Teach a turn before you teach a rulebook.
01Explain the finish line first.
Tell the group what a successful round looks like. In Snack Stack, show the challenge and the wobble everyone is trying to avoid. A goal gives the other rules somewhere useful to land.
02Do a normal turn, out loud.
Use the actual pieces. Pick a fish, exchange a ticket or place an ingredient while explaining the choice in one sentence. Hand the next move to someone else and help them repeat it.
03Keep the exceptions in your pocket.
Do not front-load every rare situation. Teach the ordinary rhythm and deal with an exception when it appears. When the first round ends, ask what was confusing, reset the table and enjoy the much quicker explanation the second time.