephant Face Square - Take the first card off the deck.
• If your card is a Saggy Baggy Elephant - Move to the next Saggy Baggy Elephant square. Pick another card. If it is another Saggy Baggy Elephant card, move forward again. Keep doing this until you draw a card that is NOT a Saggy Baggy Elephant.
• If your card in not a Saggy Baggy Elephant - Move your token forward on the board to the nearest square that matches the one on your card. Your turn is over.
• BIG Elephant Square - There are 4 BIG Elephant squares on the board where Saggy's trunk is pointing upward or downward to another square. Follow his trunk and place your token on that square. Your turn is over.

Keep playing until someone enters the circle in the middle of the board. You must spin a number that takes you into the circle on an exact count. Now turn over a card. If it is not a Saggy Baggy Elephant card, move your token backward to the first space with that image. You will now have to enter and try again on your next turn(s). If it is a Saggy Baggy Elephant, you have won the game. If it is not, repeat the directions to move backward and try again.

Try this:

• Turn the card in-hand to look at the other side.
• Hold the spinner in one hand and flick the arrow with the other.
• Isolate different fingers to flick the arrow on the spinner.
• Skip the game and sort the cards by characters into piles.
• Skip the game. Choose one character card and follow the path with your eyes, stopping each time you come across your character. Count how matching squares there are on the whole path. Try again with another character. Does one character have more spaces than another?
• Check out a book or two with the characters (from the library) and read them before and/or after you play the game.
• Play a standard memory game. Take out two cards of each character, mix them, place them face-down on the table, turn over two at a time to find matches. 
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, coordinated use of both hands, finger isolation, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

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

In the box: Game board, 6 Golden character tokens, 4 plastic bases, 24 circle of friends cards, spinner