Rory's Story Cubes: an interactive and playful approach to graphic organizers and language development

Mudge received a package of Rory's Story Cubes for his birthday, and of course therapeutic and educational ideas flooded my head.

Developed by The Creativity Hub 10 years ago, each set of Story Cubes comes with a variety of nine dice with pictures upon them.  The player rolls the dice, then creates a story based on the picture cues.  There are also 3 dice accessory packs to increase or guide creativity.

Here are some ways to incorporate Story Cubes into the therapeutic, educational, or home based repertoire.

1.  Build language:  If you know a Speech and Language Pathologist, then you may have heard the acronym M.L.U. which is Mean Length Utterance (a way to calculate language productivity in children).  By prompting story telling in a semi-structured setting using Story Cubes, a therapist, parent or educator could support the increase of a child's M.L.U.

2. Guided Writing: You could modify the dice with color coded dots or coloring the dice themselves, assigning them to different parts of the sentence.  The Red Dice = subject; Green Dice= predicate; or Puprple = Noun; Blue = Verb; etc….  Now place a strip of color coded paper on the student's desk.  Now the traditional graphic organizer has turned into an interactive and playful approach.  Just roll, build a sentence and write. 

3. Modify and Accommodate as needed. By limiting the number of dice used, changes the expectations of the story or sentence. Rory's Story Cubes even come in a MAX version in which the cubes are larger for easier grasp.

Now if you don't have Rory's Story Cubes, be creative and make your own.  Using building blocks you probably already have in the play room, glue pictures of familiar people, places, and objects to ignite imaginative language. Or if you have access to Boardmaker or another picture support system, print out the concepts and words you want the children to work on, and voila, an easy, playful approach to language development.

I also found another way to enjoy the story building.  Rory's Story Cubes are even more on-the-go as an app available in the iTunes store for $1.99.  I haven't played with it yet, but I think it is in my phone's future.

Rory's Story Cubes are available on Amazon, but I have also seen them at Target and other specialty toy shops.  They come in the 4 main varieties which include Original, Actions, Voyages, and MAX.  It's a quick and easy take along, that can fit into the purse or therapy bag.  Definitely a good size bang for the buck.

Playful Way to Teach Grid Reading or You Sunk My Battleship

So Mudge pulled out my travel Battleship to play this afternoon.  And he tried to explain to me that he "knows how to play it."  But in actuality, this nearly 6 y.o. did not.

Battleship is a classic game.  It started out as a pen and paper a long, long time ago. Then Milton Bradley created the one we know and love today that requires fine motor coordination, letter and number recognition, spatial awareness, and grid reading skills.  Grid reading can be broken down further into following a vertical and horizontal line to the place at which they intersect.  This is not necessarily easy to get.  This is a precursor skill to being able to manage charts and graphs, maps, multiplication tables, or super geeky: plotting points on a Cartesian plane.

Of course, we played. And, of course, he thought it was great to sink my battleship.  But it took time to get there. He needed the demonstration of how to read a grid.  Now that I think of it, Battleship appears to teach plotting a little backwards because you state A,1 for example which is actually the Y axis first. True plotting is x axis first.  If the first number in the ordered pair is positive, move to the right. If it's negative, move to the left. Hmmmmmm. Anyway...

I found a website called FunBrain.com which has little educational games from grade K through 8th, that has some plotting activities.  You can also sign up for Khan Academy.  If you haven't already, Khan Academy is a free website that parents, teachers and students, or anyone for that matter, can test their math IQ then challenge themselves by learning new concepts, or get support in something they are struggling.   This is a PHENOMENAL resource.  The founder of Khan Academy originally just made YouTube videos to help his struggling niece; now it is a educational platform supporting millions of users at home and at school.

So math can FUNdamental, not just mental.  Sometimes you have to look at things outside the quadrilateral parallelogram in order to find the joy….

Oh, and just for a modification, the plastic travel version that I have had no contrast between the raised letters and numbers and the background which made it difficult to read. So I just use a black  permanent marker to highlight the raised alphanumerics.  Result- higher contrast, happier eyes.

Before, no real contrast

After, with contrast

Think Fun-Analysis: Rush Hour, an oldie but still a goodie

Car!

Game On!

Recently, Think Fun revamped the look of their classic traffic jam game, Rush Hour.  Now in it's sleek and gray scale version, Rush Hour may be found on any Mensa-hopeful's shelf to help exercise your brain.

The basis of the game is to get the red car out of the traffic jam in the fewest moves possible.  Graded from beginner to expert, the single player must first set up the puzzle board with the black, gray and red cars.  Then moving one car at a time, spaces open up to eventually slide the red car out of the garage.  This may seem simple to you, but it is not.  This game uses many skills.  First, the ability to match the cars to the picture calls for significant spatial skills.  Then, problem solving, strategizing, and persistence must be harnessed in order to move the cars out of the way.  Let alone, the fine motor to manipulate the cars (though they could easily be moved with a mouth stick once set up).

My eight year old was able to persist independently to challenge 18 (out of 80) parking scenarios.  Then as the complexity increased, frustration emerged and he decided to hold off till another day.  The following day, he discovered the fail safe solving instructions in the back to which he referred as the "clues" and completed number 80.  I laughed and said he cheated, to which he replied "No I didn't, I just followed the directions."  Ya, got me there kid.

I didn't get much farther than him during some quiet time I had.   Mensa member, I am not.  But it was the pleasure of the pursuit.  The a-ha moment of getting the car out.  Apparently I need to work on my spatial skills.

I know many of my OT friends have been using Rush Hour for years.  It is a fun yet intellectual game rated for kids 8 and up.  Rush Hour is available at many stores from Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and specialty toy shops around the way, as well as straight off the Think Fun website.   For $14.99, this is a wonderful game to keep a child or adult occupied on a rainy afternoon.  Because of the pieces, it doesn't travel too well.  However, there is an app for that.  Rush Hour Free and the full version  Rush Hour (for $2.99) are available on the App Store so you can play any time, any where.  My kids or I will play in the car, at a restaurant, doctor's offices etc.  There is even a mini Rush Hour Holiday version for .99 cents with presents and a penguin.  Really cute.

For a game that has been around since 1996, Rush Hour continues to provide edutainment to the young and young at heart.  Hmm...I wonder if there has ever been a clinical study on the benefits of this game on the aging brain....

Though I received Rush Hour for gratis in return for my review, my thoughts are my own, as out of the box they may be.

Think Fun-Alysis: Brainteaser Kit, Perfect for the Classroom or the Pocketbook

I love when I have the opportunity to review Think Fun games.  I was recently sent The A-Ha Brainteaser Kit for gratis for my humble opinion.  (That does not impact my review, I generally love Think Fun).

Originally, A-Ha Brainteasers were developed as separate entities.  But in the infinite wisdom of the marketing team over at the Think Fun Think Tank, they shrunk 8 popular challenges down into a kit for the classroom.  Geared towards grades 2-8, each mini challenge comes with its own object card and 3 hint cards.  Theory is, create a math and logic station for students to build skills in object manipulation, visual spatial construction, persistence,  and problem solving.

Now, I can attest that I have only solved 3 of the 8 puzzles.  My 3rd grader on the other hand solved more.   He took to them very quickly.  He is a visual kid, so this is right up his alley.

I had taken the mini 3x4" zip-close bags that held each investigation in my pocket book when we went to the restaurant.  I know, by now, busy kids are quite kids.  So Boog dug through my purse, found Starburst and finished it in 10-15 minutes.  Then of course, he wanted more.  So out came Four-Ts. Then, Pack it in and The missing T as well.  This went on throughout the entire dinner.  It motivated him to finish his food and tackle another puzzle, like the 4 Piece Pyramid.

Double Square, well that is another story.  We still have yet to solve it.   Try as we might, our brains just don't have it yet.  Other than that and the Fifth Chair, he has happily persevered.  Even my Kindergartner took a stab at Straight Arrow, with the help of his Papa.

New for 2013, this BrainTeaser kit is $24.99.  But separately, each A-Ha Brainteaser in its larger counterpart is $4.99 each.  So by purchasing the games' mini-mes, you save $15.  I love the fact that they are small enough to travel or work at desktops.  Children could either work in teams or alone.  Each puzzle is differentiated by how many clues you need to complete them.  And if you need to modify it more, then you could create your own hints or copy the solution for them to match it up.

There are multitudes of clientele that this kit could work for.  Students with and without disabilities could work on these challenges.  But think outside of the box, and possibly add this to your therapeutic tool box for adults with traumatic brain injury.

It is so important to instill creative problem solving.  In a world of instant gratification, it's games like Brainteaser Kit that help teach perseverance to that A-Ha moment.

ThinkFun-Alysis: Word-A-Round, Good Game for Wordies

I received a free copy of Word-A-Round from ThinkFun! to review.  That does not influence my thoughts about this game.

Word-A-Round by ThinkFun was so much fun, for me.  It's a fast paced card game that I could challenge myself, even playing it independently.  My husband would laugh at me as I sounded out variations like: "Ricsly, Slyric," then screamed out LYRICS!   It is rated for 10 and up and unless your child has a phenomenal vocabulary and can read at least the 5th grade level, I wouldn't necessarily open it up to younger people.  However, my 8 year old son wanted to add that he "was able to figure out the words in a single try", so you never know.

But I do need to comment that this game is a dyslexic's nightmare. I'm not being fresh about the dyslexia thing either.  I played with someone who reported they had been diagnosed with dyslexia as a child, and they struggled with the layout of the game.  Word-A-Round comes with 100 cards, each card has three rings of color: Red, Blue and Black.  As you move along through the game, you have to identify the word in the designated color.  Though they are not scrambled, the letters of the words are evenly spaced within the ring which makes it difficult (the point of the game) to "unravel the [300] word(s)".   So those with print disabilities might not like this game.

Yet, I suppose it could provide a therapeutic use for teachers and occupational therapists in the older elementary, middle, high school setting.  Students could copy the letters down, then re-write the arrangement until they discover the word.  Throw in a dictionary, and discover the definition.  Or as my 8 year old was doing, sound out the word until it is correct.

For $12.99, it isn't badly priced.  If you have game nights, it's a nice addition. It easily travels in its little box.  All in all, Word-A-Round is a challenging mental exercise.  You can build vocabulary and reading speed, contained in about 16 square inches.

Hans Down, Spot It! Party is another fun version...

So a few months ago, I entered a contest for Blue Orange Games to name the Spot It! mascot.  Figuring no way would I win, I entered a name, the first one that popped in my head when I looked at the little one-eyed hand.  Unexpectedly, I get a facebook notification that I was indeed the winner.  Because of me and the thousands that voted, my kids can say their mom named Hans, the Spot It! mascot.

Not only was the fact I am now the coolest mom ever according to my kids, but I got prizes, too.  I received a $100 Amazon gift card in addition to Blue Orange's new game Spot It! Party.  Though I won this gift, it does not influence my opinion.

Spot It! Party is the original game with a few extra pieces.  It comes with a tangible Hans (for your children to fight over, invite to dinner, watch tv with), 55 playing cards,  the rules, and 8 card holders.  Rated 10 and up for 2 to 8 players, I continue to find it easy to play with my 5 and 8 year old boys.  I bring the cards to the soccer field and a variety of children aged 4 and up will play happily, independently and competitively.  The added tangible Hans brings the element of Snatching the hand when you are the first to find it and call it out.  However, Hans is a social dude; he gets around throughout the round as competitors (me and my husband included) fight for his attention by spotting him on additional cards.

As a family, we had a blast playing the Tower.  It is the simplest way to play, racing against the other players to match and call out a picture on the card, resulting in hopefully the biggest pile.  The Race (game number 5) is meant to be played with the card holders, but hasn't been as big of a hit as the Tower.  When asked what do you like about the game, my 5 year old answered, "Hans, and I like everything about it."

Therapeutically, Spot It! whatever version you choose, is a great game for the tool box.  Speech Pathologists can use it to target instantaneous speech, turn taking, pragmatics and articulation. Occupational therapists will love it for challenging skills in form constancy, visual scanning, visual memory, and hand eye coordination.

Though I was a little disappointed that the cards didn't come in a tin, like the other standard Spot It! card decks (the cards are continuously floating around the box) I still really enjoyed it.  The tangible Hans did add another fun element.  Plus I do love Hans.  I can't NOT love him, since I did have a hand at naming him...

Spot It! Party is available from Blue Orange Games for $19.99. Look for other versions of the Spot It! family for $12.99 and up.  Just in time for Halloween, there is a Spot It! Halloween that I just ordered through amazon along with the Educator Pack which includes Spot It! Jr., Spot It! Numbers, Spot It! ABCs and Spot It! Basic English.

ThinkFun-Alysis: Laser Maze

Can I tell you how much I love getting the email from Think Fun asking if I would like to review another game... I was blessed again to try out one of Think Fun's latest game, Laser Maze.  I will disclose that I did receive the game for free but it does not influence my thoughts about the game.

Rated for a single player aged 8 and up, Laser Maze is a challenge for persistence and sequential problem solving.  Its smoke and mirrors without the smoke.  Using mirrored pieces on the grid board according to graded challenge cards, the player must figure out where to put the other pieces so that they reflect the laser light beam its target.

My nearly eight year old analytical boy gave it the high thumbs up because he really liked the "split mirrors".  However, I did notice that it did not hold his attention for long though due to frustration tolerance.  He only got up to the third beginner-rated card (out of the 60 combo cards of beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert) before he just shot the laser light around at different things in his room.  The other down side was the the battery to the laser light did not last long. After only three openings of the game, the light was dead.  So now I have to go get new watch batteries which will probably be at least a third of the of cost of the game, priced on Think Fun at $29.99.

It is a good quiet time game for when you need to divide the children if they are beating each other up.  Or great for an only child.  However, compared to the other ThinkFun games I found it to be moderately engaging. For the price I would be more apt to purchase Math Dice, Swish, AND Zingo To Go combined, or Cartoon It to get more bang for the buck.  Overall, if you know someone who likes independent play, problem solving and lasers, then it might be up their alley. But if you are looking for more interactive play, try some of Think Fun's other games.

BlueOrange ya glad you found Spot It?

I am a sucker for good games.  A while ago a friend introduced me to Spot It! by BlueOrange.  If you like HyperSwipe by ThinkFun, you might like this card game in a can too!

Spot It! is a super easy and portable set of cards with multiple pictures on each.  There are many versions to play, but we are into the "Tower".  In this version, you want to end with the most amount of cards. So the center pile is face up and you each start with one.  You then have to quickly call out a picture that matches one of your own to the top card on the Tower Pile.  And so on, and so on.

It addresses form constancy, the ability to see a shape and recognize it even if it is smaller, bigger, or even upside down.  It also can build on vocabulary, articulation, turn taking (or not), visual scanning and attention.  Then throw in basic counting, more or less than concepts, and you have a secretly educational game.

I love it.  We can play it as a family.  It is super quick.  We have pulled it out after supper, before breakfast, and between errands.  Though targeted for 7 and up, Mudge who is now 5, has been able to play.  He might not be as quick but he can make quite the pile.  And the fact it is small and in a tin makes me even happier since the room of games is quite full.

There are 13 versions of Spot It! like sports, jr., travel, alphabet, and more.  You can find it on amazon.com or at great little stores like BrainWaves in Narragansett, RI for around $10 and up depending on where you find it and which kind you pick up.  Try it out, I don't think you will be disappointed.

ThinkFun-Analysis: The Math Dice Family

Yes, I am a gamer.

I love games.  I love educational games.  And unless I need quiet time, I really don't like the electronic ones.  They are like kid crack. Of course, if it is old school Mario on the 80s Nintendo (yes, we still have one), then that is a different story.

But I recently purchased some great games, including Math Dice and Math Dice Jr.

Boog is a mathematician.  He is great with numbers. He loves mental math so it is right up his alley.  Roll the dodecahedron dice, the ones with 12 sides and multiply the numbers.  Then roll the other three standard dice and come up with equations that match.  In any way, shape or form. Add, subtract, multiply, divide, exponents, etc...

This can be awesome for game nights for dorky adults, me included as well as homework enhancers, classroom stations or events.  I was even blessed with receiving the Math Dice Tournament Kit from ThinkFun for free to try out.  It has enough dice sets and games for 16-18 students. One of my 4th grade teachers said it reminded him of a game called 24 that he learned as a kid when he grew up in China.

But I couldn't leave out Mudge. So I picked up the Math Dice Jr. too.  And even though he is a new 5 year old, he picked up on the basic adding and subtraction, with some assistance.   It was fun and they wanted to play multiple rounds, which is a testament to the game.  I did ask ThinkFun if they have or will have a classroom tournament kit for the Jr. version too, because this would be a great center addition! Still waiting to hear....

Math Dice is rated for 8 and up.
Math Dice Jr. is rated 6 and up.
Math Dice Tournament kit is targeted 5th grade and up.

There are different ways you can adapt it.  First, use paper and pencil. Take turns. Teach calculator skills. Use teams.  Keep score.  Or Don't.  You know your kids, your students, and yourself.  Grade and challenge the games based on your ability, versus your age.  It is a great way to keep your mind multiplying its neural pathways :)

ThinkFun-alysis: Swish Jr!

I love getting new games to try.  A few weeks ago, Think Fun asked if they could send me a new game to test out (for free).  Swish Jr.  And I thought to myself, how would or could they improve on it and make it easier for the younger crew....

They did.  And did it well.

Swish Jr. is the little brother of Swish, the see-through visual perceptual card game.  I love this game on many levels.  It can be easily modified by approach/turn taking and builds on great thinking skills.  Both Mudge and Boog are able to play it, so I was actually suprized about ThinkFun creating a junior version.  But when I received it in the mail and opened the package I saw the key differences.

First, the cards are larger and there are fewer of them.  Second, the shapes "swish" together are no longer balls and hoops; they are now distinctly different shapes and colors like arrows, flowers, leaves and circles.  The reason for that is so the smaller kiddos can more quickly and independently identify whether or not there is a swish-able match.  Before, the balls and hoops version required more attention to detail and visual discrimination skills.  The other thing ThinkFun did was that the shapes and colors  on the cards are always in the same place, so there are predictable swishes.

The game is still very portable and comes with its little carry pack and instructions. It is still quite engaging for kids of all ages.  Both my 7 and 4 year old had no problem diving into the game. 

Overall, if you want to get little ones thinking outside the box, and inside shapes pick up Swish Jr.  It is rated for 5 and up, and the original big brother version is 8 and up.  My boys are typical kiddos (I say this biting my tongue) and they were both able to play the older version.  So look at your kids needs and abilities before purchasing.  Don't forget, this game is fun, competitive, and addictive.  Adults like playing too. So you may just want to suck it up and get both :).

ThinkFunAnalysis: Shapeometry

During Sandy's visit to the northeast, the boys and I passed the time with games, including another I received from ThinkFun: Shapeometry.

Geared towards second to eighth graders, Shapeometry is a spatial game that comes with a set of blue and green 'Tetris-like' shape tiles as well as a problem solving card deck. Each challenge builds in complexity, and I have to admit that it provided a challenge to me as well.


This mathematical match up activity can played a few different ways. As a single person, which I did at first to test my reasoning, the goal is to follow the cards that tell you to make the same overall shape with two different sets of blocks. It starts fairly easy, which I am glad to say I was able to do. Then it gets a little harder as you work your way through intermediate, advanced and expert.

As a family, we put our brains aged 4 to 33 to work, getting to card 19, which is in the intermediate section.  By that time, we had played for about a half hour and our brains were getting fried. But it was fun. We could work together, problem solve and build spatial reasoning.

I also had a group of 4th and 5th graders try it out.  They had varying abilities, some had strengths in math, others in social skills, and yet others in language. After demonstrating the basic idea of the game, they went to work. In about 20 minutes, the students had teamed up one set taking care of blue, the other took green.  They were able to configure through challenge #9.  When asked what they thought about it, the general consensus what that it was hard but they wanted to see if they could get farther in the challenges.

To modify the game, we built on top of one set.  I even considered placing a piece of paper on top of one set to see the "whole" from its parts.  As part of a math center, you could set out the challenge cards that fit the needs and abilities of the children.  ThinkFun went as far as to provide skill alignment to the Common Core Standards to help justify the use of the game within the classroom.

This game is challenging and therefore can be frustrating.  But if used to support a math curriculum or center, or as a game in an arsenal of family fun, Shapeometry can definitely shape youngsters' (and adults') minds to think outside the box.

Think FunAnalysis: Zingo! Sight Words

I really love Think Fun's games.  Many I have purchased, and some I have been blessed to get for the gratis so that I can share my ever so humble opinion.  This was one of them.  Gee, twist my arm!

I was super dooper excited to hear that Zingo now has a Sight Word version.  I had been trying to figure out what other concepts we could finagle out of the Zingo world.  In our game arsenal we've got the traditional, the numbers (1, 2, 3) , and the travel versions of Zingo.  There are Spanish and Hebrew versions as well, but we haven't gone that route.  I bring them back and forth to school on a daily basis.

When Sight Word Zingo came in the mail, Mudge was eager to get our first game going.  Though the boards themselves are a little visually busy, the concept is the same.  Match the word tiles to its board counterpart.   It still has the trademark Zinger, the Zingo slider with slots for the popping in unused tiles (great for fine motor development and wrist rotation).  The 72 tiles themselves are double-sided with 24 frequently used words from the Dolch list.

As Mudge is only in preschool, he did not know the words but could match the tiles by the letters.  He loved trying to figure it out.  His persistence and memory began to pay off towards the end as he recognized the groups of letters like  and, we and me.  This has proven to be a great starter game to get new readers recognizing letter combinations as words.  It is also a great review game for up to first and second graders.  Many of the children I know have requested me to bring it in for bus arrival time or indoor recess.  For children with special needs, one of my teachers even thought of using it towards her Alternate Assessments, as many of them need to identify sight words.

When our game was done, I asked Mudge his favorite part to which he answered, "I like the matching Mommy."  Was there anything you didn't like?  "Well, Mommy, the red side was very difficult".  Did you not like it?  "Oh no.  I liked it, it was just difficult."

Finding the just right challenge can be difficult sometimes.  But Think Fun has found another winner again for the early learners.  Sight Words Zingo is another great addition to the home and school family.       For around $20, Zingo Sight Words will happily engage young readers while helping them learn.

Think Fun's SWISH Funalysis

I Swish
You Swish
We all Swish
for Think Fun's Swish.

I had way too much fun with this game today.

Boog calls it "Sniping," the ability to locate a swishable ball in hoop match up.  And he is really good, and really excited.  "For crying out loud mom, I am sniping out a lot of match ups!"  Even Mudge got in on the game, finding some even without help, which was a little funny since the game is targeted for 8 and up.

Swish is a set of transparent cards with colored "balls" (dots) and "hoops" (ring).  The object of the game is to mentally flip, rotate, and stack same colored balls and hoops while not leave any unmatched.  Major spatial relations and position in space game.  You can make it easy, taking turns.  Or change it up, making multi card swishes.  Or speed it up for quick draw "Sniper Swishing" as Boog called it.

I love the simplicity of the game. The design is geometrically pleasing to look at.  And the cards seem pretty sturdy.  It is travel friendly in its little drawstring pack.   For the kiddos with spatial problems, this is a great way to implement therapeutic fun time.  Of course, my colleagues, family and students were also quite intrigued with the game with its playful nature.  I like how it can be played solo if no one wants to join in the fun, or you can have a crazy Swish-fest with a bunch of friends.  No matter how many people, you can come up with a version to make it engaging.

So for around $12.99, it is pretty affordable for the therapeutic and family game arsenal.  And since it is joyful, socially engaging and connected, and gives a sense of internal control, my fellow Life is Good Playmakers would say, Swish can be a transformative play experience!

Mancala, sowing the seeds of fun

I do love games. Some, yes, I buy. Others I have received. And then there are some you can make. Like Mancala.

Mancala is an old tribal game that used to be played using holes in the dirt, rocks and seeds. Now you can purchase beautifully intricate boards with "rocks" to match. No matter with what pieces you play, the game will still be the same.

Players begin by placing a certain number of "jewels" in each of the pits on the game board, we tend to use four per pit. Then the players alternate turns removing the jewels and placing one in each of the following pits in sequence and capturing opponent's jewels based on the state of board.  There are other parts to the execution of the game as well which includes turns ending when your jewel ends in an empty spot, not the home pot, as well as getting extra turns if your last jewel ends in your home pot.

But what is really fun is to make your own board. Start out by reusing a clean and empty egg carton. Collect little trivets four times the number of pits you have, ie. 48 pieces for a dozen, 24 for a half, etc. You can use buttons, rocks, legos, or whatever else you have lying around. Then get a small cup or bowl for each end as the "pot". Easy peasy lemon squeezey as Boog might say.

Also called Ghetto Mancala from http://theredscot.blogspot.com/2009/06/ghetto-mancala.html

It gets addicting. And with the correct demonstration even a three year old can learn. So if they can so can old dogs.  Other benefits, fine motor manipulation, counting, 1:1 correspondence, language development, social pragmatics, problem solving and a history lesson all wrapped up in a fun and ancient game.

You can check out Wikipedia for further detailed variations and instructions.

Hungry to Try a New Game with your Preschooler?

I was lucky enough to be approached by Think Fun to try out their new game: Snack Attack!  So in the mail today I received my happy little package, and the kids were eager to try it out.

Snack Attack is rated for 4 and up (though Mudge is 3 1/2). The basis of the game is to scan and match food items from the spinner tray to those on your plate, and once there are no more matches to make, you can yell "Snack Attack!" and play again.

It was easy enough to play with my 3 year old, but I do recommend that you do not try to play it with a competitive 6 year old, as they both may get frustrated.  It took them a few turns to understand to flip the 2 sided disc so that the matches touch, but overall, it was a quick game that the four of us played as a family for about 10 minutes.  Boog could have gone longer, and it was enough for Mudge.  Mind you, this was just before bedtime...  Either way, I got 2 thumbs up from the boys.  When asked what they liked best, it was being able to "yell Snack Attack" and being the chef.

It was super easy to set up, which is nice because games and toys now-a-days are not parent friendly.  There are not a lots of parts to lose, but I can see losing the food discs.  Think Fun did try to limit the loss with their plastic tube in which to keep and spin them around its track, though.

Therapeutic uses:
Language development-  Snack Attack promotes food related vocabulary expansion, categorization, articulation, social pragmatics, and turn taking through a playful matching game.

Visual Perceptual Skills- Snack Attack can be used for scanning activities, matching, figure ground, visual discrimination, visual memory and more....

Special Needs- The game can help or be adapted for fine motor development, and can be easily used by those with upper extremity issues by having them be the "Chef" and having them turn the spinner with little resistance.  Through some dycem or other non skid under the plates and serving platter piece to keep it more stable on a slippery surface.  You could also adapt a universal cuff to hold a suction to pick up the discs.

One of the only flaws I see with the design is the slipperiness of the the food discs on the plates.  As they are both a glossy finish, the items do slide around a lot.  And occasionally I got a too few many discs to come out and be "served" on the platter.

Overall, the game will definitely be coming to school with me for sessions and it is a nice addition to our family game closet.

Bingo, with a Zing....

I love Zingo.  I can't help it.  When Think Fun created Zingo and its counterparts, they hit the nail on the head for developmentally appropriate preschool-kindergarten fun.

We have had the original Zingo for a while.  It develops language, visual perceptual skills, fine motor, all through play.  I play it at home with my kids, as well with the ones with which I work.

And today on a whim I stopped in to find both a travel Zingo as well as a number version for 20% off,  since Borders was doing a Going out of business sale. Sweet.

So Zingo to Go is a car friendly version that comes with its own little drawstring case and marker-free "traffic lights"to use as boards.  Those 3 colored traffic lights can click together to form a larger board or use simple one.  The "Zoomer Car" is a dice shaker instead of the slider.

Zingo 1, 2, 3 is a counting and addition version to help with math skills as well as the other benefits of the traditional game.  I tested it out on my 4 year old nephew who happened to be around.  He caught on quickly and we played 2 rounds.

At the going rate of almost $20 per game, I would still pay full price for it.  It is well worth the investment.  However, keep your eyes open on Amazon, Walmart, Target, and elsewhere and I am sure you will find a more frugal price.  But if there was one (or 3) games to get, I would highly recommend Zingo.  It is quick, fun, easy to learn, and easy to play.  And the kids might not even know they are learning while they do it.

Kudos to Think Fun!!!