Overview
Tug-of-War is a very simple game that exposes children to the mechanics of throwing dice, recognizing the number rolled, and counting spaces.
Difficulty: the youngest kids will have fun with this one.
Number of players: 2.
Duration: 2-10 minutes.
Game Materials
One die (6-sided)
A piece of poster-board, construction paper, or paper
One figure
Making the Game
To make the board, use a ruler to draw a single line of 13 squares, numbering them sequentially. Label the middle square, 7, "Start." The whole thing should look something like this:
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 Start |
8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |
Scenario
Kids like elaborate scenarios, since this stimulates their imagination. The first time we play a game, I always give an elaborate backstory for it. This helps my son "get into" the game. So, feel free to explain the scenario to your child in a way that will appeal to him or her.
The basic concept is that you're taking part in a tug-of-war. Win by moving the figure off your side of the board.
Set-Up
Simply put the playing figure on the "Start" square and you're ready to go!
Rules
Players first decide which of two sides they want to play: the low numbers or the high numbers. They then take turns rolling the die, moving the figure the corresponding number of spaces toward "their" end of the board. The first player who moves the figure all the way off their end of the board wins.
Example: Player A, who takes the high numbers, goes first and rolls a 2. She moves the figure from "7" to "9." Player B, who takes the low numbers, rolls a 5 and moves the figure to "4." Player A then gets a 1, so the figure goes to the "5" square. Player B rolls a 6 and wins the game.