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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 5, 2019

Kaleidoscope Puzzle

Card-stacking pattern game.

This is a pattern logic game. The goal is simple: Choose one of the 40 challenge cards and then orient the correct transparent, plastic pieces to make that pattern. There are four levels of difficulty, 10 challenges for each level. Turn the card over and the solution on the back shows you which pieces to use and their correct orientation. Puzzles will use either two or three transparent plastic pieces to solve.


You will have to know a little about what secondary colors result when primary colors are mixed, or learn fast. For instance a red and blue stacked on top of each other will make purple, blue and yellow make green. I am not really a fan of this game. One of my biggest issues with this game is that when playing Kaleidoscope Puzzle you have got to be sitting under really good lighting to make the new color mixes obvious.

Each of the six transparent cards is basically divided into four big sections, but depending on how the card is oriented, there are eight possibilities. For instance, looking at the example on the front of the box in the image above, the top section is blue and green. Moving clockwise, the next large section is yellow, the bottom section is divided into red and orange sections, and the last section is divided into red and white. Note how the orange on the bottom is hard to differentiate from the red next to it. The easiest puzzles start with four sections and no overlapping colors, and as they get harder the sections and mixed colors increase. Here is a sample card from each level. Under them are the backs of the cards with the solutions.

 

Front of cards with puzzle, first card from each level of difficulty.

 


Back of cards with solutions. Cards are oriented as they should be stacked.

 Try this:
  • Play with the cards before starting a game. Stack and turn pieces so that the player can see how colors are mixed and create other colors.
  • Look at the back and choose the appropriate cards for the player in advance to save time or start slow.
  • Think about the secondary colors first and what colors will be needed to make them. That will give you an idea of where at least two of the colors will be located.
  • Work on logic, problem solving, visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation


In the box:  6 transparent plastic card tiles with primary colors, 40 challenge cards 

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

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