Summer Boost
Activity:
Five Stones
Stuck inside on a rainy day? Teach your child a classic kid's game: Five Stones. All you need are five stones and a flat surface. Similar to the well-known game Jacks, Five Stones will hone your child’s reflexes, her hand-eye-coordination, and can even help her focus. Although this game looks easy, you’ll both be surprised how tricky it can be!
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What You Need:
- A hard, flat floor
- Five smooth stones
What You Do:
- The first player tosses the markers into the air, trying to catch them on the back of her hand. Whether she catches one or five, she tosses them again to catch them in her palm. If she misses completely, the next player starts at step 1. If the original player catches at least one marker, she goes to step 2.
- The player tosses four markers to the floor, holding the fifth in one hand. She tosses this marker into the air, picks up a marker from the floor, and catches the tossed marker before it hits the floor. Setting this marker aside, she repeats until she misses or all the markers have been picked up. If she misses, it is the next player’s turn. If not, she goes to step 3.
- The player repeats step 2, picking up two markers at once. If she misses, it is the next player’s turn to play, starting wherever she left off. If not, she goes to step 4.
- The player repeats step 2, picking up three markers the first time and one marker the second time. If she misses, it is the next player’s turn to play, starting wherever she left off. If not, she goes to step 5.
- The player repeats step 2, picking up all four markers at once. If she succeeds, she is the winner. If she fails, it is the next players turn to resume wherever she left off.
