SETUP COMPANION
SETUP COMPANION
Chapter 4 walks through the 5-step game setup. This is a multi-step procedural task — and it's one of the best opportunities to build sequencing and following-directions skills.
What Your Child Is Learning
- Following a multi-step procedure in order
- Counting to specific numbers (7 cards, 6 prizes, 5 bench slots)
- Spatial reasoning — placing cards in specific zones on the table
💡 Coaching Tip
The first few times, walk through setup together step by step. After 3-4 sessions, challenge your child to set up on their own while you watch — then praise what they remember. Don't correct mistakes harshly; just gently redirect.
🎲 Try This at Home
Draw a simple "play mat" on a large piece of paper: a rectangle for the Active Spot, a row for the Bench, a square for the deck, and a square for prizes. This gives your child visual scaffolding for where everything goes.
Mulligans and Kindness
If you must reshuffle because there is no Basic Pokémon in the opening hand, narrate it as "the game helping us start fairly." Let your child practice the shuffle so it feels normal, not like a punishment.
💡 Coaching Tip
Take a photo of a clean setup once it looks correct. Next session, compare the photo to the table like a treasure map. Visual anchors speed procedural memory.