Mega Bloks Dora's House

Check out the house that Dora built.

In the bag: 60 pieces

A Dora the Explorer playset by Mega Bloks. Mega Bloks are larger than LEGOs and comparable to the LEGO brand DUPLO. The building pieces are plastic but are a little bit flexible, not solid hard plastic. Because of the flexibility, the structure can be hard to move, even just a little, without pieces coming apart.

 

This set includes Dora's house, a tree, a few furniture pieces, a Dora figure, and a Boots figure. This set also comes with a step-by-step booklet (image below) for making the house and accessories pictured on the front of the bag (image above). 

 

If you look in the top, right corner of the bag in the picture above you will see another version that you can put together, but it does not come with any instructions. You will need to work from the picture.  Here is a picture from the instruction booklet:

The new pieces that will be added to each page are at the top of the page in the white boxes. The new pieces are pictured "floating" above the model with black lines that trace down to the surface where it will be added. The tops of the pieces where the new pieces will be added are also colored with yellow and blue circles.

Try this:

• Offer a few minutes of free play at the beginning so the child can get the feel of the pieces and learn how they go together.
• Keep the unused pieces in a pile so the child will have to search for each needed piece. Turn some of the pieces upside down or on their side so the child will have to recognize them from different perspectives.
• Advise the child to hold or place the model in the same orientation as the one in the picture.
• Give the beginner a piece at a time while building and point to the piece on the picture to show where it should go.
• Place the pieces for each step on the non-dominant side so that the individual will have to cross midline to pick them up. Instruct him not to lean to the side as he reaches across.
• Ask "what is different" at each new step in the instruction guide to focus on where the new parts will go.
• Take time to play once your set is complete.
• Work on spatial relations, visual discrimination, figure ground, visual closure, bilateral hand use, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, sequencing, creative play, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

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

Tricky Fingers

I'm not sure why, but I am more enthusiastic about Tricky Fingers than the kids are. Hold the plastic box in your hands and put your fingertips in the holes on the bottom to push the marbles into the pattern you want. Move new marbles into place without disturbing the marbles that are already in place. 

The marbles are plastic and there are four each of four different colors - red, blue, yellow, and green. The whole box is plastic and cannot be opened. The 14 pattern cards can be turned in four different directions, increasing the puzzles you can do over time. The backs of the pattern cards are printed with the grid in black and all the holes are white. You can color them in, or copy them, and make up your own patterns. That can at least double the number of patterns for this game! 

Tricky Fingers

Try this:

• Start by just playing with the box. Practice holding with two hands and pushing marbles from the bottom. Let the individual make up his own design or try to get all of one color in one corner.
• Model for the individual, as many have trouble coordinating holding the box while pushing marbles from the bottom with the fingers.
• Cover all but one vertical or horizontal line at a time on the pattern card if the individual doesn't know where to start or how to proceed.
• Think about your strategy before you start to avoid getting marbles cornered in the wrong locations.
• Start slowly by making your own pattern cards and color in only one color at a time. This will cover only four holes. Make a card for the four marbles in a row vertically, then a row horizontally, then four of one color in a corner. Then move to four randomly placed around the box. Don't worry about the other colors. Then move to patterns with two colors. Work your way up to all four colors.
• Work on manual and finger dexterity, finger isolation, precise fine motor control, coordinated use of both hands, visual discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, spatial relations, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box:2 puzzle boxes, 14 puzzle pattern cards
Ages 4+, 1-2 players

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