Thank you to everyone that reads my reviews. I will always try and return a rate. If you read me but...
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Member since:08.09.2004
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Snakes and Ladders ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Snakes and ladders is a very simple board game that has been around for years. The aim of the game is to get to the 'end' first. The game is based on the roll of a dice and therefore is purely down to luck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ How To Play ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The board consists of rows of 10X10 numbered squares. There are pictures of snakes and pictures of ladders which connect one square to another. The players take turns in throwing the dice and move their counter along the number of squares that the dice states. If a player lands on a square where the bottom of a ladder starts, they get to move up to the square where the top of the ladder ends. If they land on the head of a snake then they have to go down the snake to the square where its tail is. Players gradually make their way to the end square of the board and the first one to get there is the winner. During the game the players take turns in throwing the dice, if they roll a six they can have another go.
Snakes and ladders is a very popular childrens game and so there are many variation of boards, some are very basic, made from card with simple pictures and cheap plastic counters and dice. Some are more attractive boards which have more detailed pictures. Travel
versions of the game have been made and these are basically magetic boards the counters stay attached until moved by the child. The size of snakes and ladders boards can vary greatly too. At the holiday club where I work we have a huge version of the game where the board is actually a large plastic mat which can be used indoors or outdoors, the dice is in the form of an inflatable cube and the children stand on the squares rather than using counters (although there are coloured disks available if they are likely to lose their place!).
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Playing the Game ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The game isn't one that will appeal greatly to adults, it is very simple and doesn't require anything other than the ability to roll the dice and move a counter. Two or more players are needed to play the game and there is no limit unless you have a limited amount of counters. Children however do seem to thoroughly enjoy the game. It allows them to compete against each other but isn't too difficult so even 4 year olds can join in. Although some children will enjoy playing on a regular board at home, in play settings they tend to prefer the large board so that they can physically take part in the game. There are also online versions of the game.
Although the game is a simple one, it is great for enhancing children's development. Firstly it enables them to put into practice their basic counting skills, looking at the number that the dice shows (and recognizing it) and then working out how many spaces that is. If playing the game on the large mat where the children act as the counters, it encourages them to remember where they were standing (for example when they leave the spot to get the dice). The large version of the game also allows them to be more physically involved which holds their attention more and if the game is outside, encourages them to be out in the fresh air. As in most games, children will try and cheat, they will try and move more or less spaces than they should have done in order to do better, Other children will notice them and argue about it. Although children breaking out into arguments doesn't sound like the most appealing thing in the world, it does help them learn that cheating is not tolerated and that often, if it persists, others will not want to play with them! Because the game is based purely on luck, children are likely to experience the positive feelings associated with going up a ladder (and getting nearer to winning!) as well as the feelings of disappointment of going down a snake and getting further away from winning! Children tend to find it hard to accept 'bad luck' but I have seen this game teach children that they cant always have things their way and that although they may have bad luck, they can also have good luck, as can other people and that they need to be able to accept that. Although online versions of the game don't encourage the social interactions that the actual board game encourages, it does allow the child to develop their mouse and computer skills. As the game is such a simple one, it is also possible for children to make their own game and so they develop their creative skills.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Inclusion ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At the holiday club where I work we have several children with a variety of physical, behavioural and emotional disorders. The giant version of snakes and ladders has enabled us to include many of the children who may often be left out of some activities. We had a child who is blind, although he cant see the board, he plays the game with a helper who tells him what number he has rolled, he then counts his steps to move along the squares. Although he has to be told when he is on a snake or a ladder, he still enjoys playing the game and the other children enjoy helping him (and develop their caring skills at the same time,) We have several autistic children who are fascinated with numbers, they too enjoy this game and the counting that it involves. Children with emotional problems enjoy the encouragement they get and the feeling of being included in the game. We have children with ADHD (attention defecit hyperactive disorder) who are able to enjoy and focus on the game as the physical involvement in the game (acting as the counters, rolling the dice and helping others) makes the game interesting enough to be able to hold their attention.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Availability and Prices ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As already mentioned, the game is simple enough for children to make their own version, however it can be brought from most toy manufacturers for reasonable prices. The simplest versions of the game can cost anything from £1 and the large mat version of the game can cost around £30. You will find the game in any toy shop that you go into!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Recommendation ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I would definitely recommend this game to anyone with children. It isn't an overly enjoyable game for adults as it is far to simplistic but children from the age of 3 to 11 will thoroughly enjoy playing it. The large version of the game is particularly good for childcare settings and is definitely worth paying for.
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Sep 7th, 2005
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