Curious George Match-a-Balloon Game
Curious George Match-a-Balloon Game Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Introduction
Match-a-Balloon is an ideal first table game for young children. In addition to practicing colour recognition and matching skills, children will learn basic rules of play common to most board, dice and card games:
- to accept the rules
- to await their turn
- to roll the die only once
- to accept the fall of the die
- to be considerate of younger children who are not yet as skilled at the game
- to accept the end of the game
- to play to the end of the game
- to be a good winner and a good loser as well
Contents
- 4 Playing boards
- 24 Coloured "balloon" discs
- 1 Coloured die
Game Preparation
Carefully punch out the 24 coloured balloons. Ask all players to name the colours, then show them the same colours on the colour die. Practice rolling the die.
Note: At age 3 many children have not yet developed sufficient coordination to roll the die. Let these players roll it from a small cup.
Give each player a playing board and place the coloured balloons face up on the table or in the box.
Object of the Game
Each player tries to be the first to cover all the balloons on his or her playing board with matching discs.
Game Rules
The youngest player may begin. Play proceeds in a clockwise direction.
On your turn roll the die. If you roll blue take a blue balloon from the box and place it on the matching balloon on your playing board. The turn passes to the next player.
If on your turn you roll a colour that you have already matched, you lose your turn.
End of the Game
The first player to match all six coloured balloons on his or her playing board wins.
Playing with Tokens
More advanced players may enjoy using tokens to keep score. You can use beans, buttons, coins, etc. for play money. Each player begins the game with ten tokens and the rest are placed in the "bank" - a small cup or bowl is fine.
Agree on a number of rounds to play - 3 or 5 rounds is recommended. At the end of each round the winner recieves a prize of 5 tokens from the bank. In addition, the other players each give the winner one token for every balloon left uncovered on their boards.
After the agreed number or rounds, the player with the most tokens wins.