Grandma’s Blocks: How I Designed the Games to Be Played

Once Grandma’s blocks were finished, I got to the nitty-gritty: the games themselves.

The instructions only included the simplest versions, because I didn’t want to overwhelm Grandma right away. It made far more sense to start small and then build, both in terms of confidence and in terms of difficulty.

Game 1: Numbers

The first game involved putting the numbers in order from 1 to 25.

That was only the starting point, though. The numbers could also be arranged in descending order, placed in a line, turned into a snake, or split into odds and evens.

They could also be stacked vertically from one to five, which added another motor challenge. Another option was tapping the numbers as quickly as possible in ascending or descending order.

And with another person involved, the same game could easily become a pair activity: one person says the number, the other has to grab the correct block.

So even though it looked simple, there were plenty of ways to play it. No matter which variation was used, the game supported dual-tasking, especially counting and sequencing.

I already had a version of the fast-tapping game on my blog, We Are Biljka, so part of the idea naturally found its way into this set too.

Before you move on, check out the Game 1 below.

Game 2: Arrows and the Heart

The second game focused on building a path to the heart by following arrows.

That basic idea could then be expanded in different ways. The paths could be built freely, the blocks could be stacked by type, and in pairs the game could turn into an exercise in following instructions or giving simple directions like left and right.

So besides being playful, it also practiced planning and spatial orientation.

Game 3: Lines

The third game focused on pattern counting and recognition.

In the most basic version, the lines were arranged from one to five. But they could also be sorted from five to one, or stacked.

With company, the same blocks could turn into a memory game. One block, then one block and two doors, then one block, two doors, three games – and so on.

Simple in appearance, but surprisingly open to variation.

Game 4: Quadrilaterals

The fourth game was similar in structure to the one with lines, but here the focus shifted to shape recognition and basic geometry.

The quadrilaterals could be sorted by shape, arranged in any order, or stacked. Another option was to name objects that share the same form – tiles, doors, kites, lampshades, perhaps even leaning books.

Or, alternatively, one could try naming the quadrilaterals properly.

Extra points for saying
para… paralll… paral… pa…

Well.
No extra points for me.

I got beaten by my own design.

You can check it yourself here.

Game 5: Categories

The fifth game focused on categories: leaves, flowers, weather, faces, and letters.

Here the emphasis was on concept recognition and semantic memory.

The categories could simply be grouped, but they also opened up many other possibilities: naming as many items as possible from one category, listing types of trees, plants, flowers, weather conditions, emotions, or reciting the alphabet.

Another variation was to choose one letter and name an item from each category. For example:
A for aspen, amaryllis, anticyclone, or amazed.

The letters could also become categories themselves:
A for Animals, B for Birds, C for Colors, D for Drinks, E for Edibles, and so on.

Game 6: Patterns

And finally, the sixth game left space for creativity, imagination, food for thought, and fine motor skills.

The blocks could be used to make all kinds of patterns in 2D or 3D, depending on mood, curiosity, and imagination. Not every game needs to lead in only one direction, and I liked that this one left room for free play.

And last but not least, all great games also need a cute box, so naturally, Grandma’s blocks got one too.

That, in short, was how I made Grandma’s blocks.

I also filmed a walkthrough of the games and the different ways they can be played, so I’m leaving the video below.

Which of the six games would you try first – numbers, arrows, categories, or pure creative designs?