Buddy Hop

Explore

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to look at the arrangement of the Buddy Hop Character Mats to find the correct ones to walk or run to.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
No special adult support is required

Learning Implications and Educator Support
No special adult support is required

Determine

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players determine in two different ways playing Buddy Hop. First is to determine the sequence to follow in the Memory Sequencing game. The other is to determine where the Character Mat is located which matches the card they picked up in the Speed Matching game.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Ask children to state what they did correctly.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Have a partner watch the sequence of cards on the table and match it to the moves the playing child makes. As children take turns being the "checker" they are also demonstrating understanding of sequence.

Compare

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
In Buddy Hop, players need to compare cards they pick up or review with the Characters Mats in order to find the right matches.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Encourage children to say the sequence of cards aloud, as this will help them remember as they try to replicate the sequence on the Character Mats. Also, ask children to name their sequence of moves to see if they made the moves correctly.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children may use color, character or both to compare. Ask they children which is easier for them, and encourage them to focus on that feature of the Cards and Mats. Have a partner watch the sequence of cards on the table and match it to the moves the playing child makes. As children take turns being the "checker" they are also demonstrating understanding of sequence.

Remember

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Memory is the strongest skill developed playing Buddy Hop's Memory Sequencing game as players need to remember and replicate a sequence of cards. And, the sequence increases by each turn until only player successfully repeats the sequence by walking on the Character Mats in the correct order.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Encourage children to say the sequence of cards aloud, as this will help them remember as they try to replicate the sequence on the Character Mats. Also, ask children to state what they did correctly. Ask children to name their sequence of moves to see if they made the moves correctly.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Everyone playing the game can practice memory. Have the child who is taking a turn name the cards in sequence. After the child moves through the sequence, while naming the Character Mats they step on, the other players vote on whether it was correct. The teacher or another player checks the card sequence. Encourage children to say the sequence of cards aloud, as this will help them remember as they try to replicate the sequence on the Character Mats

Practice

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
In the Memory Sequence game, players practice remembering the card sequence as they review all the cards that are turned face up, including the newest card for that turn. They are also practicing visual matching and gross motor skills.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When the length of the sequence becomes too challenging, keep the card draw pile to what the child can handle for several turns (ex, 4 cards), then add one more card. This builds confidence with practice before challenging the child with a more difficult level.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Allow peers to assist a player when the sequence is too challenging. Have them provide a clue, rather than name the animal. For example, "He eats carrots."

Solve

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players solve the Speed Matching game by being the first player to place their cards on all the Character Mats. They solve the Memory Sequencing game by being the last player to repeat the longest sequence of cards.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
NA

Learning Implications and Educator Support
NA

Review

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
In the Memory Sequencing game, players may review their turn if they make a mistake and the other players point it out.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Encourage the child to say each character's name or the name of the animal as they step on a pad and then repeat the sequence they just recreated.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Encourage the child to say each character's name or the name of the animal as they step on a pad and then repeat the sequence they just recreated.

Demonstrate

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players demonstrate their ability to recall the sequence of cards by accurately stepping on the Character Mats in the same order.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
This game is a demonstrating of memory for characters. Ask the child to help out if a player can't remember where to go.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Allow peers who are good at remembering the card sequence to partner with children who are not as good. Encourage them to follow the child's lead and only assist when needed. Give clues to help the child remember.

Cognitive

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Another option would be to make an additional set of tokens with the same words that match the words on the caterpillar. Children can then match these word tokens to the same word on the caterpillar, making this a letter and word matching game.

Children just need to match pictures on the cards to pictures on the pads. This is a good game for children who can match simple pictures. The sequencing task can be limited to two or three cards, if needed, to match the child's ability level.

Some children with cognitive delays may forget the purpose of the game and just run to any pad. Remind children that the colors on the cards match the colors on the pads, so they can find the right pad when they are running to lay down their card.

Communication

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Encourage children to name the pictures on the cards and where they are going. This will help them remember what they are doing.

In the sequencing game, encourage children to say a number with the card name. For example, 1 bunny; 2 doggie; etc. This will help them remember the sequence and practice naming counting aloud.

Sensorimotor

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
For children with gross motor challenges, the race aspect of Bunny Hop may be too difficult. Let children have a designated runner who runs to the pad where the child points.

To simplify the sensorimotor aspect, modify the sequencing game to one using hands. Place all (or some) of the pads within reach. Let players look at the sequence then slap the pads in order.

Social Emotional/Behavioral

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Buddy Hop is good for children who need physical movement. Alternate walking and running, if children get too excited in the race game.

Place the pads far distances apart in the race game to prevent aggressive play if children run too close together.

Vision

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
This is not an appropriate game for children with vision problems. Seeing the characters and differentiating them will be too challenging.

Hearing

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
This game does not need modification for children with hearing concerns.

*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Set out a sequence of cards face up on the table. Give each player a card matching one in the sequencing set on the table, with the exception of one player who is the "Fixer" for the round. The Fixer studies the series of cards on the table, while the rest of the players mix themselves up and then stand in a row holding up their card. The Fixer has to rearrange the people to match the right sequence of cards. The Fixer earns one point for each card (person holding card) in the right sequence. Play 10 rounds. The one with the most points at the end wins. Rotate who is the Fixer in each round

Materials Needed
No extra materials needed.

Developmental Benefits
This variation of the game adds the element of moving people around, which is a fun way to re-sequence the cards. Re-sequencing requires children to remember the correct sequence, but re-order it. This is more difficult than just straight forward sequencing, as the visuals of the new sequence causes a distraction to the memory.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Another modification of Buddy Hop is to make it a matching game. On a turn one player is the Mixer and arranges the cards on the mats, but not on matching mats. The next player, the Fixer, then races to see how fast they can move the cards back to the matching mats. Players count to record the time. "One Tibbar, Two Tibbar, etc." and write down the seconds it took. This player then becomes the Mixer. Play proceeds with each player having a turn to be both the Mixer and the Fixer. The player with the fastest time wins the round. The placement of the mats can be changed after each round to move them further apart.

Materials Needed
No materials needed.

Developmental Benefits
Children practice quick visual matching, visual motor skills, and counting. They also learn to judge how long a second in time takes, and how long action sequences take to be performed.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Play Buddy Hop with just the cards. One player is the dealer. The other players each have a set of the sequencing cards. The dealer decides how many cards to lay out. S/he lays down a card sequence of from one to six cards, counts slowly to ten, then turns the cards back over (in the same sequence). Other players then try to lay out the cards from their pack in the same sequence. The person with the most correct wins the round. The next person to the right then becomes the dealer.

Materials Needed
No materials needed.

Developmental Benefits
Each player must make a decision about how challenging to make their deal of the sequence. Players will learn that the longer the sequence, the less get right. Also, they will start to practice memory strategies to help them remember.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Play Buddy hop in reverse. Lay out the Character Mats two to seven steps apart. Have the children walk down the path naming the animals, then go to the table and try to lay out the cards in the same order without looking at the mats.

Materials Needed
No materials needed.

Developmental Benefits
The benefit of this approach is that physical movement, i.e. walking over the animal mats, combined with visualization enhances memory.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
A fun modification of Buddy Hop is to place 3-7 of the Character Mats (depending on the number of players) in a circle. Have one fewer of the mats than players. Have a player stand on each pad. Each announces the name of their animal, then sits on the mat. The extra child, the Caller, draws a card and guesses who is sitting on that animal. If correct, s/he keeps the card. Everyone moves to a new pad for the next round, with the player to the right of the Caller becoming the new Caller. Increase the difficulty by drawing more than one card.

Materials Needed
No materials needed.

Developmental Benefits
This memory game is a little less challenging, as the child only has to remember one element of a sequence. This is a good way to begin learning how to remember sequences for young children.