Kayak Chaos

Explore

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
When a player gets to place a River Tile, they will examine it to see the different paths and blocks.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can encourage children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children are using spatial reasoning and developing strategy skills in Kayak Chaos.Educators can encourage children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile.

Determine

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players need to determine what each card in their hand means and what options they have on their turn. Sometimes players get to place a River Tile, therefore, will need to figure out the different consequences of placing either side down in different orientations.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When first learning to play, remind children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Children are using spatial reasoning and strategy skills in Kayak Chaos.Educators can encourage children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile.

Compare

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players compare the different pathways, including the blocks and rapids, and the location of all the kayaks in order to help determine which cards to play, how to place a River Tile and what may be the fastest path to the finish line.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When a child has the opportunity to place a River Tile or play the Weather Shift, Tip the Kayak or Whirlpool cards, the child needs to think about and compare the different pathways and effects of playing the Tiles or cards. Discuss the possible consequences of playing a certain tile. Verbalizing is a good technique for improving analysis, and can help the parent understand how the child is thinking about his or her options.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
The most advanced form of comparison in this game is the comparing of mental models. When a child has the opportunity to place a River Tile or play the Weather Shift, Tip the Kayak or Whirlpool cards, the child needs to think about and compare the different pathways and effects of playing the Tiles or cards. This type of mental mapping and comparison is great for developing spatial awareness and transformational thinking. Transformational thinking underlies skills like puzzle solving and art creation.

Remember

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players who are placing a River Tile need to remember the different pathways that each orientation of the Tile creates. This is a short term memory skill.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
If children have difficulty remembering, try playing with only one side of the River Tiles. Also, allow children to try out different orientations of the River Tile adjacent to the river, prior to making final decision on how to play the tile.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
If children have difficulty remembering, try playing with only one side of the River Tiles. Also, allow children to try out different orientations of the River Tile adjacent to the river, prior to making final decision on how to play the tile.

Plan

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
The core skill used and learned playing Kayak Chaos is planning. Players need to plan which path to take, how to block others, and how to adapt when they are block or their position changes in some way.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When the game starts, parents can ask children to think about different approaches they might take such as get down the river fastest or try to block opponents as much a possible. Then, as they draw and use cards, the child can try to execute the strategy. If the strategy is not working, suggest alternatives to help them adapt and make new plans. Also, encourage children to order the cards in their hand in a way that they intend to play them on the next two turns.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Planning is an important skill for developing strategic thinking and reaching a goal. In Kayak Chaos , the planning includes both spatial and cognitive assessment, evaluation and organization.
When the game starts, adults can ask children to think about different approaches they might take such as get down the river fastest or try to block opponents as much a possible. Then, as they draw and use cards, the child can try to execute the strategy. If the strategy is not working, suggest alternatives to help them adapt and make new plans. Also, encourage children to order the cards in their hand in a way that they intend to play them on the next two turns.

Experiment

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players who are playing a River Tile will flip and rotate the Tile to change perspective, thereby, make it easier to decide what is optimal way to play the tile.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
When first learning to play, remind children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile. Parents can also encourage experimentation by suggesting that a child play a card, even if they are unsure whether it is the "right" move. Trying different cards in different situations will help child learn what moves are most and least effective in various circumstances. This will help them be better players in later games. And, trying new things when you are unsure, yet in a safe environment, helps build confidence and a positive approach to failure.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
When first learning to play, remind children to look at both sides of the River Tile and rotate each 180 degrees prior to deciding how to place the tile. Parents can also encourage experimentation by suggesting that a child play a card, even if they are unsure whether it is the "right" move. Trying different cards in different situations will help child learn what moves are most and least effective in various circumstances. This will help them be better players in later games. And, trying new things when you are unsure, yet in a safe environment, helps build confidence and a positive approach to failure.

Solve

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
The river and the kayaks change throughout the game. This means that players will need to shift perspective, adopt new strategies and change plans to challenges and take advantage of new opportunities. Players who are lucky enough to get a Life Ring will use it when they think it is most helpful to propelling them to victory.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Encourage children to remain flexible in their approach to the game. For example, s/he may be moving downstream fast, but then an opponent plays a Whirlpool and now they are behind everyone. Rather than trying to catch up right away, s/he may need to change to a blocking strategy, trying to slow down the opponents.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Playing Kayak Chaos helps children learn perspective changing, spatial reasoning, and prioritization, all important elements in strategic thinking.
Encourage children to remain flexible in their approach to the game. For example, s/he may be moving downstream fast, but then an opponent plays a Whirlpool and now they are behind everyone. Rather than trying to catch up right away, s/he may need to change to a blocking strategy, trying to slow down the opponents.

Review

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players may review if encouraged. See How Parents Can Assist Learning.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Although not required, having children describe why they made a specific move is a good way to determine their thinking. In some cases parent may discover there was no strategy, the child was just acting impulsively. In this case, the move can be analyzed and discussed.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Educators need to understand children's thinking and approach to problem solving. Kayak Chaos give children many opportunity to change strategy. Having children describe why they made a specific move is a good way to determine their thinking. In some cases educator may discover there was no strategy, the child was just acting impulsively. In this case, the move can be analyzed and discussed.

Imagine

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Children may use imagination if encouraged. See Implications for Learning and Adult Support.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
To stimulate their imaginations, ask children to imagine what's on the riverbanks or what will the kayakers eat at the end of the race.

Learning Implications and Educator Support
To stimulate their imaginations, ask children to imagine what's on the riverbanks or what will the kayakers eat at the end of the race.

Create

What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Children may be creative if encouraged. See Implications for Learning and Adult Support.

How Parents Can Assist Learning
Try creating an pretend adventure for the Kayak Chaos game. For example, you could say, "We are all racing down the Grand Canyon. Every time its your turn, tell us something that you "see."

Learning Implications and Educator Support
Try creating an pretend adventure for the Kayak Chaos game. For example, you could say, "We are all racing down the Grand Canyon. Every time its your turn, tell us something that you "see."

Cognitive

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
To make the game easier to understand for children with cognitive delays eliminate the Tip the Kayak, Weather Shift, and Whirlpool cards. These cards require children to be able to envision what the river will look like after the transformation. This may be very difficult for children with delays or some types of learning disabilities. Play with the other cards only, until the child understands the game. Then add in the Weather Shift cards. These are the easiest perspective shifts to visualize. If children understand these add the Whirlpool cards. Final, if the child comprehend these, add the Tip the Kayak cards. The Life Saver card may also be removed for the most simple version and added back in when the perspective shift cards are added in.

Communication

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Pretend you are really on a Kayak trip. Each player must make a statement about the trip before playing a card. For example, "I am going down the Colorado River." The child then plays a card. " I see a deer." The child plays another card. "The deer is looking at me." The child plays the third card. Each player can either add to the first player's story or make up another one. This variation requires children to communicate ideas related to the river to others and, potentially, sequence ideas. If children cannot think of something to say, other players can ask them questions. For example, "What do you see on the bank of the river?" This helps children structure a thought and also learn to respond to questions. As an additional assist, an adult may add the beginning of a sentence, such as "I'm paddling..."

Sensorimotor

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Play the game. Then set up a river course in the living room. Make race lanes. Use pillows for rocks. Use only the Paddle and Swerve cards, plus the Lifesaver cards. An adult holds the cards and hands them out at each player's turn. Players take the number of steps in the directions indicated on the card. Players can only jump a pillow if they have a Life Ring card; otherwise they must go around the rock.
After playing the game several times ask the child to draw their own Kayak race course, complete with rocks and maybe other obstacles. The child then plays the game with the game cards and the child's race course. Make additions as needed. For example, if the child forgets to make spaces, these can be added together. This is a good supplemental activity for children with fine motor concerns.

Social Emotional/Behavioral

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children with poor social skills may need prompting to wait for their turn. A simple suggestion, such as "my turn," "John's turn," "One more, then it is your turn," can help structure turns. Children with autism or other social or cognitive issues may not understand another person's perspective. They think it should always be their turn. After several prompts using the same words, ask the child, "Whose turn is it now?" They may pick up on the sequence, even though they still would prefer it to be their turn!

Vision

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
For children with low vision use a black marker to outline the spaces on the river lanes to provide more contrast. You may also want to start with fewer river tiles to reduce visual complexity. Add additional pieces as the child moves forward.
For children with low vision, set up a river course in the living room. Make race lanes. Use pillows for rocks. Use only the Paddle and Swerve cards. An adult holds the cards and hands them out at each players turn. The adult reads the card and players take the number of steps in the directions indicated on the card. Adults provide directional cues as needed.

Hearing

Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children with hearing impairments should be able to play the game by just revealing their card and playing the moving the kayak.

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

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Play the game with the same rules, but start with eight cards for each player and put all the other cards face down in a draw pile. In this version, players may not discard any cards, except under one situation. If the cards the player has in his or her hand do not allow any movement forward, the player may discard two cards and draw two additional cards. On each turn, a player must play 2 cards. Play continues until all players have no cards or cannot play any more cards. Any unused cards are put in a pile off to the side. If no one has reached the finish, then deal out six cards to each player and repeat playing 2 cards at a time. If no one has reached the finish after this round, deal four cards and so on to two cards. Stop as soon as someone gets to the finish.

Materials Needed
No additional materials are needed.

Developmental Benefits
This expansion has the benefit of forcing players to make the best choice they can, even if they don't have the cards they want. Players must then analyze their cards very carefully to make a plan. This variation has the additional challenge of reducing the choices with each round of play, as players get closer to the finish line.

Extra Ways to Play the Game
Keep all rules the same except the life preservers can be used for an extra reason. The life preserver can be used to turn the river card totally upside down. The player(s) on the river tile that is turned over fall(s) off and must go to the first available spot on the next card UPSTREAM. This adds an extra element of excitement and risk to the game.

Materials Needed
No additional materials are needed.

Developmental Benefits
This expansion can actually send players back upstream, setting them back in the race. This adds a new defensive strategy to the game. Players must now consider more carefully the value of playing the life preserver card stop a harmful move or saving it for critical situation.