How Do You Use Your SimplyFun Products: Walk The Dogs

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When we asked our readers alternative ways that they have been using SimplyFun products to teach specific skills and expand group play, we were overwhelmed with responses for many different products. Today, we feature two different ways our Consultants have altered Walk the Dogs to expand group play.

Consultant Jenni F. of Oregon has shared this shorter version of Walk the Dogs with many of her SimplyFun Customers:

1. Line up the dogs, nose to tail, as instructed in game rules.
2. Remove the special cards from the deck – the dogcatcher, leash and bone cards. Place the deck of remaining cards face down where everyone can reach them.
3. The first player draws a card and follows the instructions on the card. (See original instructions for details on what the cards do.)
4. Players form lines of dogs similar to the middle line or they can make groups of dogs by breeds. This will depend a lot on your child’s understanding of lining up dogs and what appeals to them. The next player goes in the same fashion.
5. When all dogs are chosen from the middle, each player counts their dogs. You can do this many ways. I have my daughters group their dogs by breed and then I ask them questions – who has a group of six dogs? How many groups of three dogs do you have? And so on. As they identify their groups, they return them to me.
6. We don’t keep score but you could. Maybe for the number of total dogs, the number of groups, etc.
7. This version usually takes 10 to 15 minutes and then you have time to play again!

Consultant Liz G. of Missouri shared this great alternative for Walk the Dogs to include her whole family:

“I have altered rules for Walk the Dog so that my 4 year old and 6 year old can play along with my husband and I. My youngest objective is to collect the most dogs possible. My 6 year old has to collect the most like dogs, she does not have to place them in a line, and then my husband and I play by normal rules. One would think this would give the kids an advantage, but really we then score out for each player. If my youngest has the most dogs she wins, if my 6 year has the most like dogs she wins, and my husband and I can only win if our score is higher than the single point scoring of the kids dog collections. You would think that the same person would win, but because of the odds of 3 dogs on a collection and the randomness of placing the dogs in the initial line, the winner changes. With this version, we have my 6 year old from collecting the most dogs to collecting the most like dogs and she has grasped it quickly.”

Thank you for the great ideas Jenni and Liz! If you have alternative ways that you use Walk the Dogs, please feel free to share with us on our Blog or our Facebook Page.

And, if you can think of a great alternative for another SimplyFun product, we would love to hear from you! Please send your submissions to: kolsen@simplyfun.com

How Do You Use Your SimplyFun Products