Operation Pet Scan

 

Operation Pet Scan - Now you can honestly say your dog ate your homework!

Rex-Ray has been busy eating everything in sight. A trip to the vet and a "pet" scan reveals multiple objects in his stomach including your slippers, your cell phone, and even your homework! Time for an operation. And you're the doctor!

I've blogged about the traditional Operation game in the past, but Operation Pet Scan is different in several ways. It has a chunky, plastic hand tool (Dog-O-Scope), instead of the metal tweezers that take more fine motor precision, you operate on a vertical surface, instead of a flat surface, and there are multiple new sounds including a dog bark, a gurgling stomach, and a dog fart. The sounds rotate as you play, but you can also get these sounds just by pushing the dog's nose.

The board measures about 13.25" across the widest points. There is a clear plastic piece over the stomach (blue area) to keep the items inside. There are 8 white pieces (the things the dog eats) and none measure more than .75" across the longest side. The Dog-O-Scope is tethered to the game board. There is a hinged door on the back of the dog where the white pieces are stored. Take out the items and then leave the door open (kickstand) and the board will be more stable. The board will lean back a little. It's like the back of a standing picture frame. Takes 2 AA batteries. Only short-life demo batteries included.

Drop an item into Rex-Ray's mouth and it will appear in his stomach. Take the tool and touch it to the plastic that is in front of the item. The item will attach to the tool. Carefully use the tool to guide the piece through the intestines. Most pieces are too wide to fit through going the wide way, so you will have to use the Dog-O-Scope to turn them so they can fit. If you drop the piece anywhere in the middle of the stomach, it will drop out a hole at the bottom and you will have to start over. If you touch the edge anywhere as you travel, you will get a buzzer. It is more forgiving than the original Operation game though. Once you have traveled all through the intestines, the piece will come out an open space right below the tail. Operation complete! Add another piece and try again.

Object:

Be the player who removes the most items.

Set up:

Remove the white items. Prop the board up, place the items on the table next to the board.

Play:

Players take turns. Drop one item into Rex-Ray's mouth. Use the Dog-O-Scope to guide it through. If the buzzer goes off, keep playing. If the item falls out the bottom, your turn is over. Place the item back on the pile of items and the next person plays. If you bring the item all the way through and out the end, you get to keep the item. The next person plays. Keep going until all items have been claimed. The winner is the person with the most items.

Try this:

• Let the individual play a couple pieces through before challenging them to a game so they can get the feel of the tool.
  
• Skip the game, take turns taking out a piece. Go first, talk about your strategy as you go. If they have difficulty, you can teach each time it is your turn.
• If a player gets a piece through, let them add another piece. Keep going to see have many they can get through, without dropping one out, in one turn.
• Play with the board flat on the table first. A piece cannot fall out the bottom this way. When they are used to the tool, then prop the game board into a standing position. 
• Play a game all the way through by yourself. Count the buzzes you get each time you get one all the way through. Play again and try for fewer buzzes.
• Work on visual discrimination, manual dexterity, tool use, motor planning, problem solving, process skills, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: One game board, 8 small items.