Acuity

Acuity

Acuity lets you exercise multiple visual perceptual skills in a single game. Acuity consists of 70 tiles, each with four symbols/shapes on one side and the game name on the other side, as shown above. The tiles are 1/8 inch thick, allowing for easier grasping and manipulating.

After making a 36 card square grid for play, you will be looking for patterns. In the image at the top of the page, the pattern we are looking for is on the tile, bottom left. I have put a black rectangle around this pattern on the grid. It overlaps 2 different tiles. This tile is in the same orientation as the the pattern on the grid, but sometimes it isn't and you will have to rotate it in your mind. 

Object:
Have the most tiles at the end of the game.

Set up:
Build a grid with any 36 tiles (it will be different every game), six across and six down. Place the rest of the tiles in a face down stack on the table.  
 
Play:
Everyone plays at the same time. Take the top tile off the pile and lay it face up on the table. See who can be the first player to find that pattern on the grid. Rotate the tile in your mind and look at if from every angle. If you cannot find an identical tile on the grid, you may need to overlap the tile over two or four other tiles on the grid. The first person to spot the pattern gets the tile. One by one, search for matches to the remaining 34 tiles. The one with the most tiles at the end is the winner.

Try this:

• Play with only one person. Allow them to hold the tile and turn it in-hand as they look for the match if they cannot do it without manipulating the tile.
• Build the grid by holding four or six tiles in the non-dominant hand, pushing the top tile off the top with the thumb and taking with the dominant hand to place.
• Put the game away by picking the tiles up one at a time and stacking them. Move the whole stack each time to the next tile. How high can the stack get before you can't hold any more tiles?
• Start with a smaller grid for an easier game. You may have to stack the deck before the game starts to make sure the tiles on the pile will have matches on the grid.
• Coach the individual to pick two shapes that are adjacent on the tile they are trying to match. Scan the board and look for those two shapes together, quickly eliminating where there is no match. As you find matches, stop and look at the rest of the pattern on the whole tile and see if it matches the pattern on the board.
• Place numerous tiles on the table face-up. Play I SPY and give instructions to find a specific tile. There may be more than one match. For instance, "I spy a tile with two squares on the left side" or "I spy a tile with a star in the top left corner and a star in the bottom right corner".
• Line tiles up in one long horizontal line, matching the pattern down the left side of the new tile with the pattern down the right side of the tile already in play (kind of like dominoes). How many can you lay before you run out of matches? 
• Work on spatial relations/positions in space, visual discrimination, figure ground, visual closure, visualization, visual scanning, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, bilateral integration, crossing midline, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 70 tiles

 
Ages 6+, 1+ players

Pattern Blocks

Games that include blocks and pattern cards

Pattern block sets have long been a favorite tool of OTs. They are great for working on spatial relations, in-hand manipulation, and a host of other skills. Plus kids usually like them. These blocks can come in different shapes, are usually made of hard plastic or wood, may be magnetic, and are used to make designs, objects and pictures. The activities typically come with multiple pattern cards that gradually increase in difficulty, and they can be used over and over without repeating, so are also a good value. Click on any of the names below to go to my post about that item.

 

SmartMax My First Totem - Beginner's game with 7 chunky magnetic pieces and 24 patterns.

Bunny Boo - 4 pieces and 60 challenges. A good place to start.

Mental Blox Jr. - Use this set as a precursor to Mental Blox and Mental Blox 360. 8 blocks, 28 pattern cards in four different categories.

Cat and Mouse Brain Builder Peg Set - 14 pieces, 20 pattern cards and a happy cat and mouse.

Creative Animal Geo Blocks - 29 wooden pieces, 20 pattern cards. Pieces are flat, like the pieces in foam craft kits, so you can work on layering.

Bugzzle - A buggy puzzle with 40 pattern cards.

Pattern Play Revolution - Build with patterned rings instead of block. 6rings, 30 puzzles.

Block Buddies - One of my first sets and still a go-to for me. Build flat on a table top. 21 wooden blocks, 50 patterns.
  
Excellerations Engineered to Build - Eighteen wooden blocks, 25 pattern cards, many designs involve stacking.

Excellerations 3D Spatial Relations Activity Set - Farm-themed set with 8 wooden pieces and 24 pattern cards. More of a beginner set.

Equilibrio - 7 shapes, 18 pieces, and 60 puzzles that progress in difficulty. Build models upright, some with challenging balance aspects. Build puzzles from different perspectives (up to three views per model).

Perspecto - 7 shapes, 18 pieces, 60 puzzles that progress in difficulty.

Tangramino - 7 shapes, 18 pieces, 64 challenges, models built flat on the table.

Imagination Magnets Expansion Pack - 37 magnet-backed wooden blocks, 20 patterns. Designs are created flat. Does not come with the magnetic surface to create on, use with the Imaginets set (below).

Imagination Patterns - 43 magnet-backed pieces, 50 patterns, comes with its own carrying case. Create flat on the magnetic surface. From the makers of Imaginets, this set includes some pieces that are patterned instead of all solid colors. 

Imagination Patterns Deluxe - 60 magnets, 60 designs, comes in its own carrying case Pieces are magnets and stay put.

Imaginets - Another of the kids' favorites, 42 wooden magnet-backed pieces and 50 patterns come in a wooden carrying case. Create flat on magnetic surface.

Keva Brain Builders - 20 pine planks, 30 3D puzzle cards which show each image in three planes (front, side, top).

Magnetic Mighty Mind - 32 magnetic shapes, 30 pattern cards, storage tin. This beginners' set introduces individual to the shapes in the mighty mind sets.  Place the cards on the metal lid and place pieces on top of the card.

Mighty Mind Aquarium Adventure  - 32 shapes, 24 pattern cards, underwater theme. I just put the cards in the same box with the Magnetic Mighty Mind (above) and use those magnetic tiles. Kids have loved these.

Magnetic Playboard - Work on an elevated surface with the magnetic plastic easel. You can buy multiple expansion packs (plastic pieces and pattern cards) with different themes.

Melissa & Doug Beginner Pattern Blocks - 30 big shape pieces, 3-6 pieces per scene, 10 different scenes, and slightly cut-out spaces to place pieces into so they won't slide around. 

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Pattern Block Kit - I like the magnetic sets and I have used this one a lot. 120 magnetic pieces, magnetic board, 12 pictures, plastic carrying bag. Can build right on top of the cards and the pieces will stick.

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards - 120 wood pieces, 5 wooden pattern cards (10 designs), wooden box with no lid.

Mental Blox - Another favorite, 20 hollow plastic 3D pieces, 40 patterns (many involving stacking).

Mental Blox 360 - 15 pieces, 40 challenges, build in 3D

Mighty Mind Super Challenger - Images show no lines to indicate what pieces to use or where pieces go. Set includes standard sized cards as well as super sized cards that will required 2 sets of tiles (included).

Magnetic Mighty Mind Zoo Adventure - Each colorful pattern card includes a black and white outline where you will build your own zoo animal with the design tiles. 13 cards, 26 patterns. Magnetic - I love this version. Tiles don't shift as your play.

Tangoes Jr. - Start here for beginners. 7 pieces, 12 puzzle cards, show puzzle with outlines and without. Magnetic, sticks to carrying case.

Pattern Play - Another go-to for me. Two shapes but many different lengths. 40 wooden blocks and 40 patterns.

Pattern Play 3D - Make horizontal as well as vertical objects. 22 wooden blocks, 40 patterns. 

My First Activity Wood Block Set - A starter set for young kids, 27 blocks and nine pattern cards. Simple pictures of animals and flowers.

Lewo Magnetic Puzzle and Drawing Board - An activity kit with 93 magnetic pieces, a white/chalk board, dry erase marker and chalk, and 21 patterns.

Brain Builder Peg Set - 18 wooden blocks, 20 pattern cards. For beginners.