Creative alphabet construction game for children

Abstract

A single player child's game where game sticks are cut to predetermined lengths from stock material to form groups of sticks with each group having a given length. The sticks can be formed into letters of the alphabet to form a fun and educational game. The result is an attractive game that promotes creativity in learning letters, words and other alphanumeric or numeric symbols. A reference board or guide board my be provided to provide predetermined stick positions to aid younger children to first form letters. Older children can form artistic variations on letters and use the letters to form words.

Description

BACKGROUND

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to the field of children's educational games and more particularly to an stick alphabet game that is particularly attractive to children and promotes creativity.

[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art

[0004] There are many games designed to teach children how to spell and read. Some games cause the child to draw or speak letters or words. Other games concentrate on reading words. In some cases, animals and other objects represent words.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,626 teaches a board game where upon rolling dice, players are given rounded and straight symbol component pieces. From these various shaped component pieces, they can assemble letters. The component pieces are flat and of constant color.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,078 teaches a method for folding pieces of paper into letters of the alphabet.

[0007] What is missing in the prior art is a game that is fun and at the same time teaches a single player child to form letters of an alphabet in an artistic way. Because children need and like to develop artistic qualities as well as root skills such as reading, a game that allows the child to be more creative as well as freedom to experiment with letters and words is needed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention relates to a game that allows a single child player to build letters of the alphabet from straight game sticks of different lengths. Because the game sticks are straight rather than curved, the child is forced to think how to make curved parts of letters from straight segments. This leads to more artistic expression from the child. This game causes the child to not just form words from letters and learn spelling, but to also form letters themselves from lines. Because there are many ways of forming a given letter from sticks, the child is encouraged to exercise artistic and aesthetic skills as well as the root skills of forming the letter in a way readable to others and forming words from the letters.

[0009] The present invention supplies the child with straight sticks of different lengths. These sticks can be colored with different colors at different ends and possibly shading or merging of colors along the stick to make the stick attractive and to make the final production have additional qualities of color as well as form. It should be noted however, that coloring the sticks is optional, and that any sticks of any color or appearance will work.

[0010] The sticks can have any cross-section with triangular or rectangular being preferred. The game can supply sticks in several different lengths with at least three different lengths being preferred. The first object of the game is to have the child (or adult for that matter) create letters of the alphabet from the different length sticks. The second object of the game is then to create words using letters. Generally, the game should supply enough sticks to create several words.

[0011] Because any particular letter of the alphabet can be made many different ways with straight sticks, the artistic skills of the child to create are enhanced at the same time as the child is learning the structure of letters and words.

[0012] The present invention thus relates to a game that is fun and at the same time enhances a child's artistic and cognitive skills while simultaneously teaching basic letter formation, reading, and word formation skills.

[0013] It should be noted that while the letters of the English alphabet are used herein for illustration, the scope of the present invention is not limited to English, but includes letters or symbols from any written language. Also, the present invention is not limited to just letters of an alphabet, but also can be used to form numbers, mathematical symbols, algebraic symbols, chemical symbols, or any other construction that can be made or approximated with line segments of different lengths. In particular, very short pieces or sticks can be used with some languages where dots, umlauts, or other such symbols or strokes are necessary. This is particularly necessary for Asian and Middle Eastern languages.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 shows sticks of three different lengths that might be supplied with the game.

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a single stick of the game that is tapered along its length.

[0016] FIG. 3A shows the formation of a word with sticks.

[0017] FIG. 3B shows a guide-board used to teach younger children how to form letters from sticks.

[0018] FIG. 4 shows a stick with different colors at each end.

[0019] FIG. 5 shows the formation of letters or words from sticks with different colors at each end.

[0020] FIG. 6 shows sticks with circular and triangular cross-sections.

[0021] FIG. 7 shows a box that can be used to supply the game.

[0022] FIG. 8A shows an end cross-sectional view of a possible method of packing sticks with triangular cross-sections and different lengths in the box of FIG. 7.

[0023] FIG. 8B shows a top view of the open box of FIGS. 7 and 8A.

[0024] FIG. 9 shows a cylindrical container for sticks.

[0025] It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the above illustrations, but rather includes many variations and other embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a side view of three sticks or short rods that can be used to form letters of the alphabet. While the present invention includes groups of sticks of any length, the preferred method is to use three different sizes. The preferred sizes are around 40 1, 60 mm 2 and 100 mm 3; however, many other sizes and lengths are possible. The sticks 1, 2, 3 can have any cross-section with triangular or rectangular being preferred. The game pieces or game sticks can be cut into the desired lengths from stock material.

[0027] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a possible stick with a taper from one end to the other. In this case one end 4 has a thicker cross-section than the other end 5. Again, while a square cross-section is shown in FIG. 2, it should be understood that any cross-section is within the scope of the present invention. It should also be understood that taper or shaped cross-section is optional and not necessary to the functioning of the invention.

[0028] FIG. 3A shows a plane view of a set of sticks aligned to form a simple word. Older children can simply form letters in any way they wish, younger children may need a guide-board or some sort of form upon which to form the letters and hence to initially learn the alphabet in a creative way. Such a guide-board 16 is shown in FIG. 3B. Here there are grooved out spaces 17 for the various letters to be formed. Only the letter A is shown in FIG. 3B; however, generally a guide-board could contain grooved out spaces for all the letters of an alphabet.

[0029] FIG. 4 shows a tapered stick that is colored or shaded differently on each end. One end 6 is lighter, or is colored differently, than the other end 7. Any colors or combination of colors can be used to enhance the pieces or sticks of the invention.

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a artistic version of the first five letters of the English alphabet made from three different lengths of sticks, each with different colored ends. It can be appreciated that many different artistic renditions of the various letters are possible, and that a child can explore creative and artistic abilities in forming different representations of the letters. In embodiments of the present invention, it is actually possible to develop mini-fonts of differently formed letters.

[0031] FIG. 6 shows sticks or pieces with a round cross-section 8 and a triangular cross-section 9. As has been previously stated, any cross-section is within the scope of the present invention. It can be seen that the pieces in FIG. 6 are tapered with one end being larger in cross-section than the other. Tapering is optional to make the sticks and letters created more interesting; however, pieces or sticks without tapering can be used.

[0032] It is also possible to make game-sticks that are of adjustable length. These sticks could be formed from telescoping tubes so that a child could choose or dial a desired length. This optional feature would increase the possibilities for artistic expression in the making of letters, numbers or symbols. It should also be noted that other forms and materials could be used to form game pieces that could be arranged to make letters or symbols. In particular, strips of velcro, magnets, plastic or wood materials, or any other material could be used to make the game sticks.

[0033] FIG. 7 shows a box 10 with a lid 11 that might be used to pack and supply the game pieces. Optionally, the lid could be on the end of the box 10. This box is optional to the present invention and can take any convenient form or not be used at all. FIGS. 8A and 8B show how pieces with triangular cross-sections could be packed in such a box. In FIG. 8A, it can be seen that each stick 12 is packed alongside another stick forming a rectangle. The rectangles are then laid lengthwise in the box 10. FIG. 8B shows sticks of three different lengths: short 15, medium 14 and long 13. Again, any number of different lengths can be used with the invention, and the pieces can have different cross-sections. In fact, it is possible that one set of sticks in one game could have pieces of different cross-section as well as length.

[0034] FIG. 9 shows a cylindrical container 18 that can optionally be used to supply the game pieces or sticks. This type of container can have a screw-off lid 19 or any other type of lid including a pull-off type. All containers are optional to the present invention. It should be understood that many other shapes of containers or boxes could be used to package, hold or supply the present invention as well as those that have been illustrated.

[0035] While, in this description of the present invention, no attachment or connection has been mentioned between the various pieces or sticks, it should be noted that it is possible to design a similar embodiment where the pieces are connected by any type of fastening means. In particular, the sticks could be fastened together with any type of connection device or with hook/loop material such as a material sold under the Registered U.S. Trademark VELCRO.

[0036] The present invention has been pictured and described to make it understandable and to show how it functions. It will be appreciated that many other possible variations and changes are possible and are all within the scope of the present invention. In particular, the scope of the present invention is not defined nor limited by the description or figures, but rather, is determined solely by the claims.

Claims

1. An alphabet game comprising:

a plurality of separate straight elongated members, said straight elongated members capable of being formed into any letter of an alphabet when arranged on a substantially flat surface to form a game, whereby children can arrange said elongated members to learn said alphabet.

2. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members have triangular cross-section.

3. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members have rectangular cross-section.

4. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members have cylindrical cross-section.

5. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members are wood.

6. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members are plastic.

7. The alphabet game of claim 1 wherein said straight elongated members are supplied in a plurality of different lengths.

8. The alphabet game set of claim 1 further comprising a guide-board with letter outlines, said straight elongated members being placed on said guide-board in predetermined positions to form each letter of an alphabet.

9. A child's game for learning letters of an alphabet, said game comprising a plurality of straight game sticks supplied in a plurality of different lengths, said straight game sticks being arranged by a child to form each letter of an alphabet, said letters of said alphabet optionally being further arranged by said child to form words or names in a language, whereby said child is aided in learning said alphabet or said language.

10. The child's game of claim 9 further comprising a guide-surface wherein said straight game sticks can be arranged in predetermined positions to form said letters of said alphabet, whereby said child is aided in initially learning to form said letters.

11. The child's game of claim 9 wherein said straight game sticks have triangular cross-sections.

12. The child's game of claim 9 further comprising a case wherein said straight game sticks are packed.

13. The child's game of claim 9 wherein said straight game-sticks are plastic.

14. The child's game of claim 9 wherein said straight game-sticks are multi-colored.

15. The child's game of claim 9 wherein said language is English.

16. The child's game of claim 10 wherein said letters of said alphabet on said guide-surface are arranged in predetermined positions to form words of said language.

17. A game method for teaching a child player letters or words, said method comprising the steps of:

cutting straight elongated game sticks from stock material into at least one predetermined length forming a game set, said game set containing groups of straight game sticks with each of said groups containing game sticks of a particular length;

presenting said groups of game sticks to a child;

encouraging said child to arrange said game-sticks into letters of an alphabet;

encouraging said child to pronounce a name for each letter so formed.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

encouraging said child further to form said letters into words of a language;

encouraging said child to pronounce each word so formed.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising having said child arrange said game sticks on a guide-board in predetermined positions to form letters of said alphabet, thereby aiding said child in learning said alphabet.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said game sticks have triangular cross-sections.