Shared by Mary, The Game Lady This fun dice game can be played just as it is for easy addition practice, or add skill cards and use the game as a generic gameboard.
To Make:
I taped two file folders together on the back side using wide clear packing tape. The pictures were cut from some children's books on dinosaurs and attached to the file folders using glue stick. Then using white 3/4 inch circle stickers I created the path. I put small fuzzy dinosaur stickers on a few of the path spaces. I covered the game using clear Contact paper...four sheets, one for each section of the file folders.
Preparing the Dice:
Three standard dice are required for this game. The dice may be used just as they are. However, since I was able to find some small fuzzy dinosaur stickers, I placed one of these on each dice on top of the ONE dot.
To Play:
Each player's turn requires three shakes of the dice. For the first shake, the player uses three standard dice. He saves the largest number and sets this die aside. Then he shakes the two remaining dice, again saving the highest numbered dice and setting it aside. The last die is shook and kept. The total of the three dice is the players score for this turn. He moves his gamepiece this number of spaces along the path. He may take another turn now or pass the dice to the next player.
HOWEVER, there are some additional conditions. Any time a player shakes the dice and all the dice shaken are dinosaurs (or ONES)....this is called EXTINTION. The penalty for an extinction can vary depending on the age of the children playing, or simply which rule the players agree upon:
1. The player's turn simply ends.
2. The player's turn ends AND he moves back to the next dinosaur space.
3. The player's turn ends AND he moves back to the spaces where this TURN began. If this rule is being used, it is important to have a marker (a penny works well) or indicate the beginning space for the turn.
4. The player's turn ends AND he moves back to the beginning of the gameboard. (This rule can make for a long game. However, it was the way my grandsons usually chose to play....maybe because it WAS a long game.)
To Use as a Generic Gameboard:
Simply add skill cards of your choice. These can be required at the beginning of each player's turn, OR before every shake of the dice. An incorrect answer can be treated the same as an EXTINCTION or by any other agreed upon rule.