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How to Play
Educational Standards
Core Standard*: Math
- Math
- Generate and analyze patterns: Grade Level 4th
- Analyze patterns and relationships: Grade Level 5th
- Operations and Algebric Thinking
Skills
Explore
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players explore the castle in Climbing Knights by looking around walls for safe paths to move their Knights.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
There are many factors that will effect where a child moves their Knight. Remind children to think about ledges, where the Guards are moving, and where other players are located to help them explore more carefully.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Playing Climbing Knights helps children develop spatial reasoning skills, as well as planning and prediction as they map out a safe path to the top of the castle. There are many factors that will effect where a child moves their Knight. Remind children to think about ledges, where the Guards are moving, and where other players are located to help them explore more carefully.
Determine
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players determine where to move in relationship to the location and likely movements of Guards and other players.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
To help children develop more thoughtful decision-making, parents can ask them to justify before they make a decision. Ask questions like, "How will moving your Knight there help you reach your goal?"
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Climbing Knights helps children develop thoughtful decision-making. Ask children to justify choices before they make a decision. Ask questions like, "How will moving your Knight there help you reach your goal?"
Compare
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players will compare different options for moving their Knights and the paths they are trying to make up the castle. They will also compare the location of other Knights and the Guards.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
In order help children to reduce impulsivity, parents can encourage children to talk about different possible results based on varying choices for moving their Knight.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators can assist in developing spatial reasoning by encouraging children to talk about different moves for their Knight to travel, including moving down, not moving or moving fewer than the number on the die, prior to deciding which to play. This will also help reduce impulsivity.
Predict
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Climbing Knights involves a some prediction as players try to determine the probability of Guards moving or sleeping.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can remind children that Guards can only move up to 2 spots in a turn and that they cannot look backwards. Additionally, ask children to think about where the other Knights are located and might be trying to move.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children can increase their ability to predict if they concentrate, compare options and look at the Guards and other Knights, rather than choosing a move impulsively. Help children by asking them to "Wait. Look. Think." Using such cues can give children a model for future play.
Plan
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Planning is a major element of Climbing Knights as players try to create a path to the top of the castle without getting seen by a Guard.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
To be successful in this game requires thinking about consequences beyond a player's immediate move. This type of long-term, sequential thinking is important beyond the game for activities such as building forts, making art, successfully completing schoolwork on time and launching a new business from a lemonade stand to a company later on in life.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Planning is an important skill for developing strategic thinking, persistence and reaching a goal. Encourage the children to discuss the goal for the game and how they might play their pieces to reach the goal. Additionally, to be successful in this game requires thinking about consequences beyond a player's immediate move. This type of long-term, sequential thinking is important beyond the game for activities such as building forts, making art, successfully completing schoolwork on time and launching a new business from a lemonade stand to a company later on in life.
Experiment
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Climbing Knights allows players to try out different strategies that are more defensive or offensive.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Climbing Knights is good for experimenting with strategy and tactics. Discuss different strategies such as defensive (which involves more hiding) or offensive (which involves trying to race up the castle) prior to starting the game and encourage the child to select one. Play the game and discuss. Then, play again with the child trying a different strategy. Discuss again and compare the advantages and disadvantages
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Climbing Knights is good for experimenting with strategy and tactics. Discuss different strategies such as defensive (which involves more hiding) or offensive (which involves trying to race up the castle) prior to starting the game and encourage the child to select one. Play the game and discuss. Then, play again with the child trying a different strategy. Discuss again and compare the advantages and disadvantages.
Solve
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players attempt to solve and win the game by adapting to the moves of Guards and other Knights in order to retrieve their Coat of Arms first.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can talk to children about alternative approaches and help them think about choices. It is important for parents to not create the approaches, but help the children come to their own conclusions. Parents can encourage both offensive and defensive game strategy.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators can talk to children about alternative approaches and help them think about choices. It is important for adults to not create the approaches, but help the children come to their own conclusions. Adults can encourage both offensive and defensive game strategy.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Special Needs
Cognitive
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children with cognitive delays may have difficulty understanding the abstract concepts related to the Guards line of sight the ability of the Guards to "see" or "not see" the Knights. The climbing magnets, however, will be lots of fun to move. Simplify the rules so that their is only one Guard and the Guard can see anyone on the side he is standing. This will enable the players to move to a non-visible side. Remind the child to watch the Guard and anticipate where he is moving, so they can plan their moves.
Keep the same rules, but play in teams. This way, the child has a coach to help them think about each move and the position of the Guards.
Communication
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Players do not need to communicate to play the game, but children can be encouraged to talk about their moves and what their Knight is thinking about.
If the child has difficulty comprehending language, demonstrate each step of the directions. Use gestures and physical movements (ex: pretend to look over a ledge and down) to show the actions of the Knights. Visual dramatization helps children pair words and actions with meaning.
Sensorimotor
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Although players need to move their Knight, the pieces slide easily on the wall. Moving the Guards requires more fine motor skill, but players can assist each other, making the game more cooperative.
Social Emotional/Behavioral
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
If a Knight is seen by a Guard, the player falls to the bottom of the level below. This may be frustrating for children who don't tolerate setbacks well. To make this aspect of the game a little easier to handle, change the rules so that if the Knight is seen, he just falls 3 spaces. Build up tolerance by adding a space to the fall after several rounds.
Play in pairs to build cooperation skills.
Vision
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
As is, Climbing Knights is not recommended for children with low vision, as the pattern for movement is not high contrast and is thus hard for these children to see.
The game could be modified by using bright markers of different colors to color in the squares and mark "ledges" so children with low vision can see their options.
Hearing
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Climbing Knights can be played without talking, but players will need to read or use visual skills to learn the directions.
Part of the fun of the game is communicating during the game, encourage players to use sign and gestures to communicate.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Autism
Autism Strengths & Interests
Short Summary of Strengths & Interests
- Has good spatial reasoning skills.
- Can concentrate on more than one aspect of play at a time.
- Has good logic and decision-making skills.
Is good at matching visual items
Has a good memory for sensory details, including visual, touch, taste and smell
Has a good memory for words, phrases and dialouge
This game is not appropriate
Has a good memory for pictures, numbers and patterns
This game is not appropriate
Likes to put things in order or a sequence
This game is not appropriate
Learns through visualizing or "replaying" actions in their mind
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Players can learn by thinking about what worked or didn't work in previous plays.
Likes activities with rules, such as math and phonics
This game is not appropriate
Is very concrete and literal
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Climbing Knights is a concrete game because players can see the movement of their knight and immediately experience the results of their actions.
Learns in small "chunks" (for example, phone numbers are 3 chunks of number xxx-xxx-xxxx that are combined together)
This game is not appropriate
Is good at nonverbal reasoning and logic
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Players win the game by watching the placement and anticipating the potential movements of the Guards and other Knights and planning their movements accordingly. Players need to think offensively and defensively with each play.
Likes spatial problem solving
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Climbing Knights is a great spatial problem solving game as players need to figure out how to climb the castle while avoiding the Guards who are moving around the platforms.
Can read well with good vocabulary, though may not fully comprehend content
This game is not appropriate
Likes to use and has good fine motor skill
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Some fine motor skills are needed to move the pieces, but the Knights move with a one finger slide. If needed, other players can maneuver the Guards on their walkway.
Likes established routines or set ways of doing things
This game is not appropriate
Likes manipulating, constructing or building things
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Building the castle is a fun part of the game and also requires visual spatial reasoning and fine motor skills that children who like building toys or activities will enjoy.
Likes to use and has good musical abilities
This game is not appropriate
Likes to use and has good drawing skills
This game is not appropriate
Autism Special Considerations
Appears to ignore other's communication and/or has difficulty giving eye contact to a communication partner
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Climbing Knights can be played by attending to the game rather than other players. This makes it more motivating for children with autism.
Has difficulty understanding complex verbal directions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The directions for playing Climbing Knights are rather abstract, but the use of gestures and demonstration of play should clarify the rules for children with autism. Walk the child through the first round of play as partners, so he has visual and verbal guidelines.
Uses vocabulary inaccurately or demonstrates echolalia (repeating another's speech)
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
As long as the other players can concentrate on the game, the child echolalia of the child with autism should not interfere with their play. Try to redirect their comments to the game and actions of the Knights and Guards.
Gets stuck repeating a verbal topic or physical actions and/or has difficulty attending to others' actions or topic.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Players can concentrate on their own moves, but it is also important to watch where the Guards are and where other players' Knights are located. If the child's repetitive behaviors interfere with attention to the game, the game may be to difficult.
Has difficulty producing speech/communication
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Communication is not needed during the game, but children can be encouraged to discuss the game play.
Has difficulty sequencing multi-step actions and/or doing complex abstract tasks
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The child makes three steps in every turn, one to move the black Guard, one to move the gray Guard, and one to move his Knight. These are easy to follow as one throw of the dice reveals what needs to be done for each. If this sequence is too difficult, the child can partner with another player until they can do the actions independently.
Demonstrates difficulty initiating and maintaining social interactions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Social interaction is not needed to play Climbing Knights, but it can be encouraged through questioning and commenting.
Acts out or demonstrates avoidance behaviors when frustrated, overwhelmed, or needs more sensory input.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Give the child breaks for movement in between turns. Make sure the child scans where all Guards and Knights are located when returning to the game. Remind the child of the goal of his turn and the steps to take next.
Has short attention span for non-preferred activities
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
If spatial problem solving is a preferred activity, the child with autism may like this game, especially the three-dimensional aspect and the magnetic Knights.
Needs sameness or consistent routines and/or has difficulty with transitions from one activity to another
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Transition the child with autism to the game by encouraging him to help you construct the tower. Construction puzzles are often fun for them to do. Once complete, they will be ready to play with the Knights and Guards!
Has difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for others' actions.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Children can play without understanding other players' feelings. However, emphasize how other players look and feel when their Knight falls or they reach the top of the tower. Discuss feelings, such as frustration, relief, excitement, and so on.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Extended Play
Extra Ways to Play the Game
With current rules Knights cannot land on windows. Modify the rules so that Knights can land on a window, but if they do the player needs to tell a short story of what is happening inside the castle when the Knight looks in the window.
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
Being able to land on a window is an advantage for the Knight's movement. To gain this advantage, however, players need to add an imaginative element by telling a brief story of what is happening inside the castle. This adds a narrative element which builds communication and story telling skills.
Extra Ways to Play the Game
Use the castle, Guards and Knights for dramatic play. Encourage children to make up stories involving the characters. Add other toys to increase imaginative ideas.
Materials Needed
No materials are needed, but adding additional toys and props will expand the dramatic play options.
Developmental Benefits
Dramatic play allows children to play different characters, make up stories, and insert dialogue. This helps develop creative thinking, narrative skills, social interaction, communication, and problem solving.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
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