I do math enrichment tutoring with gifted kids ranging in age from 7 to 13. We spend the last few minutes playing a game--this one is everybody's favorite. It is a snap to learn to play, but developing strategies is not such a snap. The game lends itself to helping your opponent, and even my very competitive young charges will point to a better move for me when they see one!

This has been a handy set of tiles to have on hand whenever children and boredom threaten to mix. It's a simple game, elegantly presented, and perfect for what it is.

We have played it both competitively and cooperatively (or 'multi-person solitaire'). It's been a pastime while waiting in restaurants, a side activity to occupy children while adults are conversing (and also playing), and a cutthroat game in parallel with Scrabble, with the turn of one game following the other.

With small children, simplify scoring to just counting the squares along contacting edges.