Youngster

Chinese checkers probably do not come from the Far East, despite their name. On the other hand, Chinese checkers are a variant of the game Halma, a game created in England at the end of the 19th century by the American George Howard Monks, who invented a game called Halma, a name derived from the ancient Greek meaning "jump" but also an ancient pentathlon event. This first version of the game is played on the grids of a 16x16 square board. The version we know today was adapted under the name Stern-Halma (Halma: star) and patented in 1892 by the German company Ravensburger. This version of the game is played on a star-shaped game board. However, it can be seen that there is a rather similar version on a star-shaped board in Asia... When the game was first marketed in the United States by the company J.Pressman & Co. under the name "Hop Ching", the expression "Chinese Checkers" was used for the first time. However, this game in its initial square form is still called "Halma" in many countries... Gift idea for playing with the family, a very nice wooden board game gift. Original gift idea for a birthday, or for the end of the year celebrations.

The puzzles, an original wooden game gift, are from Greece. The first puzzle game dates back to the third century. This gift idea for teenagers, young people, mothers or men is an unusual gift that can be played alone or in groups. But what is a puzzle? It's a game that starts from a situation that is usually random and disordered and ends in a well-defined order, following predetermined rules. There are different types of puzzles, geometric games (i.e. mathematical games), logogram games, numerical games, card games, so the best-known puzzle is undoubtedly success, etc... But the best-known puzzles are the Puzzle and the Rubik's Cube... The first puzzles were called "Stomachion", a square game divided into 14 parts, which had to be put together in a predetermined order and could be combined in many different shapes. Puzzles were very popular at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. Professor Hoffmann published a book with the title: "Puzzles old and new." It described 40 puzzles with all the secret mechanical details. This puzzle book has become a reference for this exciting type of game. Wood is undoubtedly the most suitable material for puzzles, despite the fact that it is easy to work with, such as plastic.

Dominoes can be played almost anywhere, whether they are made of wood or plastic. In the past, dominoes were made of bone or even ivory. So there are many different kinds of dominoes with countless variations, some of which are very amusing. A domino is made up of simple blocks that can be combined and assembled in many ways from very simple to very complex. It is a game that requires and demands a lot of skill and strategy. There are Chinese, English and European dominoes.... Archaeologists have reportedly found dominoes in ancient Egypt and among the Arabs, but the origin of the domino is attributed to China around the 12th century. Dominoes first appeared in Europe in Italy in the 18th century and from that time onwards they spread throughout Europe. Dominoes became the most played game in living rooms, pubs and families, becoming one of the most popular games. Dominoes are played by 2 or 4 people with 28 blocks. Each block is divided in two on the top side and has numbers (but not always), sometimes the same, but often different, but always unique. The principle of the game is to take turns following a pattern with your blocks, block by block, trying to match the identical face of your block to the identical face of the competitor's block. When a player cannot place a domino, he picks a piece and passes his turn. The winner is the one who has placed all his dominoes. This giant domino is a classic game gift, an original gift idea for a birthday or an unusual gift for the holidays.

Do you know the board games: Pachisi (Indian), Patolli (Mesoamerican), Ludo and the little horses? You win! They have an apron (playing surface) in the shape of a cross. However, all these games have a filiation that goes back very far in the history of civilisations, although they are called differently. Some have similar rules like the Korean game: "Yunnori", of Chinese origin, but the game board is different. And these board games were eventually called Ludo in Great Britain and "petits chevaux" in France. They were introduced in the United States and France around 1936. However, the rules and the number of squares where the little horses move to pass and go around may not be the same depending on the size of the game and the dressing of the small horse games or Ludo. However, even if the rules of the small horses or even if the boards are different, the fun of the game is still there. Nowadays, the variations of Ludo pawns are very important; pirates, small animal, Lego etc. When I was little, I used to go to my grandparents' house very often and the game of little horses was one of the first board games I played with my grandfather. The Ludo "Islands of the pirates" is a good birthday present for the little ones who often like pirate stories and cartoons.

The Mikado is for those who do not know, a game consisting of many chopsticks, which are painted in several colours, each colour having a different value. The first step of the game is to gather all the chopsticks vertically and on their tips. Then you release them so that the pile is as untidy as possible and the chopsticks are nested on top of each other. Then the game consists of removing one stick at a time from the pile, but the main goal is not to move the other sticks.... You can remove one stick above or below the pile. If unluckily you move the other sticks you immediately pass your turn and the opponent can play. You can continue to remove sticks until you have moved one or more other sticks. At the end of the game, the points accumulated are added up, so if you have managed to take the sticks worth the most points by taking the most badly placed but most valuable sticks you will be declared the winner. Obviously, the added value of the game we offer is the size of the game which is Giant, so it is a game to offer as an original gift, an unusual gift as a kdo idea for a young person, a perfect board game gift. A birthday gift idea for older children.

5 MOMENTS THAT MARKED THE HISTORY OF CHESS 1. The coronation of the queen: In 1450, chess knew the coronation of the queen. To make the games faster, it was decided to allow the queen to go as far as desired and in all directions. 2 Staunton pieces: Howard Staunton, who was a great chess player, had unique pieces built. These pieces are still used today as a world standard in his name. 3. The clock: In 1861, the first chess clocks appeared, making the games much faster and more dynamic, and therefore, much more competitive. 4. The first world champion: Wilhelm Steinitz is the first world champion in 1886. 5. the age of silicon: IBM creates a computer capable of beating the world champion of the time, Garry Kasparov, in 1989. Chess game as a tool for reconstruction Throughout history, games and sports have helped humanity survive times of crisis by reducing anxiety and improving mental health. In 2020, while restrictions imposed to limit the spread of COVID-19 have severely limited most of these activities, chess has shown remarkable resilience, adaptability and convening power in times of pandemic. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, general interest in chess has doubled, with an increase in the number of players gathering to participate in chess events on online platforms.

To play Ludo (small horses or dada in France, Belgium), you need to be four and have a dice and 4 counters, farm animals or small horses whose colour corresponds to the starting box. The colour is drawn at random before starting the game which runs in the same direction as the clockwise direction. To start the race in this little gift game, the participants must roll a 6, which then allows them to get out and stand right in front of the box. The number 6 allows them to play again. To progress on this game, gift ideas for children, participants must roll a dice and move their mount forward by the same amount. If you roll a 5, for example, and you arrive exactly on a square where there is already an opponent's pawn, this pawn will have to go back to its stable and start the game again and you will take its place on the board. The winner is the one who arrives first at the centre of this ideal board game gift and ideal birthday present, while crossing the ladder opposite his starting "box" at the end of a compulsory turn of the board. To climb up, the number indicated on the ladder must be achieved: One on the one, two on the two, etc. Obtaining a different number does not allow you to move your horse or, in this case, your farm animal forward. Who will win the race? The donkey, the sheep, the mouse or the cow? A nice gift for children who love animals.