Game Bananagrams

Posted in Uncategorized on 06/25/2009 01:00 pm by admin

What Bananagrams is about?

Bananagrams is a new and fun form of one of my all times favorite; scrabble. The rules have been twitched to make it easier and solve briksy situtations. No different values for different leters, no irritation because they stole your spot, no anything of that.

The new rules ar simple and beatiful: each player has its own set and the main task is to find a place for all the letters in your own self made cross words.

Why I trully love it?

My son had trouble with spelling and reading to the point that his teacher asked me to add some attention to it from home or he was not gonna make it. So I lokked around and found this game in Amazon, it was love at first sight.

I bought it for Christmas and since then, we changed our evening routine to add a game to it. No more TV or videogames for us.

His development skyrocketed. We play with the dictionary at hand and look for words on it. We also use story books and try to make the cross words with the different words of the book.

And now he is reading…

I know… there are tons of other ways to encourage development, and probably the time invested in him was the most important element to the mix.

BUT, and this is important for me, WE all had FUN!!!

Bananagrams as a tool for child reading and spelling skills. I tried two different methods that worked pretty well.

The dictionary game:
1) We would think of a word looking at the letters.

2) Then look the word up in the dictionary to check it was spelled right.
3) Then make the word.
4) I usually also read the meaning and we talk about it.

and The cross along game:

We start reading a book and build the words that we can as we go. This is really fun.

Well, I really love this game and thought my experience with it worht it to be shared.

So, if you want to buy this Bananagrams game, and I really recomend that, click here!

I hope you like it.

 

My best strategy in Bananagrams.

Posted in Uncategorized on 06/25/2009 12:50 pm by admin

Bananagrams Strategy

Hi everyone, I want to tell you about my strategy. I have already played this game 1000 times and it’s verry cool and easy but if you want to win, you need some strategy’s, here is mine:

The first strategy is to begin to arrange your letters as you flip them over. Rather than racing to get your letters turned up first, take an extra second to begin forming words. Every time you touch a letter or concentrate on it unnecessarily is a moment of advantage you give to the other players.

Do NOT dump unless it is absolutely necessary. By the time you have given up hope on a letter, another player will announce, “Peel”, and it just may be that the next drawn letter is the one you need to form a word with the letters you already have. The one letter that might appropriately be dumped is “Q”. However, note that if you are stuck with a “Q” and have no “U” in front of you there is one easy and legitimate “Q” word (in most dictionaries) that does not require a “U” – “Qat”. If your opponents question it, it is a tropical evergreen plant (also known as khat).


Bananagrams


When placing letters keep in mind those that can easily be cannibalized later, especially letters used to make two-letter words that are connected to longer words. This allows you to remain flexible when you are peeling single letters from the bunch. Don’t hesitate to pull letters out of the middle of a word if you need them. The hesitation will cost you more than the time it takes to push two sets of words together.

Don’t worry too much if another player begins to “peel” and “peel” again. This seldom goes on for long as this usually means that he or she is forming quick two-letter words and the available spots are sure to give out soon. Or he may run into a difficult letter.

“K”, “C”, “J” and “Z” all tend to be “peel”-stoppers. However, keep in mind that there are many common words that contain the letter “Z” even if not many words begin with “Z”. Four letter words with consonant-vowel-Z-E can usually be quickly put together. “J” is probably tougher to handle than “Z”. Keep your eye out for common 3-letter words that begin with “J” such as “jar”, “jam”, “jag”, “jig”, “jib”, et al. “C” and “K” often require more creativity. Just don’t forget the usual letter combinations that often are needed for a “K”, such as “KN”, “NK”, and “CK”. Plus there is always the old standby, most letters (except “J” and “Q”) can be easily formed into words with a silent “E” ending.

The distribution of vowels and consonants is very well suited to the English language. However, you will occasionally get a fluke hand that is unbalanced with one or the other. Work with what you have BEFORE you decide to dump. Only dump before forming any words if you only have one or the other with no hope of forming ANY words.

I have used this strategy and win hundreds time, but remember – be polite. :) Have fun. You can buy it here.

 

How to play Bananagrams

Posted in Uncategorized on 06/25/2009 12:21 pm by admin

How to play Bananagrams

One of the beauties of the game of Bananagrams is the simplicity and elegance of the rules. To start the game simply open the Bananagrams bag and dump the letters out onto the table. Turn all of the 144 tiles face-side down.
Next, each player draws a number of tiles depending on the number of people playing the game. For 2-4 people, 21 tiles each. For five or six players, 15 tiles each. For seven or eight players, have each player draw 11 tiles. As soon as all the players have drawn their requisite number of letters, some player, any player, says, “Split!” This is the signal for the players to begin flipping letters and creating words.

The words created must connect and intersect in a manner similar to a crossword or as is familiar in the game “Scrabble”. When a player uses up all of his or her letters, he or she states, “Peel!” Then all the players must draw another letter. Players can rearrange their letters as often as they like, even letters they have already placed. (If you draw a “Q” and you need a “U” that is in the middle of another word, it can be pulled out as long as the resulting recombinations ultimately form words.)

If a letter is drawn that seems impossible to place, a player may call out “Dump!” and exchange this letter for three others. No other player should take a tile on a dump.

How to win in this crossword game?

Play goes on until there are less tiles in the bunch than there are number of players. Then the first person to use all of his or her remaining letters says, rather excitedly, “Bananas!” This person will be the winner of the “hand” if all of his words check out. All of the players now inspect the “winning” hand. Each word is scrutinized for legality. A legal word is one found in a dictionary (the volume should be agreed upon in advance). There is no penalty for challenging a player’s word. If an illegal word is found in the played “hand”, that player is declared a “rotten banana” and is out of the hand. His tiles are returned to the bunch, and play is resumed as before.

Each hand may be its own game or players may wish to keep track of the number of hands won and play to a certain number of victories.


Bananagrams


Thats all. I hope you like this post.