I love shopping the thrift stores right after Christmas. People are anxious to get rid of things they didn't want and are eager to get a donation receipt so they can still apply it to the current year tax returns. You can get great stuff for pretty cheap.
So I'm out shopping and, well how could I resist a game with OTTER in the name? To make it even sweeter, I got it brand new for $1.50. Funny how one person's Christmas disappointment can be another person's YA-HOO!
I've never heard of the Mudpuppy brand, so I just had to go looking on Amazon. So many fun activities, but I had to stop myself since I only have one in-person client now and that limits what I can use. Cognitive ages 3-4 - check it out if you are interested.
The box says Otter Space is a slide and score matching game that will help build memory, color matching, manual dexterity, and eye-hand coordination skills. The contents of the box are:
- 27 cards with pictures of colorful planets on one side and dark sky and stars on the other
- 3 SPECIAL cards
- 3-2-1 Rocket ship - Count down "3-2-1 Blast Off!". All players get to play and anyone matching the color gets to keep that card.
- Shooting star - Take your turn and then randomly turn over an extra card. If it matches your die color, keep it - even if you have already collected a card.
- Rainbow planet - Planet is multicolored and counts as an one color that you want it to be.
- 4 triangle launchers (thicker card stock)
- 4 rockets with an otter looking out the window (thick stock)
- 1 color die (wood)
Object:
Be the first player to collect 4 of the square planet cards.
Set up:
Spread out all the planet cards on a flat surface, planet side down, without overlapping any cards. Each player chooses a rocket ship and takes a grey triangle.
Play:
Youngest player goes first. Throw the die to see which color planet you will be hoping to land on. Place your rocket flat on the table, an arms-length away from the cards. Pick up the gray triangle and stand it up behind the rocket.
Push the triangle forward so it comes in contact with the ship and pushes it forward. Turn over any planet cards that the rocket lands on. If any of them has a color planet that is the same color as the die that was thrown, the player can keep the card. Only one card may be kept per turn. Turn the rest of the cards back over and the next person plays. Try to remember the planet colors on the cards that were turned back over. Players take turns and play continues in this way until someone has collected 4 planet cards and wins the game.
Try this:
- Say the planet colors out loud as you check each card.
- Ask the individual to cup the hand and make the die "dance" before throwing it. Try to think of a way to keep the hand in this position a little longer, such as singing a song about colors, space, rockets, or even Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.
- Try flicking the rocket instead of pushing it with the triangle. Check that your pointer finger and thumb make a nice rounded O before flicking.
- Practice flicking out of range of the cards first. Learn how holding your fingers together tight before flicking will send the rocket further than holding them together loosely.
- Skip the game and cards. Line up the four rockets on a flat surface and flick each one forward. Which color rocket went the farthest?
- Try flicking the rocket with pointer to thumb, then middle finger to thumb and on down. Don't forget to look for that nice rounded O in the webspace before flicking. Which finger flicks the farthest?
- Skip the game. Place the planet cards face-down on a grid on a flat surface. No two cards are the same, but a lot of cards have two planets with different colors. Turn over two cards and try to match two colors. If you make a match, take them and go again until you miss. Once you miss, turn the cards face-down again, but remember what the colors are in case you need one in the future.
- Lay the rocket cards in a grid, face-up. Throw the die. Pick up all the cards with that color. Pick the cards up where they lie. Don't try to drag them to the side of the table to assist with pick up, and try not to disturb any of the surrounding cards. Take turns throwing the die until all the cards are picked up. Some people my have to skip turns if the cards have already been picked up. Who got the most?
- Play the game above, but skip the die. Lay the six rocket cards face-down. Each person turns a rocket card over to get their color. That way each person will always get some cards to pick up.
- Play the game above but someone else will have to pick up your cards for you. When you spot a card you will identify the location, such as second row, fourth card. Another player must find it and give it to you.
- Set up cards on the table by holding the deck in the non-dominant hand and pushing each card off the top with the thumb. The dominant hand will take the card and place it on the tabletop.
Work on spatial relations, figure ground, manual dexterity, palmar arch strength and support, color recognition, in-hand manipulation skills, social skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.
