Strategic summer quest board game

Abstract

The invention is a board game and associated method for playing a board game. The board game includes a playing board, a token holder configured to hold a plurality of tokens, a picnic blanket, playing pieces, a set of cards, dice, a spinner, and a pegboard that holds pegs. Specifically, players move around the playing board and interact with the spinner, picnic blanket, and pegboard to spell words and perform activities in an effort to win the game.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A game for one or more players, the game comprising:
 a playing board with a top playing surface defined by a single track, each track including a plurality of action spaces, a plurality of activity spaces, and a start space;   a plurality of playing pieces;   a spinner defined by an indicator that spins about a base, wherein the base includes a plurality of divisions selected from a letter or a graphic, wherein the letters spell a target word;   a picnic blanket;   a plurality of cards configured to be removably retained on the picnic blanket;   a pegboard comprising a series of openings, each opening associated with a letter or a graphic element, wherein the pegboard letters are the same letters of the spinner and the pegboard letters spell the target word, and wherein the graphic elements are associated with the activity spaces on the playing surface of the playing board;   a plurality of pegs configured to removably fit into the pegboard openings;   a plurality of tokens; and   one or more dice.   
     
     
         2 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein the spinner includes a single graphic division and the remainder of the divisions each include a letter. 
     
     
         3 . The game of  claim 2 , wherein the graphic division is larger or smaller compared to the remainder of the divisions. 
     
     
         4 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein the picnic blanket has a length and width of about 2-10 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein each game piece is unique with respect to shape, color, pattern, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein the top playing surface of the game board includes a single track comprising a plurality of action spaces and a plurality of activity spaces, wherein the action spaces correspond to a particular action to be taken by a player and wherein the activity spaces correspond to a particular activity to be undertaken by a player using the spinner. 
     
     
         7 . The game of  claim 6 , wherein the action spaces are selected from losing a token, gaining a token, advancing forward a set number of spaces, or advancing to an activity area. 
     
     
         8 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein the number of pegboard openings associated with the letters is equal to the number of pegboard openings associated with the graphic elements. 
     
     
         9 . The game of  claim 1 , wherein the number of activity spaces is equal to the number of letters on the pegboard to enable the target word to be spelled after completion of each activity. 
     
     
         10 . A method of playing the game of  claim 1  by two or more players, the method comprising:
 assigning a game piece to each player; 
 positioning all game pieces on the start space; 
 determining playing order of each player; 
 wherein a first player rolls the dice and advances the first player's playing piece the number assigned to the dice rolled; 
 wherein when a player lands on an action space, one of the following actions is assigned to the player, dictated by a notation or symbol on the particular action space: lose a token, gain a token, advance forward along the track to a different action space, or move forward to an activity area; 
 wherein when a player lands on an activity space, the player either:
 pays one token to enter the activity area and spin the spinner; 
 has no tokens to pay and cannot enter the activity space and the player's turn is over; 
 chooses not to enter the activity area and their turn is over; or 
 the player has already completed an activity associated with the activity space and the player's turn is over; 
 
 wherein after the first player rolls the dice, moves the playing pieces and takes appropriate action, the first player's turn is over and play moves to the next player; 
 wherein when a player spins the spinner and lands on a letter, a peg is inserted into the same letter in the corresponding pegboard opening; 
 wherein when a player puts at least one peg in an empty letter space on the corresponding pegboard, a peg is also inserted into the graphic space on the pegboard that corresponds with the activity just completed; 
 wherein when a player spins the spinner and lands on a graphic, a card is removed from the picnic blanket; 
 wherein the winner is determined by either:
 one player positioning a peg in each letter opening of a player's pegboard; or 
 when all of the cards are removed from the picnic blanket, the player with the highest score is deemed the winner. 
 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the highest score is determined by 1 point awarded for each peg positioned in a corresponding letter opening in that player's pegboard; 1 point awarded for each peg positioned in a corresponding graphic opening in that player's pegboard; 1 point deducted for each card a player has taken from the picnic blanket. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the playing board includes six activity spaces. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each activity space is unique compared to the remaining activity spaces. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each player spins the spinner a number determined by 1 plus the number of prior activities completed, wherein a prior activity is deemed completed when a peg has been inserted into a letter opening during an activity and consequently a peg is also inserted into the graphic opening on the pegboard that corresponds with the activity completed. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein each activity space includes an entry space, an exit space, and an activity area separate from the track. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein playing order is determined by rolling one die and the lowest number rolled on the die goes first.