Without Counting

Ages 6-9

Bashy puts three buttons beside her knee.

Her friend has none.

They take turns giving clues about something in the room.

Bashy adds a rule. "After the last clue, you have to guess before I count to five."

"Soft. Square. You sit on it," Bashy says.

Her friend looks toward the rug.

"One, two, three, four, five!"

"The cushion."

"Too late," Bashy says.

Her friend gives the next clues.

"Round. White. It has numbers."

Bashy looks at the plate on the table. Her friend starts counting.

"Five."

The clock hangs above the door. Bashy looks up at it.

Bashy puts all three buttons in the button box.

"Start again? Without counting?"

Her friend nods.

Bashy gives the cushion clues again. After the last one, she waits.

Her friend looks from the rug to the chair.

"The cushion."

She takes a button from the box and puts it beside her own knee. Beside Bashy's knee, the carpet is bare.