We cannot get enough of quick logic games. My boys love the strategizing, blocking opponents, and playing with each other and their friends, and Battle Sheep almost always gets pulled out first when we have friends over to play!
It’s a quick game and takes about 20 minutes to play, start to finish. Two to four people can play together, beginning at age 6 or 7 years old.
Each player chooses a stack of colored sheep, and just look at those sassy animals. Every disc pictures a different sheep, and most are ready to go to battle for the pasture! Some are just in it for a good time…but sheep are good followers so they’ll do what you say. :)
After each player has a stack of sheep, everyone also takes 4 pasture tiles and lays them down, one at a time, until the board is formed. Because the players create the board, it’s different every time and some arrangements are definitely more challenging than others!
Each player begins by putting their entire stack of sheep on a hexagon in front of them along the exterior border of the playing board.
On a player’s turn, he must move his stack of sheep as far as it can go in a straight line. He can split his stack any way he chooses, but at least one sheep must stay behind, and the goal is to occupy as many spaces on the board as possible.
As the board fills up, possible moves become more limited and players can intentionally block each other.
We first played this game at a community Pi Day Party on 3/14. Families bring math games and we have pie and it’s the best day of the year for game lovers!
Battle Sheep is an excellent game for developing math brains and helps stimulate and improve abstract thinking, logic, and strategy. Players have to get comfortable planning their own moves and anticipating their opponent’s. Some moves are a gamble, but thinking your way through this game is a great GAMESCHOOLING exercise!
Battle Sheep works well with mixed ages, although older players will have better strategy than younger ones. For a real challenge, play with your favorite adults and see how you do!!
We love Battle Sheep for gameschooling math, and we think you will too. Thanks to Blue Orange Games for sharing it with us!
