One, Two Hoparoo!
One, Two Hoparoo! Rulebook
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Contents
1 play scene frog pond (pond game board placed in bottom part of box), 1 meadow game board (printed on both sides), 2 frogs, 3 building blocks (frog's staircase), 1 die with dots (1 and 2 dots), 1 die with dots and symbols, set of game instructions
Dear Parents
Congratulations for investing in a product from the series "My Very First Games." You have made the right decision, as it will offer your child many possibilities to grow through playing. These instructions offer many hints and suggestions about how to explore the game material with your child and how to use them in different games. In this way, your child's skills and abilities are fostered: motor skills, concentration, close observation, as well as first counting. Above all, however, playing these games is simply fun! So learning happens while they play, almost without effort.
Lots of fun playing and exploring!
Your inventors of inquisitive playthings
1. Free Play and Discovering Details
In free play your child will handle the game material. Play with your child! Explore the illustrations together. Talk to your child about what can be discovered on the game boards. In this way, you are stimulating your child's language skills, vocabulary, and attention. You can also think of little play scenes. For example a frog visiting the ducks or a frog hopping from block to block. Of course, your child can also let the frogs slide downstream and plop into the pond. Now that's fun!
When children are familiar with the game material you can also ask questions about little details. For example: What animal can you see here? What color is that? Where can you see the mole/ the mouse/ the ducks? Simple counting is also a lot of fun for children. You will find some examples at the end of these instructions.
2. One, Two – Small Frog Hop About
Before Starting to Play
As shown, place the game board showing the pond inside the frog's pond (bottom part of box). In front of the box, place the game board showing the meadow with the light green springtime scene (with the mole) face up. Build the staircase for the frogs: place the building blocks, according to the colors, on the squares of the path. Each child receives a frog and places him in front of the first square of the path (that is at the edge of the game board). Get the light green die ready and put the other die in the lid of the game box.
And Off You Go!
The children play one by one in a clockwise direction. The child who can shout "Croak!" the quickest starts and rolls the die.
On the die appears: (the die face is a picture in the printed booklet; the text does not name it)
Ask your child how many dots are shown on the die?
The child now moves his frog the corresponding number of squares. Stimulate your child to count the numbers out loud. The die is then passed on and it's the turn of the next child.
As the frogs arrive at the staircase the children move them up, step by step. A frog that reaches the top of the staircase just needs a little jump to reach the cool pond.
End of the Game
The child has to roll the die just once more to place his frog on the water ramp where the frog will easily glide down into the refreshing pond. Extra points on the dots don't have to be used. This child wins the game and may shout out loudly "Croak! Hooray!" Cheer together and shout, "Hooray, hooray, the frog arrived!" In this way, you croak a happy frog concert.
Cheering together emotionally empowers children and creates a good mood. It confirms children in their actions … and comforts the loser as a round of communal cheering distracts him from feeling sad. Being happy together fosters cohesion within the family or the playgroup.
3. One, Two – Big Frog Hop About
Before Starting to Play
Set up the game as in "Small frog hop about." This time, place the meadow game board with the dark green summer scene side (with the mouse) face up. Distribute the frogs and place them in front of the first square of the meadow (that is next to the edge of the game board). Get ready the dark green die and put the other die in the lid of the game box.
And Off You Go!
The children play one by one in a clockwise direction. The child who is able to say the quickest "One, two, three – frogs hop!" may start and rolls the die.
On the die appears: (the die face is a picture in the printed booklet; the text does not name it)
Ask your child what he sees.
- One, two, or three dots? Great! The frog leaps happily according to the number of dots one, two, or three squares ahead. The child counts the numbers out loud.
- The frog? Big frog concert! The frogs strike up a frog concert! All children loudly say, "Croak, croak!" and then the frog competition continues.
Attention! Beware of the Thistles!
Unfortunately, the frog cannot step on all the squares. If he was to land on a square showing thistles, he would first have to take a run-up to jump over it. That's why the frog has to stop in front of a thistle square and try again next time to jump over the square.
End of the Game
The child only has to roll the die once more to place his frog on the water ramp leading down to the pond and then let him slide down. Extra points on the dots don't have to be used. This child wins the game and may shout loudly, "Frog Party!" Cheer together and jump around the table.
Passing one's turn or waiting for a given number on the die … is often a challenge for the smallest. In everyday life, things also have to be done quickly, be it eating, changing the diapers or getting the attention of the parents. Patience and short waiting times need to be learned. Children will gradually progress with this, especially if the parents consciously foster it and reliably respond to the wishes of their juniors after a short spell of waiting. When children can wait and show patience, they have acquired an important aspect of social interaction.
4. Brave Frog Counting Problems up to 5
Set up the frog's pond. The wooden game material will not be needed. Indicate the area you want to focus on and then slowly read out the problems. Give your child time to think, search, and count. In the beginning, count together. If a question appears too difficult, just skip it. Of course you can think about further questions referring to the meadow game boards.
- How many frogs can you see?
- How many dragonflies are there?
- Count the leaves of the water lilies.
- How many yellow ducklings can you see?
- Count the eggs in the nest.
- Indicate a group of flowers: How many red/ pink … flowers can you see?
Small children and numbers … yes, that goes very well together. As numbers play a very important role in adult life, children often start on their own to sort numbers or count things (stairs for example). With basic die games and easy counting problems, you foster through play your child's comprehension of numbers and quantities – thus doing the groundwork for a positive approach to mathematics.