Rooby's ABCs
Rooby's ABCs
1-4 players • 10 min • 3 & up
Focus: Alphabet
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Fly high with Rooby Roo and ace your ABCs! Match uppercase and lowercase letters, spot letter sounds with fun pictures, and fill your board. Draw letter tokens, complete boards, and collect Rooby tokens. The player with the most Rooby tokens wins!
Skills: Letter Recognition, Alphabet Sequencing
Game Includes
Game Includes
- 5 Alphabet Boards
- 26 Letter Tokens
- 5 Rooby Tokens
- 26 Cover Chips
- 1 Storage Bag
- 1 Rules Booklet
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How to Play
Educational Standards
Not available for this product
Skills
Explore
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Players do explore the game board as the look for the letter that will be a match for the letter token they pick on their turn.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can watch how children play to see if they have any challenges finding a match. For example, if the child is holding the letter token upside down, remind them that the flat part of the token is the bottom. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Rooby's ABCs involves some spatial problem solving involved, as players need to visually search for the matching letter.
Educators may provide guidance if they see a child having difficulty finding a match. For example, if the child is holding the letter token upside down, remind them that the flat part of the token is the bottom. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Determine
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
There are several ways in which children use their determining skills, including, naming the letter on their token, where the matching letter is on a game board, the name of the image related to the letter (example, D is for Duck), and whether to use the upper or lower case side of the token they pick.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can watch how children play to see if they have any challenges finding a match. For example, if the child is is not using the correct side of their token, suggest that they turn it over and try again. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Rooby's ABCs involves basic reasoning skills as children look at tokens and game boards to make various determinations.
Educators may provide guidance if they see a child having difficulty finding a match. For example, if the child is is not using the correct side of their token, suggest that they turn it over and try again. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Compare
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Comparing is the primary skill developed playing Rooby's ABCs as children need to compare their tokens with spots on the game boards in order to find a match of either lower or upper case letters.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Parents can watch how children play to see if they have any challenges finding a match. For example, if the child is is not using the correct side of their token, suggest that they turn it over and try again. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Rooby's ABCs involves basic reasoning skills as children look at tokens and game boards to make various determinations.
Educators may provide guidance if they see a child having difficulty finding a match. For example, if the child is is not using the correct side of their token, suggest that they turn it over and try again. Another example would be the child not looking at the correct game board. You can point to the correct board to help narrow the choices for the child to explore.
Remember
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Children have to remember the names for the pictures on the boards. In the Try This version players need to remember the sequence of the alphabet.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
If children do not know the name of an image on the board, parents can use that as a moment to teach the name, such as duck, to their child. If possible, show the child other examples of the thing such as pictures, drawings or an actual living duck.
If a child does not remember the name, try asking questions or using other prompts to help spark their memory. For example, if the image is the duck, you might ask, "TWhat bird says quack?" or you might try quacking like a duck.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Rooby's ABCs can be an opportunity to learn vocabulary, as well as use light memory skills for the names of images or the sequence of the alphabet.
Educators may want to supplement the game with other materials to help children learn the names of the images, and the phonics associated with the first letter of each.
Similarly, teaching or using the alphabet song during the Try This verion of the game would help children learn and remember the sequence of the alphabet.
Practice
What Does Child Do To Use Skill In The Game?
Playing the game repeatedly helps children learn upper and lower case letters and to recognize the entire alphabet.
How Parents Can Assist Learning
Teaching or using the alphabet song during the Try This verion of the game would help children learn and remember the sequence of the alphabet.
Learning Implications and Educator Support
Teaching or using the alphabet song during the Try This verion of the game would help children learn and remember the sequence of the alphabet.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Special Needs
Cognitive
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
If children do not know the letters of the alphabet, they can still try to match the letters and name the item in the picture. Others playing the game can shout out the name of the letter. Once placed on the letter, all can say, the letter and the word that starts with that letter: “C is for cow.” With repetition of the game, children may start to recognize the letters.
Eliminate some of the letters and reduce the number of alphabet boards to help the child be more successful. Add new alphabet letters and boards as the child is able to increase their visual search and remember letters. The child can get up and dance when a board is completed. There will not be enough Rooby tokens to have a winner in this version, so when all boards are completed, all players get up and dance.
Communication
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children with speech and language issues should be able to play Rooby’s ABCs without modification. If they have trouble saying the pictured word, the other players can shout out the word and the child with speech or language issues can repeat the word after them. This will allow the child to practice sound imitation in a fun manner.
Acting out the word may alleviate some of the anxiety some children feel if they stutter or when they cannot pronoun a word correctly. It doesn’t matter if the child acts out the word in a recognizable way, as all players can see the picture they are demonstrating. After the player acts it out, all players can say the word together, taking the focus off of the child with speech concerns.
Sensorimotor
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
The letter tokens and boards in Rooby’s ABCs are large and should not be difficult to manipulate unless the child has challenging fine motor concerns. If the child has difficulty with manipulating objects, players can take turns removing a token from the bag for the child and placing it in front of them. The child can then name the letter, visually or physically identify where it goes, and name the item under it. The assisting player can then place the token on the board. Alternatively, the child with fine motor concerns can play with a partner.
Social Emotional/Behavioral
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Some players may have a hard time giving other players a turn. They may name the letter before the child who drew the letter has a chance to name it. Have players close their eyes until the child whose turn it is has a chance to name the letter. Then all players open their eyes and clap if it was name correctly. This encourages turn-taking and supporting each other.
If children get easily frustrated because they don’t know all the letters, they can play with a partner. Having someone to help identify the letters may ease anxiety.
Acting out the word may alleviate some of the anxiety some children feel about playing games where they are not confident. It doesn’t matter if the child acts out the word in a recognizable way, as all players can see the picture they are demonstrating.
Vision
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
The letters and pictures are large, but if the child has low vision a magnifying glass may help.
If visual search is difficult, other players can help locate the letter after the child identifies it, for example, point to the board the letter is on. A magnifying glass can then help the child identify the picture associated with the letter.
Hearing
Suggestions for How to Modify Play Experience
Children who are deaf can use sign language to make the letters and name the pictures.
Children who are hard of hearing should be able to still say the letters and words. Have all players show the letter they are matching to other players, so the child who is hard of hearing can follow the players actions and see if they are right.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Autism
Autism Strengths & Interests
Short Summary of Strengths & Interests
- Letter recognition
- Letter matching
- Sound-letter correspondence
Is good at matching visual items
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Rooby's ABCs is a visual matching game for both capital and lower case letters.
Has a good memory for sensory details, including visual, touch, taste and smell
This game is not appropriate
Has a good memory for words, phrases and dialouge
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
The game involves memory for letters and recognition of pictures of familiar items.
Has a good memory for pictures, numbers and patterns
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Rooby's ABCs requires matching. Memory of the alphabet pattern sequence is helpful for finding the letter on the board the players need to match.
Likes to put things in order or a sequence
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
The alphabet boards in Rooby's ABCs are all sequenced in the correct sequence prior to game play. This can be done by the players to practice that sequence. Knowing the sequence can also help players more quickly find the match they are looking for.
Learns through visualizing or "replaying" actions in their mind
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Children often repeat or "replay" the alphabet in their mind when trying to think about where in the alphabet a letter is found. Children with autism may be able to do this quite quickly.
Likes activities with rules, such as math and phonics
Is This Game Appropriate? No
Description
Rooby's ABCs does not represent all of the different sounds a letter can represent and the rules for those sounds, but rather introduces the most common sounds a letter makes as a foundation for later rule-learning.
Is very concrete and literal
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
The tiles in the game are concrete pieces to manipulate, but letters and their meaning are abstract. The pictures on the board are representations (abstractions) of real things. Therefore, Rooby's ABCs uses some real things to help children conceptualize the abstract meaning of the sounds of letters.
Learns in small "chunks" (for example, phone numbers are 3 chunks of number xxx-xxx-xxxx that are combined together)
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Children often learn the alphabet in chucks (l, m, n, o, p). This may help them identify where in the alphabet the letter can be found on the boards.
Is good at nonverbal reasoning and logic
Is This Game Appropriate? No
Description
The game is a matching game, so as such does not involve reasoning; but if the child can reason about where in the alphabet the letter is found (beginning, middle or end), it will speed up their search. In the advance play version of the game, nonverbal reasoning is enhanced by covering consonants. Allowing for children to reason the location of consonants within the alphabet related to vowels.
Likes spatial problem solving
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
There is some spatial problem solving involved, as players need to visually search for the matching letter. If they know where in the alphabet the letter is found (beginning, middle or end), it will speed up their search. In the advance play version of the game, nonverbal reasoning is enhanced by covering consonants. Allowing for children to reason the location of consonants within the alphabet related to vowels.
Can read well with good vocabulary, though may not fully comprehend content
Is This Game Appropriate? No
Description
This game does not require players to read, however, learning letters and letter sounds are foundational for early reading.
Likes to use and has good fine motor skill
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Manipulating the tiles is part of the game. Although not a challenging task, children who like manipulating pieces will be able to do so in Rooby's ABCs.
Likes established routines or set ways of doing things
Is This Game Appropriate? Yes
Description
Rooby's ABCs builds upon the consistency of the alphabet sequence and the standard capital and lower case letters. Children who recognize or visually match letters will be able to play this game well. One routine aspect is the collection of Rooby token after player completes board.
Likes manipulating, constructing or building things
This game is not appropriate
Likes to use and has good musical abilities
This game is not appropriate
Likes to use and has good drawing skills
This game is not appropriate
Autism Special Considerations
Appears to ignore other's communication and/or has difficulty giving eye contact to a communication partner
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Rooby's ABCs does not require eye contact to play, players can look at the tokens and the boards. Players do need to name the letter and the picture under the letter on the letter boards, but additional communication is not needed.
Has difficulty understanding complex verbal directions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
The directions for Rooby's ABCs are very straightforward. Some children may need a demonstration first to clarify directions.
Uses vocabulary inaccurately or demonstrates echolalia (repeating another's speech)
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Some children with echolalia may repeat what other players say. Encourage other players to use the echolalic speech as a form of communication. For example, if a player picks out a letter "y" and says "y" and the child with autism named Malcolm repeats that, the player can show the letter and say, "Yes, Malcolm. You are right! This is the letter "y"." If the child with autism repeats the player's statement "Y is for yoyo, the player should point to the picture of the yoyo and comment, "Yes, Malcolm. Y is for yoyo." This interaction tells Malcolm his words are being taken as part of a conversation. It also encourages the other players to communicate with Malcolm during the game.
Gets stuck repeating a verbal topic or physical actions and/or has difficulty attending to others' actions or topic.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
If the child's actions or verbalizations are distracting to other players, provide a fidget toy or other movement activity in-between the child's turns.
Has difficulty producing speech/communication
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Letters are able to be identified with use of tokens. Modify the game by allowing children with speech productions issues to not say the word aloud, point to image or act out image (ie. Quack like a duck).
Has difficulty sequencing multi-step actions and/or doing complex abstract tasks
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
If child had difficulty producing or sequencing actions, verbal and/or physical prompting will be needed from other players. Can be done with or without a partner.
Demonstrates difficulty initiating and maintaining social interactions
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
No modifications are needed because social interactions are not required for the game; but they should be encouraged.
Acts out or demonstrates avoidance behaviors when frustrated, overwhelmed, or needs more sensory input.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Unless letter and pictures are of interest to child, this game may not be motivating and may result in avoidance and negative behavior.
Has short attention span for non-preferred activities
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? No
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Unless letter and pictures are of interest to child, this game may not be motivating and may result in avoidance and negative behavior.
Needs sameness or consistent routines and/or has difficulty with transitions from one activity to another
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? No
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
Unless letter and pictures are of interest to child, this game may not be motivating and may result in avoidance and negative behavior. For transition, utilize manipulatives of game to encourage child to take interest in subject of the game.
Has difficulty understanding others' feelings, intentions, and the reasons for others' actions.
Is This Game Appropriate for Child with Characteristic? Yes
Can Child with Characteristic Play Game w/o Modification? Yes
Strategies for Developing Compensatory Skills:
No modifications are needed because recognitions of others' feelings/thoughts are not required for the game.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
Extended Play
Extra Ways to Play the Game
Have children act out the word pictured after the letter match, and then all players say the word together.
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
Acting out a word requires the child to envision the meaning of the word and actions associated with it. Words are abstractions, actions are concrete, so dramatizing a word makes it more meaningful.
Extra Ways to Play the Game
Some players may have higher level skills. For these players, add the sound the letter makes. First, say the name of the letter, then make the letter sound, then name the picture, emphasizing the first sound.
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
Children learn to read by associating sounds with letters and letter sounds with with words. Making letter sounds is an important step. This adaptation helps the child think about the sound before saying the word that starts with that letter.
Extra Ways to Play the Game
After a player labels a picture that goes with a letter, all players say the word while clapping out the syllables (e.g. “ze-bra” two claps).
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
Part of learning to read is understanding sound segments in a word. Clapping out the syllables in a word helps children hear the parts of a word, which will eventually help them sound out or decode a word.
Extra Ways to Play the Game
After naming the picture associated with a letter on the board, the player names another word that starts with that letter. This allows learners to hear the sound-letter relationship one more time. Without a picture, players focus more on the sounds. Players then all agree whether the new word starts with that sound/letter.
Materials Needed
No additional materials needed.
Developmental Benefits
Children need to be able to not only identify a letter, but produce the sound the letter represents. This extension requires players to think about the sound the letter represents, then think about the words they know that start with this sound.
*Data compiled from CCSSI ELA Standards, WA Science Standards, and Washington Social Studies Standards
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How to Play Video & Transcript
Join Rooby Roo and soar through the sky learning the letters of the alphabet in both uppercase and lowercase.
You can play Rooby’s ABCs with 1-4 players, ages 3 and up!
Rooby’s ABCs is good for developing Letter Recognition Skills as players learn to identify the names and shapes of letters in both uppercase and lowercase as well as letter sounds by reciting the names of the matching pictures.
Rooby’s ABCs also helps with Alphabet Sequencing. Players learn the order in which letters follow each other in the alphabet and are introduced to left-to-right letter progression.
• First, choose which side of the alphabet boards you wish to play - uppercase or lowercase letters.
• Place the alphabet boards in the correct order on the floor or a table. Have players seated in front of the boards so the letters are oriented properly and not viewed from the side or upside down.
• Place the matching Rooby token over the plane on each alphabet board.
• Put all the letter tokens in the bag and shake it to mix them up.
• Each player draws a letter token from the bag; the player that draws the letter closest to A goes first. Place all the letters back in the bag.
• For this version, leave the solid blue cover chips in the box
Players take turns drawing a letter token from the bag and identifying its match to determine where on the five alphabet boards to place it. When a player places the last letter token and a board is complete, they collect a Rooby token. Collect the most Rooby tokens and win the game.
On your turn, draw one letter token from the bag and place it on the matching space on a board. Each letter token has a flat bottom side to show how the letter should be viewed when right side up. Out loud, share both the name of the letter you picked and what is pictured under that letter. This ends their turn.
After placing your letter token, pass the bag to the next player on your left. Play continues clockwise.
When a player places the last letter token on an alphabet board, the banner is complete. This player collects the Rooby token and places it in front of themselves.
Play continues until all the letter tokens have been drawn from the bag and all Rooby tokens have been collected. The player with the most Rooby tokens is the winner. If there is a tie, the players share the victory.
To make the game play more challenging, use the cover chips. For this version, during setup, cover each of the blue consonant spaces on the boards with one chip. Leave the orange vowel spaces uncovered to help identify the sequence.
The players now try to find the correct position for the letter tokens, reciting the relevant part of the alphabet if helpful. After drawing a letter token from the bag, the player lifts the cover chip where they want to place the token.
If the letter on the space matches the letter on the token:
The player places the letter token on the space, then places the cover chip back in the box. It is now the next player’s turn.
If the space shows a different letter from the token:
The player places the cover chip back on the space, then puts the letter token back into the bag, and it is the next player’s turn.
When a player removes the last cover chip from an alphabet board and all the letters including the vowels have letter tokens on them, the banner is complete.
The player wins the Rooby token and places it in front of themselves.
The player with the most Rooby tokens is the winner.
If there is a tie, the players share the victory.
Come soar with Rooby Roo as you learn your letters with Rooby’s ABCs!
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