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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!

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Sep 29, 2018

Ice Cream Crazy

Ice Cream Crazy - Build 5-part ice cream cones to match pattern cards.
From the makers of Wash My Pants comes Ice Cream Crazy. You are working in an ice cream shop and it is your job to fill the orders. Each order will consist of one ice cream cone, three ice cream scoops and 1 topping.

The ice cream pieces are all a heavier card stock and the orders are a lighter card stock. The pieces are all laminated and would wipe clean. There are three each of eight different ice cream scoops. Each cone comes with one scoop which matches three other cards.


For more summer-themed games, follow this link to Adapting Games and Toys for Therapy - Summer Edition.

Object:
Be the first player to finish your ice cream order.

Set up:
Each player chooses an ice cream cone and an order card. Spread the ice cream scoops, toppings, and 6 suns, picture-side down, on the playing surface.

Play:
Each player will pick up and look at one piece on his turn. If it matches a piece they need for their order, they add it to their cone. If it does not, they show the piece to the other players and place it, picture-side down, back on the table. Scoops can be added to a cone in any order except that the toppings must be the last card picked and go on the top. If a player picks his topping card before he needs it, he must return it to the table. If the player picks a sun, his ice cream melts and he must return one of his ice cream scoops to the table, picture-side down. Take the sun out of play. Play continues until one of the players has completed his ice cream cone per his order.

Variations:
  • Each player chooses 2 order cards to fill to win.
  • Don't show the others a card that does not match your order before you return it to the table.
  • Stack the ice cream scoops in the exact order that they are pictured on the card.
  • Play a game where each individual needs to find the three scoop cards that match the flavor on his ice cream cone.
  • Take the suns out of the game.
Try this:
  • Place the scoop upside-down so that the piece can be turned in-hand to the correct orientation before placement.
  • Coach the individual to look and remember where specific cards are before they are turned face-down. Sometimes people will just look without trying to remember.
  • Ensure that returned pieces are placed in the same spot where they were picked up, so players have a chance to memorize their location.
  • Skip playing the game, just use the order cards and make the ice cream cones in the order of the pictures on the card.
  • Play a memory match game. Turn the 24 ice cream scoops face-down on the table and turn face-up three on each turn, looking for three of the same. Take the matches off in sets of three until you have removed all the cards.
  • Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, figure ground, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

    In the box: 8 order cards, 8 ice cream cones, 24 ice cream scoops, 10 suns, 8 toppings

Sep 26, 2018

Happy Feet Two, Feeding Frenzy Game

Be the first to collect your color cubes as they vibrate and jump off the game base.


My first reaction upon flipping the switch to make Erik the penguin move was "WOW! What a racket!" The plastic game base is about 10.25" in diameter. The plastic ice cubes are hollow, have five sides (one side is open), and measure about 7/8" square. There are 24 cubes of four different colors each - blue, green, yellow and orange - six of each color. The penguin is made of hard plastic, takes 3 AA batteries and when you turn him on he REALLY vibrates.

Object:
Be the first to collect all of the ice cubes of your color.

Set up:
Place the game playing surface (piece of cardboard) inside the game base. Place this on a flat surface and put the penguin on the game base. Assign each person a color of ice cubes and each player places all of his ice cubes on the game base.

Play:
Push the button on the penguin to turn him on. As he vibrates and randomly moves around the game base the ice cubes will jump up and eventually out of the game base. Each time one of your color cubes jumps out, grab it and put it next to you. If the other players' cubes jump out and you can grab them before the owner does, you can put them back in the game base and they will have to wait for them to jump out again. The person who collects all of their color of ice cubes first is the winner.

Try this:
  • Place the ice cubes on the playing surface, open side up. Ask the player to pick up each cube and turn it in-hand to flip the open side to the bottom before placing on the game surface during set-up.
  • Play alone and try to predict which cube color will be the last to jump off. Place all the cubes on the base during set up. As the cubes jump out, sort them into piles by color. Did you predict the right color?
  • Set a timer for a short amount of time, such as 2 minutes. Place all the ice cubes on the game base and turn on the penguin. Put the ice cubes back onto the playing surface as fast as they jump out. Can you keep up the pace?
  • Set up the game and turn on the penguin. Name each ice cube color as it jumps out until all are out of the base.
  • Work on visual discrimination, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, socialization skills, motor planning, speed, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
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  •  In the box: Plastic game base, game playing surface, penguin, 24 ice cubes
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