# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Build a letter of the alphabet using Six Bricks and cover it with a cloth.

2. Ask each player to come and look at the secret letter.

3. They go back to their desks and use their bricks to try and build the letter.

Variations

This game can also be used to help children learn numbers or other symbols.

Increase the challenge by getting one player to look at the secret letter and try to explain how to build it to a friend or small group.

Key words

Visual memory, planning, letter and number formation.

By: Zeenal Desai

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Build a model using Six Bricks where some details of the bricks are partially hidden.

2. Show the model to the group from one angle.

3. The players need to copy what they can see of the model and figure out the position of the partially hidden bricks.

4. Once they have finished building, the players look at the model from all angles.

5. They evaluate if their model is the same or if they need to make changes.

6. Players can reflect on the questions, “Why was it hard to build this model?” and “How did I figure out how to build the model?”

Variations

Reduce the challenge by using fewer bricks at first.

Try this in small groups where a player builds the model for the others to copy.

If possible, build a range of models. Photograph them and print or save photos onto computer to project onto a screen.

KEY WORDS

Visual/spatial awareness, visual closure, deductive reasoning (if...then).

By: Martin Pender

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Each player divides their bricks into two groups of three.

2. They keep three bricks loose on the table and connect the other three bricks into a tower.

3. Players must then try to build/connect the three loose bricks into a tower using one hand, while at the same time disconnecting the pre-built tower using the other hand.

4. The game can be played at least twice with players changing hands.

Variations

If players struggle to connect and disconnect the bricks, let them start by balancing the bricks on top of each other.
KEY WORDS

Eye/hand co-ordination, finger strengthening, finger control and co-ordination.

By: Natalia Soloveva

Chelyabinsk, Russia

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Each player separates and tumbles their six bricks so the bricks land in different ways: facing different directions, upside down, stud side up, on their sides etc.

2. Place one brick in the middle of the players. This is the first brick in the tower.

3. The next player picks up any of their bricks without changing the original placement and puts it onto the first brick.

4. Players carry on taking turns to add bricks but must never change the brick’s original placement and trying not to overbalance the tower.

5. The game is over when the tower collapses!

Variations

Increase the challenge by using a tool like pegs or chop sticks to pick up the bricks OR pick up the bricks in specific colour order OR pick up the bricks using the non-dominant hand.

KEY WORDS

Visual-spatial awareness, finger control and co-ordination, planning.
By: Ruth Tsui

Andover

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

Sets of Six Bricks

Chopsticks and/or pegs

How to play

1. Players stand in rows of at least four.

2. Each row has a set of Six Bricks.

3. Each player has a set of chopsticks or a peg.

4. Only using the chopsticks or a peg, the first player picks up and passes a brick to the next player in the row, who then passes it to the next player.

5. In this way the bricks are passed from person to person down the rows.

6. If a brick is dropped, it goes back to the first player and they start again.

7. When all the bricks have been passed along the row, the players can use them to build, for example, a pattern or a tower.

Variations

Increase or decrease the number of bricks or the number of players in the rows.

Different tools, other than chop sticks or pegs, can be used.

The bricks can be passed in a colour order.

KEY WORDS

Hand and finger strength and control, hand dominance, self-regulation, co-operation.

By: K.K. Wong

Hong Kong

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Materials

1 dice per group

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Players have their bricks loose in front of them.

2. The first player rolls the dice.

3. If the player rolls an EVEN number, they use their own   bricks to BUILD a tower as high as the roll of the dice.

If a player rolls a:
2 = add 2 bricks to their tower
4 = add 4 bricks to their tower
6 = forfeit their turn

4. If players roll an ODD number, they can tell any other player to ‘take down’ part of their tower. If a player rolls a:
1 = remove 1 brick
3 = remove 3 bricks
5 = remove 5 bricks

5. If a player cannot remove or add the full number of bricks in one go then they lose the turn, and the dice goes to the next player.

Variations

Players can build the towers in different ways for e.g., short end to short end or long end to long end.

Players can use both hands or build single handed using the dominant or non-dominant hand. They can also use pegs to build or take down their towers

KEY WORDS

Odd and even numbers, visual discrimination, hand dominance.

By: Shelley Honig

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

Dice

How to play

1. Players sit in pairs.

2. They arrange one set of Six Bricks in front of them.

3. Player A rolls the dice.

4. Player B removes (subtracts) the number of bricks shown by the dice. E.g., if the number is 3, Player B must remove 3 bricks.

5. The players count the number of bricks remaining.

6. Replace the bricks that were taken away.

7. Players can swap roles and carry on playing.

Variations

Increase the challenge by using more sets of Six Bricks and having two dice.

Depending on age/ability, players can record their calculations using numerals and symbols for e.g., 6 – 3 = 3.

KEY WORDS

Visual discrimination, counting, subtraction.

By: Rachel Chris

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player

How to play

1. Ask the players how many studs they can see (and count) on one brick.

2. Check they all agree that each brick has 8 studs.

3. Ask the players to take a second brick and connect it to the first brick in such a way they can see only 10 studs.

4. Depending on the players’ abilities, you can ask them to show higher and higher numbers of studs. In the picture above you can see 29 studs.

Variations

Make it a little easier by using fewer bricks with younger players or those who need extra support.

Players can build their own models and count the studs. They can compare the numbers to check to see who has the most, same or fewest.

The number of studs seen on players' models can be used for addition or subtraction. (I see 15 studs, I see 18 studs. How many do we have altogether? What is the difference?)

KEY SKILLS

Visual discrimination, counting, addition and subtraction.

By: Mill Chan

# data[].attributes.body
Materials

A set of Six Bricks per player.

Two sets of number cards. Each card folded in half and shuffled.

How to play

1. Round 1: Each player chooses a number card and reads the number.

2. The players compare their numbers. The player with the BIGGER/HIGHER number starts the game and puts down the base (first) brick.

3. The number cards are refolded and shuffled to be used again.

4. Round 2: Players again choose a number card to read and compare. The player with the BIGGER/HIGHER number wins the turn.

5. The winning player uses one of their bricks to cover that number of studs on the base brick. So, if the winner’s number was 6, then 6 studs are covered on the base brick.

NOTE: Let players create their own rule for numbers 5 and 7 as these numbers of studs cannot be covered. They can also decide what to do if they each choose the same number.

6. The player who uses all their bricks first is the champion builder.

Variations

Add more players so more numbers can be compared.

Change the comparison to the LOWER/SMALLER number.

Increase the challenge by creating sums instead of numbers. E.g., 4+2 (8), 11-4 (7) etc.

KEY WORDS

Language of comparison (higher/lower, more/less, bigger/smaller/ etc.), comparing numbers from 1 – 8.
By: Sylvia Lee

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Materials

A set of Six Bricks

How to play

1. Players take turns to close their eyes and randomly choose a brick.

2. They must say a word that starts with the same first letter or sound as that brick. For e.g., if the brick is red, then the word must start with ‘r’.

Variations

Increase the challenge:

In a time limit, players can tell each other (or write) as many words as they can think of beginning with the specific letter.

Instead of the first letter, the last letter/sound can be used. For e.g., if the brick is red, then the word must start with ‘d’.

Players can choose two bricks and think of a word that starts with the first letter of one brick and ends with the first letter of the other brick. For e.g., if the bricks chosen are red and green, the word must start with ‘r’ and end with ‘g’.

KEY WORDS

Auditory memory and analysis, phonemic awareness (isolating beginning and ending sounds), creative thinking.

By: Patrick Leung

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Materials

Sets of Six Bricks

How to play

1. Begin by encouraging players to associate ice cream flavours to each brick. Get creative and think up wild and wacky names for the flavours.

2. Players then make their perfect ice cream by stacking their favourite flavours. They can choose a single, double or triple scoop.

3. Each player can describe their perfect ice cream.

Variations

Increase the challenge by combining more and more flavours.

KEY WORDS

Descriptive language, concepts of single, double and triple, critical and creative thinking.

By: Fiona Chan
Hong Kong

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Materials

1 set of Six Bricks per player

1 balloon per player (and spares)

How to play

1. Each player first uses their Six Bricks to build a bat and blows up the balloon for the ball.

2. The facilitator then asks questions for players to answer while bouncing the balls on their bats. Examples of questions are:

Say a number greater than 15 and less than 46.

Name an animal larger than a worm and smaller than a bear.

Name an item you can have in both the kitchen and bathroom.

Name a sound you can hear at the beach.

Say a word about any topic for e.g., seasons, clothes, healthy food, pets etc.

3. Balloons are bouncing, words are flying, everyone is having fun!

Variations

Make it a little easier by attaching the the balloon to the bat.

You can start by first separating the actions (playing bat and ball and answering the questions) and then integrating (combining) the actions into the game.

Increase the challenge by asking players to use their non-dominant hand. They can also stand still, move around or balance on each leg.

KEY WORDS

Eye/hand co-ordination, eye tracking and convergence, working memory, critical thinking.

By: Sera Yondem
Turkey

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Materials

A storybook

Three sets of Six Bricks for each child

Different kinds of handcraft and recycled materials

How to play

1. The facilitator introduces and starts to read the story.

2. During the story, the facilitator asks the children to build something from the story. Here is an example: “In the morning, they went to buy a Christmas tree. Brother Giraffe shouted, “WOW! The tree is so big.” And Sister Crocodile echoed, “This tree is the biggest and the most beautiful.”

3. The facilitator gives an instruction for e.g., “Please use the Six Bricks and the craft materials to build a big, beautiful Christmas tree.”

Variations

Scale down the difficulty and ask the children to use bricks to represent different types of emotions that are expressed in the story.

Increase the challenge by encouraging the children to imagine and role play conversations between characters. Children can also imagine a different ending for the story. You can also read stories that have no pictures, so children rely on their own imagination.

KEY WORDS

Auditory memory, planning, creative thinking.

By: OR Chuen Yeung

Hong Kong

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Materials

Two sets of Six Bricks

How to play

1. Two players sit back-to-back.

2. The facilitator builds a three-brick tower and shows it to player A for a few seconds and then hides it.

3. Player A explains how to build the tower in the correct sequence to player B, using the target words: FIRST place red, THEN stack yellow ON the red and FINALLY connect the blue ABOVE the yellow.

4. Player B builds the tower and shows it to the facilitator, explaining the sequence of the build.

5. The facilitator shows the original tower, and the players check to see if the sequence is correct. If it is different, they must explain why and correct their tower.

6. Celebrate the success!

Variations

For a one-child session: the child looks at the facilitator's tower for 3 seconds, then he/she must build the tower while explaining the sequence (first I place red, then I…).

Increase the challenge by adding more bricks to the tower to encourage players to use different/more target words e.g., then, second, after, etc.

KEY WORDS

Prepositions/spatial language (on, above, etc.), ordinal numbers (first, second etc.), sequencing.
By: Ann Ho

Hong Kong

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Materials

Sets of Six Bricks

How to play

1. This game can be played in pairs or small groups.

2. Place 10 bricks in a tub on the table in front of players.

3. Player A reaches into the tub with BOTH hands, picks up bricks in each hand and drops them into the centre of the table.

4. The other players must LOOK at and ESTIMATE the total number of bricks first.

5. Then they count to confirm their estimated number.

6. Players can evaluate if their estimate was MORE, LESS or the SAME.

7. The player who estimates correctly or was the closest wins the round.

8. Swap the ‘thrower’ and ‘estimator’ roles and let the game carry on.

Variations

Add in some writing by getting the estimators to write their estimated number on a drywipe marker board and hold it up.

By: Martin Pender

KEY WORDS

Estimation, addition, comparison (more, less, same).