Pizza Panic

 

Pizza Panic

Almost everybody I've ever met, especially kids, loves pizza. So pizza themed games should be no surprise. Pile the ingredients onto the Pizza Panic game unit quick, before the timer runs out. If you are too slow, the pizza top jumps up and all the ingredients will go flying.

Pizza Panic comes with a plastic, deep dish pizza crust that serves as the game unit. There are 25 custom cut-out sections on the pizza crust top (see image above). The pizza game unit also has a 60 second timer that does make noise as it runs. After 60 seconds, if the timer has not been stopped, the pizza top will jump up, throwing off all the ingredients.

Also included are 25 uniquely shaped pizza ingredients, also made of plastic, one to fit into each of the custom cutouts. Some of the pizza ingredients are pepperoni, onions, tomatoes, bacon, mushrooms, spinach, sausage, black olives and green peppers. (Why is my favorite pizza topping, green olives, never included in pizza games?) The pieces are plastic and have a sticker on top that shows the ingredient image. Each piece has a short "stem" on top that you can use to pick up and quickly spin the piece if necessary to position it.

Object

• Playing against the pizza - Place all of your toppings on the pizza before the timer goes off and the pieces go flying.
• Playing against another player - Be the first to get all your pieces on the pizza crust.
  

Set up

Place the pizza game unit on the table between the players. Place the pizza ingredients nearby. If you are playing against another person divide the pizza ingredients evenly between the players. If you are playing against the pizza, leave the pizza ingredients near the pizza.

Play

Players play at the same time. Push the top of the pizza down until you hear it click. Twist the timer all the way until it stops. Flip the switch and everybody plays at once. Get all the pieces on before the times goes off to win against the pizza. Get all your pieces on first to win against another player.

Try this :

• Demonstrate how to pick up a piece by the stem and twirl it in your finger tips so that you can orient it quickly. Let the individual practice.
  
• Play a game without the timer so the player(s) can get the hang of it. If it does not appear that the player(s) will be able to beat the timer, start with some of the pieces already on the pizza so less will have to be loaded against the clock.
  
• Place the pieces all flat on the surface and ask the player to pick them up by the small stems on the top of each piece.
• Sort the pieces before the game starts and put the pieces next to the person that will be placed on the pizza directly in front of the person so they do not have to reach across until they are better at playing.
• Skip the timer and the need for speed. Just add the ingredients one at a time and name them as you go.
• Skip the timer. Place the pieces in a jumbled pile. Call out an ingredient and let the individual search, find and place it on the pizza.
  
• Follow up playing the game by making a pizza, from scratch or even frozen. Add your own favorite ingredients. Practice slicing toppings if that would be appropriate.
• Work on visual discrimination, pincer grasp, spatial relations, figure ground, in-hand manipulation, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.
  

In the box: A pizza game unit, 25 individual pizza toppings