Eli Whitney Museum

Games are the perfect pairing of play and learning. To be interesting, a game must require learning — sometimes mastering rules and strategy, sometimes developing dexterity, often both. To be successful, a game must be fun and rewarding. UNiCEF’s Games of the World ©1975 has been an invaluable guide.

Long, long ago games found their rules scratched in dirt. Stones, or seeds or wood bits became the players. In every region of the world, some games became so popular that fans created boards to standardize rules and to make play portable. Much later, manufacturers took over.

Construct a collection of games from around the world — some with boards, others without. Decorate them with colors and patterns reminiscent of their origins. Build a box to store and carry your work. Learn the rules and play. In place of buttons or batteries, these tried and true games favor challenges, strategy, and hours of companionship, rivaling any contemporary game you know.