加一笔变新字 Add A Stroke, Make a New Character

After my kids have learnt some Chinese characters,
I was looking for a way to teach them to analyse the characters they know,
to make connections, notice similarities and differences,
for example

• recognise which characters are 独体字 simple characters, or 合体字 compound characters
• identify the typical configurations of compound characters
• combine math and mandarin
• if we add only 1 stroke, what new character can we form?
• if we subtract 1 stroke?
• what radicals or words can we add to form a new character?
• if I multiply this character, can I form a new character?

This versatile set of 100 characters is a really fun way
to help our child find meaning in the characters they learn!

If you have 一, what will you get by adding a stroke?
Maybe 二，十，丁，厂，七 or even 乙!

How about 王?
If you add a stroke, you can get
玉，主，五，丑! Did you guess them all?

Why we love this set:

• very versatile - many ways to play
• handy to bring around - box is only about the size of an adult palm!
• encourage higher order thinking to help our kids to learn to analyse and manipulate characters, not just rote memorisation
  
• allow hands-on learning, perfect for kinesthetic learners
• can be used by a parent-child duo with guidance,
  slightly older child on his or her own, 
  or as a game with a sibling or friend!

Items included in set:

• 100 word cards with re-writable surface
  
• 3 whiteboard markers with eraser tip
• 1 mini whiteboard duster
• Suggested answer key
  with hanyu pinyin of answers
• Metal box with lid

Examples of characters in set

• 一
• 二
• 人
• 口
• 万 

and more!

Ways to play, tried and tested by My Story Treasury
with children from ages 3-10, and adults too!

• "Proper" way to play - add 1 single stroke to the character, to form a new one
• Single player, or double player to compete who can complete more cards or in a shorter timeframe
• On a piece of paper, challenge each other to write out all the different characters we can think of, 1 point for each answer
• Lay out a selection of the word cards, and use them to 造句 make sentences!
  eg 天 + 上 + 白 + 云 = 天上有白云，地下有小草。