Yunnan Forest

Explore

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to examine the board and their dice closely in order to make the best scoring choice on their turn

How Parents Can Assist Learning
No special adult support is required.

If you notice that a child does not see all of the scoring options based on their roll, encourage the child to look again closely and let them know there is more than one option.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Yunnan Forest is good for developing focus and self-control.

Children need to look closely at the board while they roll their dice in order to decide when to stop rolling, when to play a binocular token, and what leaf token to select.

Determine

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to decide which dice to keep and which to roll again, and, if possible, which leaf token to select on their turn.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
No special adult support is required.

If you notice that a child does not see all of the scoring options based on their roll, encourage the child to look again closely and let them know there is more than one option.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Yunnan Forest is good for developing focus and self-control.

Children need to look closely at the board while they roll their dice in order to decide when to stop rolling, when to play a binocular token, and what leaf token to select.

Compare

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players compare the animals on their dice with the animals and scoring options on the game board.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
To help with impulsivity, encourage children to look closely at the game board on each roll. It can also be helpful if the child says the scoring options aloud so that you know that they are examining the game board accurately.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children learn to compare and match objects as well as matching the grouping of objects, such as three of a kind.

To help with impulsivity, encourage children to look closely at the game board on each roll. It can also be helpful if the child says the scoring options aloud so that you know that they are examining the game board accurately.

Remember

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Yunnan Forest is not a memory game. However, if players read the animal cards prior to the start of the game, they may share animal facts from memory rather than reading the animal card during game play.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can have the child read an animal card. Then, ask questions based on the facts from the card to see if the child remembers. For example, "What is the smallest Slow Loris?" Answer is "Pygmy Slow Loris."

Learning Implications and Educator Support
To help build memory skills, educators can have children read the animal cards. Then, ask questions based on the facts from the card to see if the child remembers.

Predict

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
There is some predicting involved playing Yunnan Forest as players consider which dice to keep and which to reroll based on the probability that desired animal icons will be appear on subsequent rolls.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can prompt children to practice predicting by asking them to say which animals they hope will appear on the next roll.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators can prompt children to practice predicting by asking them to say which animals they hope will appear on the next roll.

Demonstrate

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
While not explicitly required, players likely will show how their dice match the grouping required to take a leaf token.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
No special adult support is required.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
No special adult support is required.

Cognitive

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children with cognitive delays may be confused by having to throw two- of-a-kind to take a leaf with a '1,' three-of-a-kind to take a two, etc.. Change the rules so one-of-a kind, takes 1 leaf; 2-of-a-kind takes a '2' leaf;' three-of-a kind takes a '3' leaf. This encourages use of one-to-one correspondence that is important for learning to count with accuracy.

To make the game easier, omit the bottom section of the board with the more advanced combinations such as 3 of a kind and a pair. As children master the first two board sections, add the last board and play the first row. Then, include the second and third rows as children become more proficient. Use a piece of paper to cover up the unused rows.

Remove the binoculars from the game if they are confusing to the player. It may be difficult for them to comprehend that the tile can act as another die. Deciding when to use the binoculars to greatest advantage is also difficult for children with limited problem solving ability.

Communication

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
When a player uses a binocular token, they need to read a fact from the Animal Card about the animal on the token. If children have difficulty reading, they can point to a fact on their card and have another player read it.

If players have difficulty communicating, they can group the dice to indicate which combination of animals they are using to make a move.

Sensorimotor

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Use a cup for rolling if players have difficulty handling multiple dice.

The leaves and binocular pieces are fairly thick, so unless children have difficulty picking up something the thickness of two quarters, they should be able to play. If this is a problem, the player can point to have another player remove the leaves.

If all players do not use sign language, the player who is deaf can point to a fact on the animal cards for another player to read.

Social Emotional/Behavioral

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Play in pairs to allow joint decision making. This will reduce stress, impulsive thinking, and limit frustration.

Vision

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Yunnan Forest is not recommended for vision impaired, particularly with color blindness, unless players can match the colors on the dice to the colors on the animals on the board.

Hearing

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Players may not be able to hear the facts being read, but they may read the facts after they are read.

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

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Use the dice without the board. Play "poker" with the dice based on matching and sequencing the animals. Each person rolls in turn. The person with the highest roll wins the round and earns a leaf.

Play one roll on the first round, two possible rolls on the second round, and three possible rolls on the third round. This sequence is repeated for 9 rounds. Whoever has the most leaves wins the game.

Optionally, each player can take a binocular token at the beginning of the game. The animal on the other side can be used once during the game to replace one of the 5 dice the player has rolled.

Similar to poker, the winning sequence is as follows: One pair, two pair, three of a kind, three of a kind and a pair, four of a kind, five different animals, and five of a kind.

Materials Needed
No additional materials are needed.

Developmental Benefits
This modification of Yunnan Forest has a higher level of risk and reward. On multiple turn rolls, players decide whether to stand with a roll or roll again to try for a better result. Players also have only one '"wild" token, so they need to decide when to use it. This requires players to resist impulsive responses, compare what other players have rolled, and anticipate when the token might be more useful.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
If an internet enabled device is available, sit with your child and search the internet for videos of and information about the animals in the game and other animals in the Yunnan Forest.

Materials Needed
Internet enabled device and access to the internet.

Developmental Benefits
Yunnan Forest introduces many animals that may be unfamiliar to the children and even adults. Encourage the development of curiosity and discovery by working with children to seek out more information about the Yunnan Forest and other animals that are found there.