I made this file folder game a year or so ago and the kids still enjoy playing it. The idea is that you want the ants to make it over to the picnic…to eat up all the food of course! {smile}
How to make the game: First off, at the time I let my daughter get involved in making the game. She painted the green grass on the folder. (You could just use a green folder, but at the time I made this…believe or not, I didn’t know that I could get colored file folders!!!!) I used a circle punch to make the black circles and glued them on to folder to make a path for the ants to take from the start to the finish, which is the couple having the picnic. The couple, by the way, is some clipart that I found and printed. The game pieces are simply clipart ants glued onto colored circles. We have seven in our family, so I tend to make enough pieces so that if the time ever comes, we can ALL play together. Finally, I laminated the game board and the ant pieces for durability with contact paper.
How to play the game: Begin with the ants at the starting position. The players take turns rolling a die and moving the appropriate number of spaces. The ant that makes it to the picnic first is the winner.
FYI: In the past, I have had to help encourage the “ants” that didn’t “win.” I would let them know that there was alot of food at the picnic and that the winning ant would need some help because it couldn’t possibly eat all the food himself. This seemed to help squash any potential quarrels or tears because they didn’t “win.” Fortunately we have played enough games now that my kiddos don’t get too upset when they don’t come in first! {smile} The idea for this game came from our Hands On Homeschooling curriculum.
I love this way of playing. I makes for cooperative play.
I would add a learning skill. We consider a board like this to be a generic gameboard (fun board, great game, but needs a skill added). I would probably have the children answer a question from an insect or ant unit before they can shake and move.
Thanks so much! Glad you will be able to adapt it for your class!
I’m loving all of your games, and followed you over from file folder fun – I love the ant game! I’m a preschool teacher, and I think I’m going to make this, but modify the game play. I’m going to make enough ants for each of the black circles and we will add ants with each roll (or spin if I use a spinner) until they reach the picnic. Thanks for the great idea!
Oh I love this one too!
Cute board! We just made our first file folder game this week for Columbus and the girls really liked it!