Game for teaching manual dexterity and eye-had coordination in children of tender age

Abstract

An improved game for teaching manual dexterity and improving eye-hand coordination using tools appropriate for very small children to hold and operate is disclosed. Moreover, an improved simplified marble game for teaching rule-following for very young children to provide a transition to more difficult and more complicated games as they age is disclosed herein.

Description

[0001]This non-provisional patent application is filed in reference to its predecessor provisional application filed on Feb. 25, 2013 and assigned Ser. No. 61 / 650,925.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates generally to games of physical skill, and more specifically to a game played by children of a relatively tender age using playing pieces within a circumscribed area, such as, in its simplest form, a circle. The present invention further involves the manipulation of the playing pieces, specifically marbles, with each player using a special tool, developed for use with the game.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]In the past, the relatively simple children's game of marbles was played within a circle or a generally circular area scribed on the ground. The winner was the player who collected the most marbles from the circle. Typically, when the game was played on a well-worn playground during school recesses, the circle was drawn on the ground and the players effectiv...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved game for teaching manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination that includes game apparatus comprising a common playing area or arena for the individual playing pieces, and a plurality of individual playing pieces.

[0017]Another of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved game for teaching manual dexterity and eye-hand coordination that includes means for the indirect handling of playing pieces, comprising tools for each player with handles easily held by very small hands. The tool basically comprises a tube of indeterminate length and of a diameter large enough to admit the game marbles assigned each individual player and a neutral marble, distinguishable from all players' marbles within the tube. One end of the tube is designed to “pick up” said marbles when the player places that end of the tube over the marble. The opposite end of the tube is attached to a rounded, globular handle designed for ease of grasp and control by small hands. The shape of the handle is not critical to the invention, as long as it is “designed for ease of grasp and control by small hands.” The distance between the end of the tube for capturing the marbles and the handle for manipulation of the tube is designed such that the indirect nature of manipulation between the point of capture and the player's hands is to require skill in its operation and to develop eye-hand coordination in the young player.

[0018]Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved game for teaching manual dexterity which game is particularly suited to play by small children, and which game components are devoid of sharp edges and other hazards to small children.

[0019]A final object of the present invention is to provide an improved game for teaching manual dexterity for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purpose.

Problems solved by technology

The prior art of games, generally, includes many games for play by children and adults that use marbles or other game pieces but still does not achieve the goals and benefits of the instantly claimed invention, particularly as regards ease of play by children of a tender age.

The frame includes means to cause the rotation thereof when triggered by a sound, thus causing the receptacles to move and making it more difficult for a player to place any playing pieces in the receptacles.

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