GB2364926A

GB2364926A - Educational game apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2364926A
Application number: GB0100129A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sam Nooh K Al-Jajjoka
Original assignee: AL JAJJOKA SAM NOOH K
Current assignee: AL JAJJOKA SAM NOOH K
Priority date: 2000-11-29
Filing date: 2001-01-04
Publication date: 2002-02-13
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-04
Also published as: GB2364926A8; GB2364926B; GB0029032D0; GB0100129D0

Abstract

Apparatus for playing a variation on the traditional strategy game of Mancala comprises seven (or possibly nine or thirteen) bowl-shaped receptacles 1 for each player, each bowl containing initially seven balls 2 or other objects, together with a device for providing a mathematical symbol (addition, subtraction or multiplication) between each opposed pair of bowls. This can be in the form of a set of independently rotatable dice 9. A player chooses a bowl on his side of the board and distributes the contents one ball at a time into each neighbouring bowl in an anticlockwise direction; the number of balls then present in the last bowl to receive a distributed ball determines the status of the move, ie winning or losing, and the score to be recorded on bars 3 or 4 is the mathematical product of the balls in the two relevant opposed bowls (Figs 4 to 9, not shown). The symbols on the dice can be allocated by a teacher in an educational context, or by the players in random fashion. The apparatus can be in electronic form using LEDs or LCDs and a visual display unit.

Description

2364926

DESCRIPTION

LE OF THE INVENTION: 7x7 Numercy Toy BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1 Field of the Invention

This invention relates to educational toys. In particularly, it is a toy, which deals with basic principles of arithmetic, i.e. addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. However division is optional depending on the age of the child, as divisions, which cause a decimal point in the quotient, and need a rounding off number, may be too difficult for younger children. The invention is both educational and entertaining and encourages socializina, as two players are needed to tango.

C> 2. Description of the Prior Art To the best of my knowledge and the research 1 have conducted myself using (w ww.european -paten -offi ce. org\espacenet), no educational toy exists with rules and characteristics like those described here.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 Shows an isometric view of the toy and how it should look. Fig. 2 Shows an isometric view of one set up of the toy. Fig. 3 Shows an isometric view of another set up. There can be numerous set ups depending on the players' wish. Below are some examples illustrating the rules of the toy. The scoring bar is omitted for simplicity and to save space. Fig. 4 Shows an example using the rule of a single ball to lose through 3 different stages. Fig. 5 Shows an example using the rules of two balls to win through 3 different stages. Fig. 6 Shows an example using the rules of four balls to win through 3 different stages. Fig. 7 Shows an example using the rules of three balls to lose through 3 different stages. Fig. 8 Shows an example using the rules of five balls to lose through 3 different stages. Fie.. 9 Shows an example using the rules of more than 1, 2,3,4,5 balls through 4 different stages.

1 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to educational toys and in particular, seeks to provide a numeracy toy suitable for children at all ages to perform numerical calculation in an entertaining and yet rewarding way, to improve children's mathematical skills. The toy Fig 1. consists of 14 bowls, belonging to two different players (e.g. A & B), 7 bowls on each side. In each bowl there are 7 small balls. Two different colours (e.g. white and black) are used, one for each player, although a single colour could be used for both players. The toy has 7 either removable or rotateable arithmetic symbol positions described in Fig. 1, 2 & 3 as the Maths Control Bar. These positions can be replaced, removed or rotated at the players will to set up their game. The two scoring bars 0-10 & 10-100 enable players A & B to count up their scores. The number of bowls and balls used in a particular toy can be modified to suit different players. The toy can be implemented as a computer game; in this case, the balls could be replaced by objects such as Apples, Bananas, Animated animals, etc. for young, children or by numbers such as, 7, 9, etc. for older children as shown in Fie, 3 and manufactured using a variety of screen displays including: Visual Display Unit (VDU), LightEmitting Diode (LED), Liquid Crystal Display (LCD), etc.

Z:> RULES AND OPERATIONS The rules of the toy are: I- Only one player can move at one time 2- The player can choose at will from any of the 7 bowls in his column, regardless of the colour, to distribute a single ball in each bowl in an anti-clock wise direction. 3- Only one ball can be put in each bowl. 4- The last distributed ball decides the player's status i.e. win or lose status, according to table 1. below.

2 Table 1 Rules and Operation of the Toy Number of Ball/s in Example Status Action Bowl after distributing to the last ball 1 Fig. 4 Lose Change turn to the next player 2 Fig. 5 Win After calculating the total number, empty the two Z_ corresponding bowls. Change turn to the other player 4 Fig. 6 Win As above 3 Fig. 7 Lose Calculate the total number. Don't empty the two corresponding bowls. Change turn to the other player Fig. 8 Lose As above Otherwise any other Fie. 9 Continue distribution of balls, until you get one of the combination, e.g. 6, 7, numbers above.

8, etc 5- The game is over when there are no balls left on one player's side, i. e. 7 bowls, either in player A column or in player B column. The winner adds the number of balls on his side, regardless of colour, as points to his total score.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES A- To improve children's skills in maths necessary for their daily life and to stimulate learning and dealing with numbers necessary to development for the future.

B- The toy will improve the social behaviour of the child and increase interactivity with friends and will not only have substantial play value in the make-believe world of children but also will be a vital factor in avoiding isolation from others.

C- The toy encourages rivalry and competition between the players as they strive to score higher and win which is vital to the children's development and for their country, especially in today's new competitive environment where economic success depends on surpassing your competitors.

3 D- Another object is to provide an erudite numeracy recreation and educational supplement to the class in learning maths. For example, if the teacher has taught addition to the class, the children can set up the Maths Control Bar with all addition symbols and so on.

E- It will help teachers and parents to encourage learning maths in an easy way.

F- By continuously playing the game at different cognitive development stages, the basic mathematical principles will be embedded in the child's brain to use in his/her daily life.

G Although the description above contains many rules, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. For example, the number of bowls can be extended to 9, 13, etc with 9, 13 balls, objects, numbers in each and so on. However this would add complexity to the calculation of numbers. It has been found from numerous trials that 7x7 is the most easy to use by most of the children and very effective in teaching maths. In the computer version a time can be set by the player, teacher, or parent within which the child performs the mental arithmetical calculation, before the computer comes up with result automatically.

H- Another object is to teach counting through putting the final results on the scoring:' bar. In the computer this stage could be timed to encourage mental arithmetical calculation before the computer puts the final score for each player.

I- The design is simple and yet effective and can be constructed as a game board from very easily available materials such as plastic, wood, metal or glass or from a combination of these materials and at very low cost or can be implemented as a computer game by writing a simple software programme written for example in Visual Basic.

This game is very simple and easy to play. The invention consists of a novel construction, rules, arrangements and characteristics adequate to provide numerical education for children 4

Claims

1- An educational toy Fi g. 1 comprised of 14 bowls, in

2 sets of 7, each of a different colour. Each bowl contains 7 balls, i.e. 7x14 balls in total, 49 of one colour, 49 of another colour, althouah a sinale colour could be used for all 98 balls. Balls could be replaced by objects and numbers if the toy is implemented as computer game. Two scoring bars marked with c W numbers as shown in Figs 1, 2 &

3. A middle column referred to as the Maths Control Bar, to identify different mathematical symbols (i.e. addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication). The toy is accompanied by rules of operation for overall control for both players.

2- An educational toy as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the Maths Control Bar has at least 7 removable or rotateable positions provided to control performance of myriad numerical calculations through different set ups to suit different ages and stages of the child's C1 Z:1 development.

3- An educational toy as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the number of bowls is at least 7 for each player.

4- An educational toy as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each bowl is provided with at least 7 balls, objects or numbers.

5- An educational toy as described in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4 wherein rules and operation of the toy are set up in such a way that all numbers 0-10 and higher order are covered for all possible arithmetical calculations.

6- An educational toy as described in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 implemented as a computer game with rules and operation embedded in a software program and facility for setting up a time for mental arithmetical calculation before the computer comes up with the results.

7- An educational toy substantially as described herein with reference to Figures 1-9 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows 1. Apparatus for use in playing a numerical game, comprising a plurality of locations arranged into two rows containing equal numbers of locations, the rows being, separated by indicators between adjacent locations from the two rows adapted to indicate one of a number of different mathematical operators, and means associated with each location for selectively representing a van able numerical value from zero to a number greater than the number of locations in a row, said means being such that the value represented at any location can be chan-ed incrementally. 2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the means for representing numerical values at a location comprises a plurality of objects placeable in or on the location. 3. Apparatus according to Claim 2, compnising seven locations in each row, and seven objects placcable at each location. 4. Apparatus according to Claim 2 or 3, wherein the objects are balls. 5. Apparatus according to Claim 2, 3 or 4, wherein each location is in the form of a bowl. 6. Apparatus according to any of Claims 2 to 5, wherein two sets of objects are provided, the sets being visually or otherwise distinguishable one from the other. 7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the sets are of different colours.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein the objects in one set are shaped andlor sized differently from the objects in the other set so as to be distinguishable manually.

9. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the indicators are changeable to indicate different ones of the mathematical operators.

10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the indicators are rotatable to change the indication of the mathematical operators.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the indicators are in the form of cubes having different mathematical operators on the different faces thereof.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the locations each comprise means for changeably indicating numeric characters.

13. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising means for indicating a score for each player of the game.

14. A method of playint. a game using apparatus according to any preceding claim, comprising:

6 a first player selecting a start location from the row assigned to the player and distributing the numencal value of said start location over the next locations in the row and, where appropriate, sequential locations of the other row so that each of said next and sequential locations is incremented by a unitary value and the start location is decremented by units until the value thereof is zero; and assessing the action to be taken in respect of the location which is the last to be incremented, and the adjacent location corresponding thereto in the other row, according to the values represented at said locations, and by a mathematical operator indicated between the adjacent locations.

15. A method according to Claim 14, wherein the values represented by the said locations are equated together according to the mathematical operator indicated therebetween.

CI 7