Games that teach kids to think ahead

Trickly is a set of classic games, drawn by hand in pen and coloured pencil, with a friendly coach called Fig. Instead of playing for your child, Fig asks the questions good players ask themselves: Can you win right now? What is the other player planning? Is anything of yours in danger?

The games

• ChessLadybirds versus blueberries, with a coach who spots danger. Ages 6+.
• Tic-tac-toeThe first strategy game: win, block, and learn the fork. Ages 4+.
• Four in a RowDrop counters, line up four, and learn to look up before you drop. Ages 5+.
• Dots & BoxesThe pen-and-paper classic: close boxes, and learn the chain tricks. Ages 6+.
• Snakes & LaddersClimb up, slide down, and count every hop. Ages 4+.

Why Trickly?

• Thinking, not tapping: every game rewards looking ahead.
• A coach who asks instead of tells, and offers a take-back after a slip.
• Free, with no ads, accounts or in-app purchases.
• Works offline on phones, tablets and computers, and installs like an app.
• Play together on one screen, or against the computer at one to three stars.

More for parents and teachers, and about Trickly and privacy.