HOUSEHOLD TASK MANAGEMENT GAME AND METHOD THEREFOR

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to child training games and methods and more particularly pertains to a new household task management game for organizing and managing the household tasks and chores to be performed by children in the household in a fun way using both rewards and consequences.

(2) DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART INCLUDING INFORMATION DISCLOSED UNDER 37 CFR 1.97 AND 1.98

The prior art relates to child training games and methods. The prior art, as best understood, does not disclose a household task management game that includes a set of household task cards, a set of identification cards, a set of reward cards, and a set of consequence cards that are usable for organizing and managing the household tasks and chores to be performed by children in the household in a fun way using both rewards and consequences.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above in a household task management game generally comprising a set of household task cards, a set of identification cards, a set of reward cards, and a set of consequence cards. Each of the set of household task cards lists a different household task to be performed by a child. Each of the set of identification cards has an identification side that includes an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, which information includes a name of a child and at least one household task drawn randomly from the set of household task cards with an expected due date of completion. Each of the set of reward cards lists a different pleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a reward for completing at least one randomly drawn household task. Each of the set of consequence cards lists a different unpleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a consequence for not completing at least one randomly drawn household task.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a household task management game according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure in use.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 6 thereof, a new household task management game embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6, the household task management game generally comprises a set of household task cards 12, a set of identification cards 14, a set of reward cards 16, and a set of consequence cards 18. Each of the set of household task cards 12 lists a different household task to be performed by a child. Each of the set of identification cards 14 has an identification side 20 that includes an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written, which information includes a name of a child and at least one household task drawn randomly from the set of household task cards 12 with an expected due date of completion. Each of the set of reward cards 16 lists a different pleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a reward for completing at least one randomly drawn household task. Each of the set of consequence cards 18 lists a different unpleasant experience for a child to be randomly drawn as a consequence for not completing at least one randomly drawn household task.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the set of household task cards 12 can include pre-printed household task cards 12, each listing a different pre-printed household task. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the pre-printed household tasks include regular chores or “PICK A CHORE” that are to be performed by a child at shorter time intervals including daily or weekly intervals, irregular chores or “PARENT'S PICK” to be performed by a child at longer time intervals including monthly or quarterly intervals, and laundry chores or “LAUNDRY LOTTO” including washing, sorting, and folding clothing. At least one of the pre-printed household task cards 12 includes an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed household task. In addition, the set of household task cards 12 can include blank household task cards, each of which includes an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected household task thereon. It should be understood that for any of the cards described herein, the cards can be coated or made with an erasable surface, such as for use with dry erase markers 24, to permit temporary writing thereon, whether it is to freely enter information or mark or modify pre-printed information. In addition, for any of the cards described herein, they can include pre-printed information, blank spaces, or a combination thereof. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, a pre-printed chore of “MOP THE FLOORS” is printed on a “PICK A CHORE” card. In contrast, a pre-printed consequence of “LOSE PHONE FOR HRS/DAYS” is printed on a “CONSEQUENCE” card with a blank space to enter a selected number of hours and/or days. The blank versions of the cards provide great flexibility for parents to enter whatever tasks, rewards, and consequences best suit their children.

For each of the set of identification cards 14, there is also a pre-printed personal task side 22 opposite the identification side 20 that lists personal space cleaning and hygiene tasks to be completed on one or more days of the week, a list of days of the week, and checkboxes to mark expected and actual day of completion. The pre-printed personal task side 22 includes an erasable surface on which information is to be temporarily written. As shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the pre-printed personal task side 22 lists such tasks as making the bed identified as “BED,” cleaning a child's bedroom identified as “CLEAN ROOM,” taking a shower or bath identified as “SHOWER/BATH,” and brushing a child's teeth identified as “BRSUH TEETH.” Checkboxes are provided for days of the week on which these tasks are to be completed as well as morning and evening or AM/PM for tasks to be performed multiple times, such as brushing teeth.

The set of reward cards 16 also includes pre-printed reward cards 16, each listing a different pre-printed reward. As shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 3, the rewards can be small rewards of a smaller value or cost, identified as “LUCKY,” such as the child being allowed to pick what the family has for dinner, and large rewards of a larger value or cost, identified as “SURPRISE,” such as the child receiving a trip to the movies. At least one of the pre-printed reward cards 16 includes an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed reward, like the “CONSEQUENCE” card shown. The set of reward cards 16 also includes blank reward cards 16, each including an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected reward thereon.

The set of consequence cards 18 also includes pre-printed consequence cards 18, each listing a different pre-printed consequence. At least one of the pre-printed consequence cards 18 includes an erasable surface and a blank section to permit a parent to write a parent-selected modification to a pre-printed consequence. The set of reward cards 16 also includes blank consequence cards 18, wherein each includes an erasable surface to permit a parent to write a parent-selected consequence thereon.

The household task management game 10 also includes dry erase markers 24, as shown in FIG. 1, as well as a box 32. In another possible embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the household task management game 10 includes a calendar 26 that includes an erasable surface to permit users to temporarily write information relating to assigned tasks and dates of completion and dates when a reward will be provided. The household task management game 10 also includes reusable vinyl stickers 28 that include symbols corresponding to rewards and household or personal tasks, wherein the stickers 28 are removably attachable to the erasable calendar 26. In another possible embodiment, the household task management game 10 includes a set of attachment devices 30 to temporarily attach the identification cards 14 to a household surface including a wall or a refrigerator, wherein each of the set of attachment devices 30 includes magnets.

In its most basic form, the household task management game 10 is used to organize the household tasks and promote performance thereof by the children using positive and negative reinforcement. The child randomly selects one of the set of the household task cards 12. The name of the child, the selected household task, and an expected due date of completion are written on the erasable surface of the identification side 20 of one of the identification cards 14. When the child completes the selected household task in a satisfactory manner by the expected due date, the child then randomly selects one of the set of reward cards 16, and the selected reward is then provided by a selected date. When the child does not complete the selected household task in a satisfactory manner or by the expected due date, the child randomly selects one of the set of consequence cards 18, and the selected consequence is then performed by a selected due date. It should be noted that parents are free to use whatever cards they wish in whatever manner they wish. For example, the parent could choose only a few cards to use, or only certain types of cards to use, based on age and knowledge of the children or other specific family needs or educational or performance goals. A parent is also free to select cards of any type for a child rather than using random selection.

When using the pre-printed personal task side 22 of the identification cards 14, the parent can mark one of the checkboxes to assign a corresponding personal space cleaning or hygiene task to be completed and an expected day of completion. When the child completes the selected personal space cleaning or hygiene task in a satisfactory manner by the expected day of completion, the child randomly selects one of the set of reward cards 16 and then the reward is provided by a selected date. When the child does not complete the selected personal space cleaning or hygiene task in a satisfactory manner by the expected day of completion, the child randomly selects one of the set of consequence cards 18 and then the consequence is performed by a selected due date. It should be noted that the parent can set whatever standards for success or failure as desired, including full completion of the task, performance of the task to certain level of quality, and performance of the task with a certain behavior or attitude.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.