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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!

The OT Magazine named The Playful Otter one of the Top 5 Pediatric OT Blogs.


Apr 5, 2019

Tribond Jr.

Tribond Jr. - Lists of 3

Cognitive flexibility, an executive functioning skill that is important in problem solving, is front and center in Tribond Jr.. Also required is the ability to categorize and, occasionally, sequence. You will be given a list of three things and you must figure out what they have in common. The game designer calls them Threezers. Here are a few examples:
  • A car, a tree, an elephant - They all have trunks
  • Brown, polar, grizzly - They are all types of bears
  • On your mark, get set, go - A three command start for a race
The game board is folded into fourths to fit in the box. There are 1,100 Threezers on the 200 cards, six per card. The six Threezers on each card are numbered (1-6). The Threezers are on one side and the answers are on the other. There are two dice, a number die and a color die. The colors on the die match the color spaces on the board. 

The lists that are three of the same things (like three different kinds of bears) are much easier and quicker to figure out for most than the list of three completely different items with one matching attribute. 

Object:
Be the first person to move around the board and return home.

Set up:
Open the board and place it in the middle of the players. Slide one of the card decks into the box and set it by the board. Each player chooses one pawn and puts it on the home spot on the board. Place the dice nearby.

Play:
The first player throws the dice. The number die will indicate which Threezer they will be asked about (Threezers are numbered on each card 1-6). The person to the player's left will be the reader and will read the Threezer out loud. If the player answers correctly, they may move their pawn to the next space on the board that matches the color that was thrown on the die. If the die is white, they may trade spaces with anyone on the board, or stay put. If they answer incorrectly, their turn is over. Play until someone reaches home and wins the game.

Try this:
  • Allow the player to read off the card if it is hard to hold three things in their mind as they contemplate. 
  • Involve everyone, no waiting between turns. Give each player a piece of paper. Players take turns reading a Threezer. Everyone writes down a guess, then the reader turns the card over and reads the answer. Each player who got it correct gets a point. Play for a predetermined amount of time and the person with the highest score wins. Or play until someone reaches a predetermined score.
  • Forget the game, just play with the cards. Write one Threezer on a white board or piece of paper so all can see. Work together as a group to figure out each answer.
  • Work on the hardest category - three completely different items with one matching attribute. Describe the first item and see if anything thing you say would apply to more than one item. If it does, does it match two? Three? If not, describe the second item and try again. Keep going until something clicks. A car, a tree, an elephant. A car has wheels, rolls, is made of metal, holds people, has windows. No to everything. A tree is tall, has leaves, has a trunk, etc.
  • Work on cognitive flexibility, categorization, sequencing, socialization skills, executive function skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: Game board, 6 pawns, 2 dice, 200 cards, card box
 

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


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