A game for 1 or 2 players, Hop-Along can be played from the age of 6 and helps children with spatial skills, visual discrimination, ordering, and left-to-right scanning.
The only things needed to play are a set of playing cards and some sort of counter, like a coin, button, stone, or any small piece.
How Hop-Along Works
50 playing cards are laid out in 5 rows of 10 cards each and the counter is placed on the top left corner.
The goal of Hop-Along is to get the counter from the top left to the bottom right corner by moving it across the same rows (horizontally) or the same columns (vertically) in turns of one move each. The player that lands on the card at the bottom right corner is the winner.
Rules for Playing Hop-Along
After deciding who goes first, each player makes one move on every turn and the moves alternate between:
- The same suit: For example, if the counter is on the queen of hearts, the player must move in the same column or across the same row to another heart card.
- The same number: For example, if the counter is on the 6 of hearts, the next player must move in the same column or across the same row to another 6 card.
The game ends when a player gets to the bottom right-hand card.
Hop-Along Variation: Players compare who had the fewest moves to reach the last card.