Hobbies And Interests
Tic-Tac-Toe
The modern version of Tic-Tac-Toe with its nine-box grid has its roots in ancient Egypt. Each of the two players picks a symbol -- traditionally O and X, but any two disparate symbols work equally well -- and chalks it in one of the boxes of the game's three-by-three grid. The other player answers with a symbol in a different box. The game continues until one player achieves three in a row or until they reach a draw. Blackboard Tic-Tac-Toe develops logical faculties and foresight.
Hangman
The linguistic guessing game Hangman is the basis for the televised game show "Wheel of Fortune." Players must guess the letters in a given phrase, represented by a series of blanks to denote the number of letters. Every incorrect guess adds another drawn limb to the "hangman" figure. If the figure's head, body, arms and legs appear before a player guesses the phrase, the player loses; filling in letters and guessing the phrase before the hangman figure is complete counts as a win. Hangman adapts easily to larger groups, building vocabulary and spelling skills for players. Parents and teachers who prefer a blackboard game with less lethal imagery can play the game as "Snowman," drawing the familiar figure of a snowman instead of a stick figure on the gallows.
Connect the Dots
A chalkboard game for two players, Connect the Dots starts with a grid of dots drawn on the blackboard between which players take turns drawing a single vertical or horizontal line. When a player completes a four-sided box, that player claims the box and gets another turn. It doesn't matter who places the lines, only who places the final line to create a box. Because a three-sided figure is only one turn away from becoming a box, it's a configuration that each player tries to avoid. The game starts slowly as players place lines in isolation, but as the game progresses and players have no choice but to create three-sided figures that the other player can turn into boxes, the pace of the game increases. Connect the Dots teaches players to see multiple moves ahead.
Exquisite Corpse
Exquisite Corpse lets a small group of players collaborate on creating an image that will only be fully revealed once each artist's section is complete. Divide a chalkboard into panels. Let the first chalkboard artist draw an image in the first panel, then hide all but the lower or outer edge of the initial drawing with a piece of paper. The second artist uses the edge of the first image as a starting point for a new image in the second panel, which is then covered in a way similar to the first. At the end of the game, all the paper comes off to reveal the completed artwork. Surrealist artists used folded paper to play versions of Exquisite Corpse, but younger kids can enjoy the game, as well. Teachers may want to change the name to Consequences, but the play rules remain the same.