Little Toys: Clue Game

“What kinds of games can we play with the little toys we got over the holidays?”  

Over the next 3 posts, we will show you 3 simple (old-favourite) games that children like with small toys or objects.

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• This is a game we like to play at the doctor’s office.  It is a good visual pre-cursor to the game 20 Questions.

*Please excuse the paint stained hands!*

Materials

• Small objects/toys
• Pencil case (for storage so you can pop it into a bag, purse etc.)

Directions

• Put a few small objects into a pencil case for storage.

• Upon playing the game have one person select an object, concealing it from the other(s) in her/his hands or a pocket.

• The person that selected the object will then give out clues about it, one at at a time, allowing the other person to make guesses as to what it may be.  It may be clues about what type of object it is, how it is used, the colour etc.

• See how few clues it takes to guess the object.  This is a perfect time to model and discuss the types of clues and how they might aid or challenge the guesser.

• Change roles.

• Once the child has mastered this, then you can switch to a question format where you ask questions about the object and the person can only respond “yes” or “no”.  We try for 3-5 guesses depending on the age and abilities of the child(ren).

• Rotate the objects that you put into your bag.

Purpose

• Practising developing ways to describe things (this might include categorizing, the use of adjectives etc.)

Safety Notes

• Small objects and toys can be a choking hazard.  Be sure to keep them out of the reach of children 0-3 years of age or those that tend to put things in their mouths.