Match Mates facts for kids

Match Mates was a fun Australian children's television game show. It aired on the Nine Network in the afternoons from 1981 to 1982. The show was made by the Grundy Organisation. It was part of Nine Network's children's programs. The host of the show was actor David Waters.

What Was the Game About?

Match Mates was a game show where four children competed. The game was a bit like the adult game show Concentration. It also had parts similar to Sale of the Century. The goal was to match hidden pictures and solve puzzles.

How to Play: Game Rounds Explained

The game had different rounds. Children showed off their knowledge and observation skills.

Rounds One and Two: Matching Pictures

In the first two rounds, two different children played against each other.

"Ripper Rhyme" Toss-Up Question

The host would ask a "ripper rhyme" question. This was a general knowledge question that rhymed. The last word of the rhyme was missing. The first child to buzz in with the correct rhyming word won. This gave them control of the puzzle board.

The Rebus Puzzle Board

Both children saw a puzzle board with twenty numbered squares. Each square hid a picture, like a drawing or photo. It also hid part of a rebus puzzle. A rebus puzzle uses pictures and symbols to represent words or phrases. The host gave a clue related to the "ripper rhyme" question.

The child who won the "ripper rhyme" went first. They chose two numbers, one at a time. Each number showed a different picture. If the two pictures were related, they "matched." If they matched, parts of the rebus puzzle were shown. The child then got a chance to solve the puzzle. If the pictures did not match, or if the child could not solve the puzzle, the other child got a turn. The first child to solve the rebus puzzle won the round. They then moved on to Round Three.

Special Squares on the Board

Some squares on the puzzle board had special features:

Sound Effect Square

One square had a drawing of an ear. This square played a sound. The sound was connected to one of the pictures on the puzzle board.

Catch-a-Clue Square

Another square had a drawing of a butterfly net. This square gave a spoken clue. The announcer read the clue. This clue was also linked to one of the items on the puzzle board.

Round Three: The Super Word Puzzle

The winners from Round One and Round Two played against each other in this round.

"Who/What/Where Am I?" Toss-Up

Children saw clues that slowly revealed a person, place, or thing. These clues were given by other children on video. The first child to buzz in with the correct answer won control of the puzzle.

Solving the Super Word Puzzle

Another puzzle board with twenty numbered squares was shown. The top ten squares had pictures. The bottom ten squares had scrambled words. These words were related to the pictures. Each square also hid part of a "super word." This was a word with each letter separated by a space. The pictures, scrambled words, and "super word" all related to the "Who/What/Where Am I?" answer.

The child who won the toss-up went first. They chose one number from the top (a picture) and one from the bottom (a scrambled word). If the picture and scrambled word were related, they "matched." If they matched, a letter or space of the "super word" was revealed. The child then got a chance to solve the "super word" puzzle. If they didn't match, or if the child couldn't solve it, the other child got a turn. The first child to solve the "super word" won the game! They received a $50 Australian savings account. All the other players received fun gifts, like toys and games.

Round Four: Match a Mime Challenge

All four children took part in this final round. It tested how well they could observe and communicate.

The Mime Game

The children tried to show a specific situation using pantomime. Three children turned their backs to the action. The host would mime a situation to the first child. When the host finished, a bell rang. The first child then mimed the same situation to the second child. When the bell rang again, the second child mimed to the third child. Finally, the third child mimed to the last child.

At the end, the host asked the last child to guess the situation. Then the third child, the second child, and finally the first child were asked. After this round, all the children got to pick a toy or game from a table to keep.

Fun Facts About the Show

• Before the first two rounds, children entered the stage using playground slides! The host also came out on a slide at the start of the show.
• Before each commercial break, the audience at home got a question. The answer was revealed after the break. Some questions asked you to guess an item by its sound. Others were multiple-choice questions.

Educational Help

Dr. Millicent Poole was the Educational Consultant for Match Mates. She was a professor of education in Australia and New Zealand. She helped make sure the show was educational for kids.