UNO

With Levi's love of numbers and colors, Isaac and I realized not too long ago that he might actually be able to play UNO, or at least a simplified version.  My in-laws had a set they were willing to lend out (because how often do they and great-Grandpa play UNO, really . . . ), so we removed all of the "action" cards (reverse, skip, draw two, etc.) and brought it home.

In the mood for something new, I brought it out today and asked Levi if he wanted to play a game.  He really has no idea what a "game" is, but when I mentioned matching colors and numbers, he sat down with great interest (though it took some convincing to have him sit facing me instead of on my lap).  I gave him and myself five cards each, and placed them face-up in front of us.  Each turn went something like this:

Me: I see a yellow four.  Do you have any yellow cards?
Levi: (nods, and usually declares its number)
Me: Yay!  You can match your yellow card on top of the yellow four.
Levi: Two (or whatever the number) top four.

Or . . .

Me: I see a yellow four.  Do you have any yellow cards?
Levi: No.
Me: Do you have a card with a four on it?
Levi: (nods)
Me: Yay!  You can match your four on top of the yellow four.

Or . . .

Me: I see a yellow four.  Do you have any yellow cards?
Levi: No.
Me: Do you have any fours?
Levi: No.
Me: Then you get to pick another card!  Is it yellow?  Is it a four?  Then put it down with your other cards.

Etc. and so on, with me playing my own cards in between, of course.  He was very serious about it.  I manipulated the game a tiny bit, more to keep the games short than to let him win, but even so, he won both games!  Not that he had any idea what "winning" meant . . .