This version of Monopoly is great for younger kids who want to join in but can't yet grasp the rules of this overly complicated game.

The board is set up and everyone chooses their piece. One person, usually an older player, is the banker and awards each player two bills from each stack of money. All pieces start on Go and the first player rolls the dice and moves that number. If a person rolls doubles they get another turn. They move their piece and if they land on property they decide if they want to buy it. If they want to put a house on the property it costs $200 dollars. If they want to put a motel on the property it costs $1,000. Players can buy up to four houses and then must trade them for a motel. They do not have to have four houses. If they can afford it they can put a motel on it right away. After they decide what, and how many, to put on it they get the deed to the property.

If someone lands on that property they must pay the equivalent of however much the card says for that number of houses or a motel. To add houses or motels to property after the turn has passed the player must land on it again.

Plays continues like this until one player runs out of money and cannot pay whatever their debt may. This can be from landing on a person's property that they cannot pay off or drawing a card that requires money to be paid.

If money is to be paid, such as taxes or from drawing a card, then it automatically goes in the middle of the board. Whenever someone lands on Free Parking they get all the money in the middle of the board.

If a player does not have enough money to pay off a debt then they have the option of selling property they own back to the bank. They get $100 for each house and $500 for each motel they sell. (This is half of what it costs to buy one.) They must remove their houses and return the deeds to the stack of available property.

Finally there is the jail space. Some people can choose not to use it at all and ignore "Go directly to jail" cards. Others can choose that once in jail a player must roll doubles within three turns or they are forced to pay $100 to get out.

This version of the game can be modified to suit the audience and number of players. Prices can be raised or lowered depending on how fast or slowly you wish the game play to go. The main change from the original is that all property costs the same, it just depends on how many houses or motels you want, and the mortgage option does not exist. This makes it easier for young players to understand.

Learn more about this author, Nicki Marks.
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