Friday, November 14, 2014

Game Schooling - Blokus


I had a lot of fun this week teaching my friend's 5yr old to play Blokus! (And the 2yr old played his own pieces with help from both of us)! In 2011 Blokus was featured in the journal Mathematics Teaching in Middle School, and was cited as teaching students to "exercise spatial awareness, analyze attributes of two-dimensional shapes, compare patterns, and use logic -all of which encompass NCTM's Content Standards."

We started playing Blokus when Mane was five and received it as a Christmas gift. The whole family loved the game. We took it on a family vacation, and it was enjoyed by the 5yr old, the 17yr old, and both parents! That's definitely a win! Blokus gets more complicated as players develop the skills listed in the journal article. A review at The Guide for Toys says this:
Blokus Classic is an award-winning game of strategy in which players compete to be the first to place each of their 21 colored pieces on the game board.  With each color beginning at one corner of the board, each piece must touch at least one other piece of the same color but only at the corners.  With every move, players use thinking skills for strategical moves and blocks.  The game ends when all players are blocked from laying down any more pieces. The player with the highest point total based on number of pieces played and any bonuses, wins.


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