Lite Brite Oval HD

 

 

If you've been around for very long, you know how much I LOVE Lite Brite. The original Lite Brite, the one I had as a kid, continues to be my favorite.  It has a wide base of support, allows for working on a slanted surface while holding the arm in space, and requires a stabilizing hand to hold the unit still as you pierce the paper with the pegs. As a therapist, BINGO! But you can't buy them any more unless you stumble onto one on eBay, at a rummage sale, or in a thrift store. You can read my previous post about it here. The Lite Brite Cube - hate it. The Lite Brite Flat Screen - don't like it. The Lite Brite Magic Screen - I have used this one with success. You can read my previous post about that one here.

Lite Brite has been around for almost 60 years, and like Oreos and Lay's Potato Chips, Lite Brite keeps remaking itself in an effort to hit on a new version that will be as popular as the original. Well, like Watermelon Oreos and Cappuccino Lay's Potato Chips, Lite Brite Oval HD is NOT it! I'll tell you why from a therapist's point of view.

The unit is lightweight plastic and does have a fold-out stand on the back, which is a plus. If you're careful, it should last a while. This particular version comes with 12 paper templates, each with a different picture, including a turtle, T-rex head, panda, dump truck, some kind of a monster, a skull, and something that, after looking at it for quite a while, I decided to call a "bug". (After checking the box I see it's a cuttlefish).

And here comes the big surprise for me - the pegs! They are tiny, maybe half as wide as the originals and only 2/3 as long. And VERY thin. 

 

CRAZY TINY

 

Because of this, each picture will require you to place hundreds of pegs. And because you are going to have to grip tight something so tiny while you push it in, the job will become tedious and your fingers will become sore long before you finish it. And when you line up the template on the unit, you better get it spot on. Because the pegs are so tiny and the holes are so tiny, if the letters on the template are not right on top of the circles below, you may have to jab repeatedly, pushing against solid plastic before you cut through the paper. And there's only one way to find that out... ugh. 

So, if you want to know more about Lite Brite, I recommend that you check out my two posts above. Other than that, I would not recommend Lite Brite Oval HD for kids or therapists.

  

First Orchard

 

Ah... what better day to blog about an autumn themed game than the first day of fall. First Orchard plots the players against the hungry raven. To win the game, work as a team to harvest the fruit from the trees before the raven reaches the end of the trail. Cooperation is key.  

First Orchard is the junior version of the game Orchard, which I blogged about a few years ago. Made by Haba, one of my favorite game manufacturers, I don't even have to open the box to know this is a quality game made to last. Haba never disappoints. Let's check it out.

In the box you will find a wooden raven, a fruit basket, 4 wooden green apples, 4 wooden yellow pears, 4 wooden blue plums, 4 wooden red apples, 5 path cards, 4 trees, a wooden color/symbol die. The 6 sides of the die are green, blue, yellow, red, raven, and basket. All wooden pieces are large, brightly painted, and sealed. To give you an idea of the size, the apple is 2" tall and 1.5" across.

 

Object:

Pick the fruit before the raven reaches the end of the path. 

Set-up:

Place the trees in the middle of the table and place the fruit on top of each tree (see above). Line up the 5 path cards and place the raven facing the first card on the path. Place the die and the fruit basket near by. 

Play:

Players take turns. The first player rolls the die. On the die appears:

• One of the colors - pick the same color piece of fruit off a tree and place it in the basket. If there are no pieces of fruit that color left, nothing happens. Pass the dye to the next person.
• The fruit basket - pick any fruit off any tree and place it in the basket.
• The raven - oh no. Move the raven up one card on the path.

The next player takes a turn. 

If the players together gather all the fruit into the basket before the raven gets to the end of the path, the players win. If the raven moves down the path and reaches the trees first, the players together have lost. The raven wins.

Try this:

• Roll the dies in the fingers of one hand, without dropping, until you have seen all sides. Now do it with the other hand. The die is too big and chunky for most to roll it in the palm, but go ahead if you can.
• Play alone, just you against the raven. You don't really need other players.
• Use this as an opportunity to try different fruits. Cut small pieces and place them on the trees instead of the wooden fruit, and then eat the pieces instead of putting them into the basket. You will have to put the trees   in a sandwich bag or something like that to have a clean surface to put the fruit on.
• Play the game and follow with a fruit activity, like making a fruit salad or 
•  Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation, socialization skills.