UNO Flash

UNO Flash - An electronic version of UNO

UNO Flash is one of my favorite UNO games. I have at least a half dozen different UNO games that I haven't blogged about yet and was disappointed to see that several of them, including UNO Flash, can only be bought second hand now. I have found that most of the kids I work with are familiar with UNO because they play it at school. To read my post about UNO card games and the special cards included in many different themed decks, click here.

UNO Flash consists of an electronic game unit and cards. The game unit is plastic and requires 3 AA batteries. There are two switches on the bottom of the game: One turns the game on and off, the other allows you to set the speed of the game. The speeds can be set at no time limit, 6 seconds per turn and 4 seconds per turn. There is a larger slap button at the top of the tray and a smaller play/pause button at the bottom. Hold those two buttons down at the same time for 3 seconds to reset the game. The game unit is also the card tray divided into two sides: one for a draw pile and one for a discard pile.

There are six red light-up, push-able red player buttons on the game unit, enough for up to six players. Each player will be assigned to one red button near where they are sitting. You will indicate the number of players before each game begins by taking turns pushing the red button you will be using. The game unit will determine the order of play throughout the game and once a red button lights up during the game, the game unit will expect a response from that button.

The cards include most of the typical UNO cards (no reverse): Number cards, wild, draw 4, draw 2 and skip. In addition there are slap cards that picture a hand (see image above). Number cards run from 0 - 9 and there are four different number card colors, so playing can help reinforce number and color recognition. There are also instruction cards that throw twists into the game, keeping things suspenseful knowing that right as you plan to yell "UNO!" and win the game, your luck can change for the worse.

Object:
Be the first person to play all the cards in your hand to win a round. Play several rounds, earning points for the cards other players are left holding. Player to reach 500 points each wins the game. Or, just declare a winner after each game and skip the score keeping.

Set up:
Turn the game unit on and indicate the speed of play. Place the game unit between the players. Shuffle the cards and deal 7 to each player, face-down. Players hold their cards so only they can see them. Place the rest of the deck face-down on one side of the card tray, then turn the top card face-up and place it on the other side of the tray. When all players are ready to begin, players take turns pressing their red button once to let the game know which red buttons will be playing. Press the play button to start the game.

Play:
The red button will light up when it is your turn. Be ready because the unit chooses who plays randomly and you might play twice in a row or not at all for several turns. Once a red button lights up the game timer starts and the player will have to play within the time limits set before the game started. Four seconds is fast, so stay alert. Once you have played you will hit the red button to let the game unit know you are done. If you do not manage to play within the time limit a buzzer will go off. If this happens, take two cards from the draw pile as a penalty and place them in your hand.

There are different options for play on each turn, depending on what cards you are holding. Always press the red button after you are done playing. These are the options:

• Pass - Even if you have a playable card, if you don't want to play it you can choose to draw a card from the draw pile and pass.
• Play a number card - Look at the top card in the discard pile and discard a card that is either the same color or the same number.
• Slap - Play this card and then quickly hit the slap button at the top of the unit and the unit will go into slap mode. All other players quickly hit their red button. The red button will now flash for the person who was last to hit. That person must pick two cards from the draw pile and put them in their hand. Press the play button to resume normal play. This card can only be played on a card of the same color or another slap card.
• Draw 2 - Play this card and the next player must pick two cards, then his turn is over. This card can only be played on a card of the same color or another Draw 2 card in the discard pile.
• Draw 4 - This card can be played any time that you do not have a matching color to the top card on the discard pile. Play this card and the next player must draw four cards for their turn. As you play this card you will also announce the next color to be played.
• Skip - Play this card and the next player must skip their turn. They must press the red buzzer to indicate they are done with their turn. This card can only be played on a card of the same color or another skip card in the discard pile.
• Wild - You may play this card at any time and, once played, you will announce the color of the next card that is played.

Once you are down to only one card in your hand you must call "Uno" to let the other players know you will be going out. If you fail to say this before your turn is over and you get caught, you will have to draw 2 cards from the draw pile and place them in your hand. When a round is over, either declare that person the winner for that game or keep score. If keeping score, the person who went out gets points for all the cards that other players are holding. Play until someone reaches 500 points and wins the game. 

Scoring:

• Number card is the value of the number on the card.
• Draw 2, skip, slap are worth 20 points each
• Draw 4 and wild are worth 50 points each

Try this:

• Play with no time limits until everyone understands what is expected. Some people will always play with no time limit. Others will go from there to 6 seconds and then to 4 seconds. For a challenge, jump right into 4 second play.
• Deal by holding a small stack of cards in the non-dominant hand, pushing them off the top one at a time and taking it with the dominant hand to deal.
• Play an easier version by taking out all word cards and play with just numbers.
• Skip the game and cards. Set the unit up for six players and then quickly hit the flashing buttons as they come up. 
• Skip the game. Take the wild cards out and then sort the rest of the cards into four piles by color. Hold a small stack of cards at a time in the non-dominant hand, push them off the top one at a time with the thumb and take it with the dominant hand to deal. Or start 4 piles with one color card. Place the deck near the cards. Separate and take the cards off the top, one at a time without toppling the stack, and sort into the correct color pile.

In the box: 1 UNO flash game unit, 108 cards ( 19 of each color numbered 0-9, 8 draw 2, 8 skip, 8 slap, 4 wild, 4 wild/draw 4) 

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

 

Chugga Choo Puzzle

Chugga Choo! - A puzzle game about a train.

You don't see many jigsaw puzzles that are also a game like Chugga Choo!. Assemble four, 5-piece trains. Work by color, or make multi-color rainbow trains. Then decide what each boxcar is carrying. Will your train be carrying penguins eating popsicles, wrapped party gifts or colorful robots? Maybe all three! It's entirely up to you.

The puzzle pieces for each train in Chugga Choo include a locomotive, three boxcars that are exactly alike and a caboose. Pieces are printed on one side only and all trains face left. Each 5-piece train assembled measures 2' 3.5". The window opening on each boxcar measures 3 1/8" x 1 1/4".

The boxcars have a hallowed out space in them which is where you will place the cargo blocks. The image above has a cargo block with fruit already aboard. The cargo blocks are made of wood, painted white and have a colorful image painted on one side. Below are examples:

Object:
Complete four trains of matching colors. This is a cooperative game and will not result in a winner or loser.

Set up:
Place the four engine pieces face-up, in a column. Mix the boxcar pieces and place them in a face-down pile nearby. Place the cabooses face-up nearby. Place the cargo tiles face-up nearby.

Play:
Players take turns. Turn over one boxcar piece and place it on the train of the same color. Pick a cargo piece to put inside the boxcar. Players take turns until all four trains are assembled and ready to go.  

Try this: 

• Play on the floor. Decide where each train will go and push it around the floor. Then push them all back to the depot (original location).
• Stand the cargo blocks on their sides around the room on the floor. Assemble each puzzle and then drive it (push it) to the different locations of the cargo tiles and pick up your cargo that way. Crawl on all fours as you play. Push the full trains back to the train station, where ever you want to make that, to offload the cargo.
• Play over and over, making different color trains carrying different cargo each time. Make up a story about why they are carrying what they are and where they are going.
• Pick out one locomotive and one caboose. Then add lots of boxcars to make a really long train. Count them as you add them. 
• Push your train along after assembling, making train sounds. Sing kid train songs.
• Place the cargo blocks on the table face-down. Pick them up one at a time as you need them and turn them in-hand to flip them over.
• Only add cargo to each train that includes the same color as the train.
• Make the trains different lengths, like three piece, four piece and five piece. Reinforce by counting and naming colors as you go and when you are done.
• Say the color after placing each piece to reinforce color names, such as here is a green locomotive, I'll add a green boxcar, and a green caboose. I need something with green to put inside, etc.
• Place other small items or toys in the cut outs in the boxcars. Why did you choose that? Where are they going? What will they do when they get there? Can you find four related things to put in the four cars, so the whole train is carrying one category of items? Add all small toys or all small pieces of fruit. (If you are playing on the floor and have dogs, don't use grapes, which are harmful to dogs). Put a variety of things out to choose from and let the player pick the four that are in the same category.
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, manual dexterity, creative play, process skills, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation skills.

In the box: 4 engine pieces, 12 boxcar pieces, 4 caboose pieces, 12 cargo tiles

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