Mini Mahjongg for kids

(And some adults)

Now that Mahjongg is back in vogue, I have finally succumbed to learning the game. I remember seeing older women play this game when I was a child. The unspoken agreement was that children were seen and not heard.

Back then, we could watch from a respectable distance, provided we remained quiet and also at the ready to fill coffee, dump the ashtray and fetch more cigarettes.

Fast forward to today and things are quite different. We want the little ones around and for the most part, we are eager to include them in our social time.

But then there’s Mahjongg, a game that requires focus, concentration, and no distractions.

I created this version of the game for parents with children or grandchildren in that curious age bracket; old enough to sit calmly and play but still too young to master strategy.

In Mini Mahjongg, you mimic a typical start of the adult game. All tiles are shuffled, walled, and then dealt.

SHUFFLE & WALL BUILDING

Kids really enjoy the clacking of tiles and the stacking of wall building. For small hands, even getting this far improves dexterity.

DEALING

Next, one player deals 13 tiles to each player. You do not need a 14th tile because the game will end after the Charleston trades.

RACKING

Once all tiles are dealt, each player places their tiles in their racks according to suit.

Jokers far left

Flowers next

Bams in numerical order next

Cracks in numerical order next

Dots in numerical order next

Then Winds

Then Dragons

While this order isn’t required, it builds great habits for real Mahjongg and also enables each child to think systematically.

CHARLESTON:

Once all tiles are grouped (and checked by an adult) each player starts their trading of 3 tiles in each round.

The goal is to acquire as many of the same suit as possible, without regard to combinations or the official card.

Order of the trading is the same as adult Mahjongg: Right, Over (across), Left, Left, Over, Right.

EXPOSING THE WINNER

Once the trading is completed, each player places their group of same tiles on their tray.

Jokers can be used as bonus tiles.

*To make it easier, Flowers and Winds may be removed before wall building, but I like to keep them in and add their values as the children learn to play.

* Another option is to discard Flowers and Winds and pick up tiles from the wall before doing the Charleston trades.

This version of the game takes about a half hour, the perfect amount of time for young attention spans.

Happy Playing!