Tool Time Tuesday...Recycled Cap Game

Happy Tuesday! I'm writing this Monday night with Internet and cable restored after a long weekend with hurricane Irene visiting. Thank you again for all your prayers for the east coast. So many areas are still without power and were devastated by water damage. Our 2 daughters were due to move into their university this past Sunday, but the school is still without power. No telling when it will be restored.

Today's Tool Time is a recycling project. An old fashion game in honor of roughing it with no technology or electronics this weekend... a matching cap game!!

I used caps from water bottles. Try to save the same kind or color for the game. Save something that you use a lot of...milk caps, soda bottle caps, juice bottles etc.

Here's the top and the inside of the caps...

For the matching game, measure the inside of the cap...usually inside the lip of the lid. You can also find a coin that fits in there to use as a stencil.

Now for the matching part of the game. You can use anything, but make sure you have 2 of each picture.

• letters
• shapes
• food
• animals
• numbers
• colors

You can get them from the...

• computer
• magazines
• fabric with shapes on them (I Spy fabric)
• old books
• scrap book paper
• paint chips from the hardware store

I used the alphabet. You can just print the alphabet or numbers and cut out the circle.

Towards the end of the post, I show you how to make the circles on the computer.

Cut out the shape...

and glue inside.

After you fill in all the caps with 2 of each letter or what ever item you chose, the game is all set to go.

Game instructions...

The kids can turn over all the caps to hide all the letters. Slide them around to mix them up. Then they each take turns turning over 2 caps trying to match 2 of the same item. They need to memorize where the items are to match them again on another turn.

The one with the most matches at the end of the game wins!!

Remember you can use a coin to trace the shape too, but here is the computer version for a circle.

Microsoft word...click Insert (circled in black) Click the pictures to enlarge to see it better.

Then click "Shapes"

Drop down selection you will click oval, but that makes a circle too.

Over to the far right is a measuring box. My caps were .75 of an inch across. When you put your measurements in, the circle forms in that shape.

Double click on the circle and then to the far left click the button to insert text in the circle.

Don't forget to print 2 of each one!! I didn't do the whole alphabet yet, just wanted to show you the basics.



This is not only a great game for kids to learn their letters, numbers, colors etc...it's also great for their memory.

Store the game in a little bag and it travels easily too! Perfect to keep the kids busy while waiting at appointments.

Have fun making this game with them and then playing it!!

Have a great Tuesday,

~Karen~