Games That Require a Writing Tool

Games that require a writing tool.

Games that require writing, drawing, doodling or keeping score are one way to get a writing tool into the hands of reluctant writers or those who need practice holding or using a writing tool. Below are the links for games, books and activities that I have blogged about that require using a writing or pencil shaped tool. Just click on any link to go to the blog about that item.

Pictionary Junior - Draw five items from a single category while others guess. Fun to play remotely.

Magnetic Stick & Stack Writing Board - A unique magnetic writing board that comes with 20 pattern cards.

Tetra - A game similar to Yahtzee with unique throwing pieces. Requires keeping score.

Alphabet Squiggle - Start with a letter of the alphabet and draw a picture around it.

Backseat Drawing Junior - Draw a picture based solely on verbal directions from a partner. One of my favorites.

Bowling Dice - Learn to keep score for bowling.

Buy it Right - Add 3 digit numbers on a score sheet.

Captain Clueless - Draw on a map. without sight, to get to your destination.

Cartoon It! - Look at a picture of a character head and then draw it from memory or by looking at a board with features. A favorite.

Color Counts - An adult level coloring book.

Coloring Dot Marker Pictures -  Practice coloring in circles with the same motion used for writing.

Cranium Puzzle Plus - Assemble a puzzle and then use a dry erase marker to find and mark items from cards.

Crayon Maze App - Use a stylus on your tablet, same size as a pencil.

Crayon Rubbings - Choose a plastic design, put a piece of paper over it, then color back and forth over the paper. Raised areas from the design will show a design in crayon.

Diamond Painting - This craft does not involve writing, but it uses a hand tool the shape of a pencil to attach small diamonds to a sticky canvas.

Doodle Quest - A fun spatial activity. Draw with a dry erase marker on erasable cards.

Dora Fashion Tracing Plates - Place a piece of paper over a raised plastic plate. Press hard with a crayon to see the design come to life.

Drawing Book of Faces - A favorite of mine. Practice drawing lots of different shapes and lines. Use pencil, crayon or marker on paper or a dry erase marker on a white board.

Erasable Geoboard Picture Book - Copy each picture onto your own geoboard - marker on laminated sheets.

Erasable Geoboard Pattern Book - Same as above except you are drawing patterns, not pictures.

Expo Dry Erase Board & ExpoMarkers - The only ones I use. I explain why.

Extreme Dot-to-Dot - Numbers go into the hundreds. Work a section at a time until the picture is finished.

Finger Painting Bugs Art Set - Press your fingertips into the small ink pads, press onto paper and draw small lines and symbols on print to make bugs.

Fish Stix - Keep score.

Get the Picture - A dot to dot game using dry erase marker and board. Guess the picture as you go.

Go Fish Go Magnetic Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil. 

Goody Gumdrops by Ed Emberly - Practice drawing lines and symbols while drawing whimsical animals. All animals start with the same shape - a gumdrop.

Google Eyes - Draw pictures that others can identify while wearing vision-distorting glasses.

Guess How I Feel? - Draw faces and try to guess the emotions.

Kidsbook Giant Scavenger Hunt -Figure ground, look and find pictures. Use writing tool to make a large X on or circle items when you find them. Use any number or shape you are working on for repeated practice. 

Lab Mice - Use dry erase markers to draw mazes on cards.

Lewo Magnetic Puzzle and DrawingBoard - Make patterns and pictures on the magnetic whiteboard following the 2D booklet. Then use dry erase markers to fill in the picture on the whiteboard.

Magnetic Colorpillar Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Magnetic Gumball Counting Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Magnetic Shapes Maze - A writing tool is not included, but the magnetic wand is about the same size as a pencil.

Melissa & Doug Lace & Trace - Place the plastic item on a piece of paper and trace around it.

Oodles of Doodles - A fun game for doodlers. Draw 8 pictures as your opponents try to guess what you are drawing.

Pass the Pigs -  Keep score on a very small pad.

RapiDoodle -Using a single shape, draw as many items as you can around it.

Scrabble - Keep score.

Search & Find Cards - Search for objects on the erasable cards and circle them with a dry erase marker.

Shake 'N Take - A shape recognition game that requires you to circle like shapes on cards with dry erase markers.

Snout Pass the Pig Card Game - Keep score.

String Along Lacing Kit - Does not include a writing tool but the lacing tool is about the same size as a pencil.

The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse - A coloring game.

Travel BINGO - Includes paper cards. Mark in the boxes as you spot each item.

What's So Amazing About Mazes? - Use writing tools for follow lines or complete mazes.

Tip the Cows

Tip the Cows - Miniature cows are this game's appeal

Similar to Pass the Pigs, Tip the Cows is a simple game played with 2 very small rubbery animals. The game is played in 10 rounds and the person with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.

You will be throwing the cows and they will land randomly, so there is no strategy or skill that can help you gain a higher score. I like Tip the Cows! because it requires you to cup the hand and hold it in that position while shaking the cows, over and over and over again. It's a great way to work on palmar arch development and stability. Strengthening the palmar arches often leads to more fine motor control. It is also a fun alternative to dice games as the kids like the miniature animals. The box has an insert that you can see above, decorated like a farm. We usually throw on a table top but you can throw in the box instead.

Miniature cows.

After each player throws the pigs once it is called a round. Each time you throw the pigs you will note how they land and then consult the rule booklet for your score. Each possible position is worth a specific number of points. The less often a position is apt to come up, the more points it is worth. For example, most often cows just land on their sides and are called siders, worth 1 point per cow. Cows that land udder up are worth 5 points each and hoofers, those that land on their feet, are worth 10 points each. Throw a holy cow, a cow standing on his front two legs with nose resting on the table top, and gain 50 points. They come up so rarely that if you throw one you are almost guaranteed a win.

 

Write your score on the miniature score pad as you go. I like the pad because it is small and gives big writers practice writing within the confines of the small boxes. I usually assign that job to the other player. 

If you like the little rubbery animals, also check out Pig Pile. It includes 40 miniature pigs. 

Object:

Have the highest score after 10 rounds.

Set up:

Give everyone a score sheet and a pencil. Place the pigs and rule booklet between the players.

To Play:

Players take turns. Pick up the two cows, shake them and throw them on a flat surface. Look at the position of the cows and then check the rule booklet to determine how many points you get.Play 10 rounds and the person with the highest score is the winner.

 

Try this:

• Cup both hands and place them together on top of each other, then shake the cows.
• Keep the hand in a cupped shape longer by counting to 10 while shaking before the cows can be thrown or listening/watching a few seconds as the cows "dance".
• Cup the hand by placing a small ball into the palm, then remove the ball and add the cows.
• Ask the individual to position the two cows in each scenario on the score card. Put both cows into the palm of the dominant hand and ask the player to bring the cows, one at a time, to the fingertips and orient before placing on the table top.
• Use the opportunity to practice small writing and mental math. Use a large sheet of paper if the score sheet is just too small.
• Work on palmar arch development, precise fine motor control, in-hand manipulation, coordinated use of both hands, manual dexterity, spatial relations, socialization skills, process skills, executive functioning skills, play  and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 2 small cows, rules with pictures of cow positions and points, score pad and pencil