blue

The boys and I were playing Uno today.  I will say that playing Uno with a 3, 4 & 5 year olds is really fun and I suggest anyone who has the chance should *totally* take the time and teach young kids how to play.  It's not hard to teach at all.  It's really a lot like crazy 8s.  Be prepared, most kids play open handed (with all their cards out on the floor) so it's really hard to decide if you should A) cheat to win or B) cheat lose to booster esteem.  I have found a nice middle.  I usually don't cheat to win but I do play the best hand I have but I also guide the kids through their hand.  J has learned to play with his hand closed, A is just figuring out how to play. 

A only has two cards left: a wild and a yellow.  He has a red card to play on. 

Me:  Ok, you have a wild and a yellow. . .what do you want to do?  What card can you play?

A:  puts down the wild and looks at me

Me:  What is that card?

A:  a wild

Me:  good...so what do you get to do now?

A:  pick a color?

Me:  yep. . . what color do you want to play

A: blue! (that's his favorite color)

Me:  A,  you have a wild and a yellow, what do you want to play?

A:  a blue

Me:  A. . . do you have a blue?

A:  no

Me:  so can you play a blue?

A:  no

Me:  What can you play?

A:  a yellow

Me:  so what color should you play now?

A:  yellow

Me:  good job


Eye-i-i

* if you try to teach Uno make sure to take out the "special" cards:  skip, reverse, draw 2 and draw 4....it makes it hard to teach but once they get really good at Uno you can start to add them slowly on "special" card type at a time.