What's on Your List?

Ah, yes.  The holiday season is upon us now, with just a FEW WEEKS to get all of that shopping done.  Thanksgiving is late this year. which leaves even less time to focus on the candy canes and latkes.  So, I figured to get a head start on the hustle and bustle of the mistletoes and menorahs.  Disclaimer: I live in a world of boys. If I didn't quite hit on "girly" things, well I am just thankful that I am not immersed in the world of Elsa and Anna this year.  Here are my top  Chrismakkah gifts (in no particular order).

Spot It!
I love this game for so many reasons!  First, Spot It! is super portable. I always throw it in the soccer bags or pocket books because it can help pass the time during appointments, practices, and restaurant waits.  And now that they have expanded their already extensive line to include Disney themes like Frozen, Planes, Doc McStuffins, Jake and Neverland Pirates and Pixar, there is truly something for everyone. It makes a great stocking stuffer or Hanukkah gift!  And the kids don't know that they are building amazing visual perceptual and language skills. BlueOrange flat out, just knows how to play!

Legos
Well, this is a given. Besides the home security factor of stepping on loose bricks causing immense pain to any intruder, the Lego family of products provides hours of entertainment.  From Duplos for the little hands to the Lego Architecture sets for the over-achiever enthusiast, Lego has something for EVERYONE!  Add in-hand manipulation skills, attention, and direction following to the play, and the result is a classic therapeutic and engaging activity.  And look on November 15th for the release of new Minecraft additions!

Books
Maybe it's because we are a house of readers, but books are definitely on the list this year.  Between the Minecraft Handbooks, the new Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Long Haul (scheduled to release on today, November 4th) the Fly Guy series for the younger reader, and the The Book with No Pictures, there are amazing choices available to foster the love of the written word.  And if you have older kids to buy for, then consider an eReader.  Not only is it electronic, and inevitably awesome, it still provides access to books.

Subscription Craft Kits
I've written before on how much our family loves the Kiwi Crate.  We strayed off for a month just to try something new, the Happy Trunk, but it just wasn't the same; the quality and engagement just wasn't there.  Luckily we are back and with a renewed love.  Kiwi recently introduced the Tinker Crate, which is a STEM based build and play activity kit.  Targeted for 9-14+, the kits are phenomenal.  This month, the kit was focused on building a motor.  How freakin' cool?!  If you are interested in the gift that keeps on giving, a monthly to yearly subscription to one the Kiwi Crate clubs is the way to go.

Under $15 Stocking Stuffers:
Basically, anything from ThinkFun!  Math Dice, Swish, Word Around.  You can't go wrong. These are quick and easy games that are engaging, practical, and fun.  Rory's Story Cubes are another fun stuffer for the kids and speech therapists in your life.  Let the picture dice guide your imagination to create the next Super Stuffed Animal adventure or the fairy tale of Princess Penelope Pickle Pants.

Hope you have received a little inspiration.  Please add to the list if you want to share some of your faves this year!

These are a few of my favorite things for Back to School- btw I know you are singing just like Julie Andrews

With just one week to go before the start of school, I was perusing some of my older posts and decided to do a little best-of products and ideas summation.

Favorite Lunch Box:Planet Box
We are now on our third year of using Planet Boxes.  These are stainless steel meal boxes that might remind you of an old-school frozen dinner plate.  But it is much more than that.  Using the Planet Boxes has made making lunches sooo much easier and quicker.  It helps to create a balanced tray that doesn't look visually cluttered or overwhelming.  Since their inception into our daily routine, my picky eaters come home with empty lunch boxes; which did not happen before.  Though expensive initially, the Planet Box has probably saved me more money in food waste and a gave me a priceless peace of mind that I am making my kids balanced eaters.  Not only that, I have not had to purchase another lunch box for school.  I just purchase new magnets for $3.95 for the beginning of school and the boys are thrilled. Since my first post about this lifestyle change, they have added another version, the Shuttle, which is slightly smaller and would be perfect for preschool and daycare.  I have the Launch, and the boys have the Rover. I get lots of comments at work while I am eating (and logging my treatments).   These are truly an investment for building solid eating habits and organization.  Bonus factor, kiddos with fine motor challenges or sensory challenges can easily access these boxes to open and shut them.

Favorite App:Writing Wizard
L'escapadou hit the ball out of the park with this app.  It is still my favorite app to support good handwriting habits.  The customizability of this app is outstanding.  Many of the teachers that I have introduced to it have incorporated it into independent work stations and vocabulary lessons.  Because you can easily input words and record the pronunciation, it provides a multi sensory learning experience for those with learning challenges.  But because it is visually fun without being nauseating, kids enjoy using the app.  What I especially love about the app is that during the tracing activity, it prompts correct letter starting points and formation.  Though I use Handwriting without Tears formation, the app has D'Nealian and Zane-Bloser formation too so you can choose what works for your classroom.  Overall, this app is well worth the $2.99

Favorite Office Supply:3M Post Its.
I put them on my forehead, my shirt, my IEPS, my computer, basically anywhere I need the cue to remember to do something.  But I also came across Avery See Through sticky notes which are so convenient to have around to help visually highlight reading words or math problems so that homework doesn't seem so overwhelming.

Favorite Math Game: Think Fun! Math Dice
Any version of this game is a great go to for independent or group stations. It is easily differentiated for all levels of learners and abilities. From Math Dice Jr. to Math Dice Tournament Kit, students will be immersed with skills from number recognition to exponents.

Favorite Reading/Language Game- Think Fun! Zingo
Zingo! is bingo with an (educational) twist.  Early readers can benefit and begin to associate words and pictures as they match the tiles to the boards. Or for emergent readers, and even for small group resource time, use Sight Word Zingo to increase and fluency with sight words.

Favorite Mom Item- True Lemon, Lime and Orange

Nope, not coffee. But these True Lemon packets make me drink.  I have to be motivated to drink water. So when I finally added these little packets of bliss into my Thermos, my hydration levels improved. I don't need it sweet; I just need a little essence of citrus to make me suck it down. So not only is a caffeinated mommy a happy mommy, so is a hydrated one.

What are your favorites back to school things?

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.

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.

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!

HyperSwipe Fun-alysis.

Yup, I thinking I might have to trademark that one.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to provide feedback on another Think Fun game: HyperSwipe. A a fast paced game with focus on visual skills.

The last couple of times I have discussed specific visual perceptual skills, but I should back track and explain what they are and why they are important.
Visual Perception- the ability to understand what you are seeing
Visual Closure- the ability to visualize a whole image when only partial is given
Visual Motor Integration- the ability for your body and eyes to work together
Visual Discrimination- the ability to note the similarities and differences between items
Figure Ground- the ability to distinguish an image from its background
Form Constancy- the ability to mentally turn images and figure out what they would look like
Visual Spatial Relations- the ability to perceive objects' position to one another and yourself
Visual Memory- the ability to recall what was seen

When you have difficulty with any of these skills, it could affect fluency in reading, writing, moving, and basically anything else that you do during the day.

Now that your up to speed, let's swipe.  

HyperSwipe, though rated for 6 and up, was also enjoyed by Mudge who is "3 and 3 quarters."  Once we got the gist of the instructions, it was actually pretty easy.  You install 2-AA batteries into the HyperSwiper and place the circle swipe cards in the slot.  Pass out a few square swipe cards to each player.  Then as the image cards pop out, you try to make a match.  But you need to be careful, because the pictures are very similar.  If you pick the wrong one, you lose a point.  And then you keep matching until the circle cards are all gone.  To make it easier to remember to get another square card to continue with the game, I say "Put the matches over there (match pile), and take another square."

It did take a few rounds to get the game going.  But I found it was easier to teach it to kids when we started off with at least 2 cards each, not one since you could all NOT have a match.  Then I increased the number of swipe cards each round.

This game is a fun way to address:

• visual closure since some of the images are blocked by the HyperSwiper's design.
• visual discrimination since you have to pay close attention to the details to make the match
• form constancy, the images on the square swipe card are different size and in different positions

The HyperSwiper did jam up a few times during each round, but was easily fixed.  And I am going to stick some non-skid on the feet of the HyperSwiper to keep it from sliding around.  But overall, everyone I have shared it with, kids and adults, has enjoyed trying to outswipe their opponent.  At about $25, it is in the higher end of cost compared to many of Think Fun's other games.  But it's fun.  It's quick. And it can support perceptual development.

Other ways to play:

• Keep one hand behind your back
• Have the kids keep score to address writing skills
• When scoring, sort first by shape (line up all the squares, then the circles).  Then use 1:1 correspondence: place one circle on each square card. then count your pairs.

Mudge's response after scoring!

Think Fun!? Absolutely with Cartoon It!

I was granted the opportunity to give my humble opinion on another Think Fun Jr. game: Cartoon It!  When it arrived in the mail it was like Hannumas (or Chrismakkah, the combo holiday in our home).  I opened it up and asked the boys if they wanted to play.  Like they would ever say no to a game night....

I read the instructions, nice and easy.  Memorize It.  Draw It.  Score It.  Rinse and Repeat.

Though at first Boog was a little intimidated and discouraged, thinking he couldn't draw the items, he quickly learned that with the visual cue of the Feature Board, he could do it.  He was so proud of himself.  And so was I.  I was also amazed at first how poor my visual memory was, but soon I redeemed myself and rightfully recalled and illustrated all six features.  Surprisingly enough, even Mudge, at 3 1/2, eagerly participated.  However, his artistic renditions of the characters looked more like amoeba.

I think we did at least four sessions of Cartoon It! that night.  And it was fun.  So much so, I had to bring it to work and share it with my students and colleagues.  This is why:

Great visual perceptual activity!
It addresses key components of:

• visual memory
• spatial relations
• visual discrimination
• visual attention
• copying
• visual motor integration

Of course, during the therapeutic play session, you get language development:

• body concepts
• attention
• vocabulary building
• positional words
• sequencing
• play and social pragmatics

Then I thought of variations and modifications to the game so that it could be tailored to some of the special needs population with which I work.

• Focusing on same/different results of the drawings
• Copying the 6 features and allowing the kids to cut and paste a matching cartoon
• Limiting choices by blocking the field- i.e. making it a field of less than 6 from each category depending on ability
• Use broken crayons or golf pencils to promote grasp formation
• Extend "Memorizing" time for those that need it
• It's even measurable! You can track progress easily by the checkmarks of accurately copied features.

I love, love, love this game.  And in the brief time I have had it, I have managed to hook a few kids and adults onto it as well.  Give it a try, it is well worth the investment for home and school.  You can find it for less than $20 on Think Fun's Site, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Sears and others.

Cartoon It! is recommended for ages 6 and up.

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!!!