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Children learn through play. As an occupational therapist who works with children and youth, I use games and toys almost every day to help develop important cognitive, visual perceptual, motor, sensory, social, play and leisure skills. While many different types of activities can be used in therapy, this blog focuses on off-the-shelf games and toys that are accessible to most. Whether you are a therapist, parent, teacher, or a game lover like me, I hope you discover something useful while you are here. Learn a different way to play a game you already own or discover a new game for your next family game night. Either way, just go play. It's good for you!

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Apr 15, 2018

Build A Robot

Build A Robot - A robot-themed puzzle and spinner game.


Build A Robot is a puzzle and spinner game. There are four board puzzles, each with six pieces, picturing a robot standing on the moon.

One of the puzzle pieces shows a tool, such as a wrench or screwdriver, and will be placed in the upper left-hand corner of each puzzle (see image above). The other five pieces are each numbered and include head (#1), arms and chest (#2), torso (#3), legs to the knees (#4), legs below the knees and feet (#5). Each section is numbered the same on each puzzle. The pieces are not specific to any one board, so they can be mixed each time you play and robots will then look different each time you play.

Each puzzle board is 9" x 6.5" and 1/8" thick. There are three finger holes on the back of each board that you can use to help push the pieces out of the board from the back. The spinner is the same thickness as the puzzle boards and has 7 spaces, one each for numbers 1-5, one for the word TOOL, and one for LOSE A TURN (see image above). The arrow spins freely.

Object:
Be the first to collect a tool and complete your robot puzzle.

Set up:
Each player chooses one robot puzzle board and takes out all the pieces. The pieces are all placed in the playing area. Place the spinner next to the players.

Play:
Players will take turns spinning the spinner. Before you can begin building, you must spin the word TOOL. Once you can build, you will do what the spinner tells you on each turn.

  • Tool: Choose one of the tools from the available pieces. You are now ready to build a robot. Exchange a tool if you already have one and you want to. Otherwise, no nothing. 
  • Number 1-5: Choose one of the pieces on the table with that number. If you already have a piece of that number on your puzzle, you can exchange it for another one of that number if you want to. If you don't want to, do nothing.
  • Lose a Turn: Do nothing
Winner will be based on the luck of the spin. 

Try this:

  • Start building right away. Choose a tool whenever it happens to come up.
  • Forget the game, just use the puzzle boards to make puzzles. Place only the pieces needed for one puzzle to the side of the board or, for a more challenging game, add additional pieces so that the individual will need to look through more pieces to find what he needs. 
  • Make sure the pieces are all upright so the number can be read. Or, for a more challenging game, turn the pieces at different angles so that the player must recognize the numbers in different orientations. After the game has been played a few times, and the player has learned to associate #1 with the head, and #5 with the feet, etc. the player may no longer look for a number. At that point you may not be practicing what you think you are practicing;)
  • Forget the game, just assemble the four puzzles. Assemble them in order, counting from 1-5. Assemble them in reverse order counting from 5 to 1. Assemble them by calling out a number in random order.
  • Practice forming a nice rounded web space before flicking the arrow on the spinner.
  • Practice spinning the arrow by isolating and flicking with different fingers to thumb.
  • Practice body awareness by assembling the puzzles by body part(s).
  • Increase the fun by making up stories about why the robots are on the moon, how they got there or what their individual jobs will be while there.
  • Start with a completed puzzle and remove the pieces by holding the puzzle board in two hands and feeling for the holes on the back. Push the pieces out from the back. 
  • Work on visual discrimination, visual form constancy, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, spatial relations, manual dexterity, web space formation, coordinated use of both hands, finger isolation, counting 1-5, body awareness, process skills, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
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  •  In the box: 4 6-piece robot puzzle boards, 1 spinner

Apr 8, 2018

Tippy the Turtle

Use a graded release to balance the pieces without tipping the turtle.

Tippy the Turtle is an all-wooden balance game that includes a rocking turtle, a die, and 15 round pieces. The die is smaller than average, measuring 1-2/5" square. There are two light green sides on the die, two dark green, and two yellow. Place the turtle upside-down on a flat surface. He will easily rock back and forth.
 
These types of stacking games usually come with more pieces than the object can handle, so that eventually it will fall. I had no trouble stacking all the pieces on without any falling off.
 


Object:
Be the person to put the last piece on the turtle before it topples.
 
Set up:
Place the turtle on its back in the middle of the players. Place the die and the round pieces nearby.
 
Play:
Players take turns. Throw the die to determine if you will balance a yellow piece, a dark green piece, or a light green piece on the turtle. Continue stacking the pieces until they are all on the turtle or until a piece(s) falls off. 
 
Try this:
  • Play with the turtle figure and pieces before starting a game. Demonstrate how to place pieces on alternating sides to keep it balanced and what happens when you don't. Model and practice picking up pieces with one finger on each end, opening the webspace into a nice O.
  • Hold the turtle still with the non-dominant hand and place pieces on with the dominant hand. The figure will not rock and placement may be easier for beginners.
  • Skip the die, just choose and put on one piece after another.
  • Try to place two pieces at once, one in each hand.
  • Cup the hand before shaking the die. Keep the hand in a cupped position while shaking and moving the die. Alternate hands and place the hands, one on top of the other, during different turns. I try to keep the hand in a cupped position as long as I can on dice games by maybe singing a song about a turtle, counting to 10 or 20, or asking the person to make the die dance and watch it move around in the hand.
  • If the individual has difficulty cupping the hand, place a ball in the hand, curl the fingers around it, and remove the ball.
  • Put the pieces away by dropping them one at a time in the cupped hand. Count as you go. Can they hold them all without dropping? Put the pieces back in the bag.
  • Pick the pieces up by handfuls to put them back into the bag when you are done.
  • Place one piece at a time in the player's palm. Ask him to bring the piece to his fingertips and orient before placing on the turtle.
  • Ask the player to cup the non-dominant hand. Place several pieces in the hand. Ask the player to remove them from this hand, one at a time, with the dominant hand and place them on the turtle.
  • Play a reverse game when putting it away. After playing a game and the pieces are all on the turtle, take them off one at a time, without tipping the turtle, and put them in the storage bag.
  • Play hand-over-hand if the player cannot place a piece without knocking others off or tipping the turtle. Holding their hand from above, help them open their fingers gently so the piece lands softly where you want it to.
  • Holding the turtle in the air with the non-dominant hand, see how many pieces you can place on it before one falls. Do it with the elbow anchored to the tabletop. Then do once with no support surface for the arms. Can they still put as many on?
  • Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, graded release, executive functioning skills, in-hand manipulation, coordinated use of both hands, webspace development, palmar arch development, balance, motor planning, body awareness, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
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  • In the box: 1 turtle, 1 die, 15 round pieces, cloth carrying bag