GB2317575A

GB2317575A - Game

Info

Publication number: GB2317575A
Application number: GB9620230A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Kendall Jethro Beam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-09-27
Filing date: 1996-09-27
Publication date: 1998-04-01
Also published as: GB9620230D0

Abstract

An educational game comprises a board (12), at least one die and a set of pegs or game pieces (16) for use therewith. The board includes at least one throughbore (26) for passage of pegs or game pieces through the board and at least two blind bores (28a-28e) each for holding a peg or game piece in the board. A peg or game piece is placed in or removed from one of the blind bores or passed through the throughbore during play. The peg or game piece movement is determined by a roll of the die.

Description

EDUCATIONAL GAME The present invention relates to an educational game, and in particular an educational game for developing mathematical, spatial awareness and hand-eye co-ordination skills in young children.

There are number of games available for children to play which combine fun with learning. For children in the lower age groups these games are generally directed towards the development of spatial awareness and hand-eye co-ordination skills, such as the placing of different shape and/or size pegs in different shape and/or size holes. For older children educational games tend to be directed more towards the development of simple mathematical skills, for example, the addition of numbers displayed on two or more dice and the translation of these numbers into game piece or counter movements.

Despite the many games available today there is an ongoing requirement for novel educational games which promote spatial awareness, hand-eye co-ordination and mathematical learning in one. Although such games exist complex rules often make them unsuitable for children to play.

The present invention seeks to provide a simple educational game which can not only be played by adults and children, but when played by children in suitable circumstances, provides a ready means for engaging their interest while developing their spatial awareness, hand-eye co-ordination and mathematical skills in a structured way.

According to an aspect of the present invention there is provided an educational game comprising a board, at least one die and a set of pegs or game pieces for use therewith, the board having a plurality of bores provided therein, at least one of which defines a throughbore for passage of pegs or game pieces through the board and at least two of which define blind bores each for receiving a peg or game piece therein, the arrangement being such that a peg or game piece maybe either placed in or removed from one of said blind bores or passed through said throughbore during play, the peg or game piece movement being determined by a roll of said die.

Preferably each bore is designated according to a die permutation.

Preferably each bore is numbered.

Conveniently the number of bores provided may correspond to the number of die permutations.

Preferably the board may have six or alternatively twelve bores.

In a preferred embodiment only one of said bores is a throughbore.

Preferably the game further comprises means for supporting the board in spaced relation to a playing surface.

Preferably the board forms one side of a container.

In a preferred embodiment the container is a box and the board forms the lid of the box.

Conveniently the board is hinged to the box.

The pegs may be coloured in groups, each colour corresponding to a numerical value.

Preferably the board is adapted so that, in use, following a die roll indicating a particular bore, a peg or game piece maybe either placed in said bore if blind and unoccupied, removed from said bore if blind and occupied, or passed through said bore if a throughbore is indicated.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawing.

The drawing shows an exploded perspective view of an educational game according to an embodiment of the invention.

The game generally indicated at 10 comprises a square board 12, a rectangular box container 14, a set of playing pegs 16 and one or more die (not shown). The board 12 is in the form a removable lid adapted to sit on the open end 18 of the container 14. The dimensions of the container are such that all pegs 16, playing die or dice and other such items required for playing the game may be held in the container when not in use.

In the drawing the board or lid 12 is shown removed from the container for clarity. Normally the container will be closed with the board only being removed when access is required to the contents therein.

The board has an outer side 20 and an inner or underside 22.

Part of the outer periphery of the underside 22 is cut-away to provide an upstanding portion 24 of square cross-section for engagement with the container open end 18. The board comprises a central aperture 26 which defines a throughbore for the passage of pegs 16 through the board, and a further five blind bores 28a to 28e on the outer side 20, each for receiving a peg 16. The blind bores are spaced apart around the periphery of the board. Numeric labels corresponding to die permutations 1 to 6 are provided adjacent each of the bores 26 and 28a to 28e for bore identification.

The game is intended to be played by two or more players with each player taking a turn to either place a peg in or remove a peg from one of the bores 26 and 28a to 28e.

To begin each player is given an equal-number of pegs 16. If the game is to be played by six or less players each player is given six pegs. If more than six players are to play the number of pegs may be reduced. Each player may be given a die or a single die may be shared between the players.

To start the game each player rolls a die to determine who will start. The player who rolls the highest number will start with the play continuing in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. The player starting the game will then roll the die a second time. The number rolled will determine which of the numbered bores 26 and 28a to 28e is to be played, for example if the player rolls a two, blind bore 28b having the numeric designation 2 must be played. Once a bore has been indicated the action to be taken will depend on whether the bore is blind and unoccupied, blind and occupied or whether the throughbore 26 has been designated. If the die roll indicates one of the blind bores 28a to 28e the player must deposit a peg in that bore. Alternatively if the die indicates the throughbore 26 the player must deposit a peg through the bore into the container, that peg then being removed from the game. In subsequent turns if a die roll indicates a blind bore that is occupied, ie. a peg has already been placed in it, the player whose turn it is must remove that peg and add it to his or her own collection.

Play continues until a player has no pegs left in his or her collection, that player being 'the winner'. Play may continue in order to determine the overall 'loser', this being the player with pegs remaining when all the other players have none. Alternatively, the game could be played so that the player who is left with pegs or the most pegs at the end is 'the winner'.

In alternative embodiments to that described game pieces other than pegs could be used, for example ball bearings or marbles can be used with the blind bores being provided by part spherical hollows formed in the board outer surface. Also die displaying alpha-numeric characters or images can be used instead of conventional die to designate the bores. Moreover the board can be provided with fewer bores than the number of die permutations, with the unused permutations being used to indicate other actions such as 'miss a turn'.

The game need not be restricted to six bores, any number being possible provided enough dice are used. For example the number of bores could be increased to a maximum of twelve if a second dice was used. Likewise more than one bore could be made a throughbore to decrease the duration of a game. For example, if the ratio of throughbores to blind bores was increased from 1:5 to say 1:2 a game involving the same number of players would finish more quickly.

Other embodiments are also envisaged where the board is spaced from a playing surface such as a table by means other than the game container 14. Support legs or the like can be provided on the underside 22 of the board so that the game is played independently of the container. Alternatively the board can be hinged to the container for the purpose of integrity.

Peg or game piece trays for holding each players pegs or game pieces during play are also envisaged. Such items may be useful when playing on a moving platform such as a ship, train or aircraft, and also in confined spaces where there is a danger of the pegs/game pieces of one player being mixed with those of a neighbouring player.

In a further alternative embodiment the pegs or game pieces may be grouped in colours with each colour having a particular value. By assigning values to the colours cummulative scores representative of a player's remaining pegs or game pieces after each game could be kept. This allows an overall winner to be named following several rounds of the game. The use of colour pegs or game pieces also enables the game to be played at a higher level of skill, for example, if values were assigned to the colours a player would have to decide whether to play a high or low value peg or game piece depending on the prevailing circumstances.

Claims

Claims:

1. An educational game comprising a board, at least one die and a set of pegs or game pieces for use therewith, the board having a plurality of bores provided therein, at least one of which defines a throughbore for passage of pegs or game pieces through the board and at least two of which define blind bores each for receiving a peg or game piece therein, the arrangement being such that a peg or game piece maybe either placed in or removed from one of said blind bores or passed through said throughbore during play, the peg or game piece movement being determined by a roll of said die.

2. An educational game according to claim 1 wherein each bore is designated according to a die permutation.

3. An educational game according to claims 1 or 2 wherein each bore is numbered.

3. An educational game according to claims 1 to 3 wherein the number of bores provided corresponds to the number of die permutations.

4. An educational game according to claims 1 to 4 having six bores.

5. An educational game according to claims 1 to 4 having twelve bores.

6. An educational game according to claims 4 or 5 wherein only one of said bores is a throughbore.

7. An educational game according to any preceding claim further comprising means for supporting the board in spaced relation to a playing surface.

8. An educational game according to any preceding claim wherein the board forms one side of a container.

9. An educational game according to claim 8 wherein the container is a box and the board forms the lid of the box.

10. An educational game according to claim 9 wherein the board is hinged to the box.

11. An educational game according to any preceding claim wherein the pegs are coloured in groups, each colour corresponding to a numerical value.

12. An educational game according to claims 2 to 11 wherein the board is adapted so that, in use, following a die roll indicating a particular bore, a peg or game piece maybe either placed in said bore if blind and unoccupied, removed from said bore if blind and occupied, or passed through said bore if a throughbore is indicated.

13. An educational game substantially as hereinbefore set forth with reference to and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.