Mancala board game rules6/20/2023 If your young child has too much trouble counting big sets of numbers, you can say "Let's set up a new game with the stones from our mancalas. What were you up to?" Usually they stare at the pile of stones, start over with a sigh, and do a better job of setting aside the ones that they've already counted. I interrupt their counting with a question, distract them, and then say "Oh, I'm sorry. When kids count in a disorganized fashion, sometimes I'm a little mean. For example, they might group by fives, group by tens, or simply count by ones in a disorganized fashion. ![]() ![]() Kids come up with lots of counting strategies, and I love to question them about how they're counting. I also like asking questions at the end of the game, when both players count up their stones. If I see that they have a good move, I'll say, "I really hope you don't see that great move you have!" Nothing gets a kid searching faster than a fearful comment like that. After all, the more time they spend weighing their options, the more math they're doing in their heads. With older kids, I like to ask questions that get them to evaluate multiple options on each turn. And over time she'll get better at looking at the pile of stones and internalizing its quantity. I'll pick up a set of six stones and say "where do you think the last stone will go?" She usually gets the answer wrong, but who cares? She's three. With my daughter, I like to ask her to predict on my move. As a result, the game can swing back and forth quickly, which keeps it exciting from beginning to end. This rule also gets the players equally focused on offense and defense, as they try to protect the stones on their side from their opponent's captures.Īs I said, there are many variations, so play however you want! If you need a visual demonstration, this video is a nice, concise explanation of the version I play. Secondly, if your last stone lands in an empty cup on your side of the board, you get to collect that stone, as well as any stones in the cup across from you, and place them all in the mancala. In this way, you or your child can string together two, three, or four moves in a single turn. First, if your final stone is placed in your mancala, you get to go again. ![]() There are a couple of rules that really deepen the strategy of the game. The goal is to get as many stones in your mancala as possible. You place stones in your mancala, but not your opponent's. On your turn, you pick up the stones in one cup on your side and move counterclockwise, placing one stone in each cup.
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