Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr

Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr. - A one-person logic game for beginners.

Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr. has all the fun of the classic Rush Hour Traffic Jam puzzle game, but with fewer vehicles for beginners. Rush Hour Traffic Jam Jr. includes 40 challenge cards that get progressively more difficult as you go.

The game grid is plastic and measures 5 1/2" x 6 1/8". The 16 vehicles are hollow plastic and are placed on the groves in the game base. Vehicles move forward and backward on the row/column where they are placed. The vehicle that you are trying to drive off the grid is always the same - the white ice cream truck.

Puzzles increase in difficulty as you advance across four levels. The answers to the puzzles are on the back of the cards. Here is the first card in each level.

 
Below are the answers to the above four challenges. Challenge number 1 requires five moves to complete. The last puzzle in the deck, card number 40, requires 29 moves.
 

Also included is a cloth bag with a secure tie that all the pieces will fit into if you want to use it.

If you would like to read more about one-person logic puzzles, check out my post What's in Your Therapy Box? Logic Puzzles Edition. 

Also available are the more advanced and challenging Rush Hour Railroad, Rush Hour Safari, and the original Rush Hour Traffic Jam.

 
Play:

Choose a challenge card and place your vehicles on the grid according to the picture on the front of the card. Now, move the vehicles top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right, and right to left to clear a path for the ice cream truck to drive off the grid (small cutout in side, top right). Vehicles must stay on the path they are on when the puzzle is set up, no picking up and moving vehicles. An error in setting up the grid may result in an unworkable puzzle.


Try this:

• Make a game out of just setting up traffic jams, following the pattern cards, if the puzzles will be too difficult to complete.
• Complete the first couple of moves to get the game started and model how to play.
• Determine who is blocking the door. Move that car and you are home free. If something is blocking that car from moving, move it, and then move the car blocking the door. This is how I play and is the best strategy that I have come upon. I always start by asking the kids, who is blocking the door and working backwards that way.
  
• Work backwards. Do all but the last move, then do all but the last two moves, then do all but the last three moves, etc.
• Complete a challenge as the individual looks on. Talk out loud as you problem solve to help the person learn. Then ask him to complete the same challenge.
• Set up a challenge. Then turn the card to the back and give the individual the instructions, one at a time, for completing the puzzle. Can the follow the directions correctly and solve the puzzle? Requires moving up, down, left, right.
  
• Work on manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, spatial relations, logic, problem solving, visualization, planning, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 1 traffic grid, 1 ice cream truck, 15 assorted vehicles, 40 challenge cards
Ages 6+

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, click on the image below to go to Amazon.com