Brown Bear - Panda Bear What Do You See?

A board-based memory game.

This game is based on a children's book that I have neither read nor seen, but you can still play the game without it. I don't think I've ever seen a memory game with a game board, and that means that one of each of your sets is already found. The game board shows four large bears and under each bear are pictures of eight animals. The 32 animal cards will match the animals on the board (minus the bears). Some of the animals are fox, duck, frog, horse, monkey, fish and penguin. The pieces are sturdy and the game board is folded into fourths in the box.

Object:
Be the first to cover all of your eight animals and recite the rhyme.

Set up: 
Place the board in the middle of the players. Turn the four bear cards face-down and each player chooses one. The cards will show either a panda bear or a brown bear. The picture you choose will tell you where to sit at the board. Take your place at the board. Turn the 32 animal cards face-down in the middle of the board or off to the side.

Play:
Players take turns flipping one animal card face-up. If it matches one of the eight animals that they need, they pick it up and place it on the picture in front of them. If not, they turn it back over in the same spot and the next person plays. Once someone matches all eight pictures in front of them they recite the rhyme: Brown bear, brown bear (or panda bear, panda bear) what do you see? I see a... The player will then name the eight animals lined up in front of them and win the game.

Try this:

• Skip the board and just play a memory game as there are 16 sets in all. There are two of each animal card since one panda and one brown bear have the same set of pictures and the other panda and brown bear have a different set of pictures.
• Name each animal, including the color, each time you turn over an animal.
• Place only the cards needed on the board during set up. For instance, if only two people are playing, only 16 cards will be needed.
• Place one of each animal in a pair upside-down when you are playing a memory game without the board. The players will have to recognize a set when the cards are in different orientations. The side of the card that does not picture the animal has stripes (see the image above). The red strip is the bottom of each card. Savvy players may figure out that if they turn over a card with a red strip at the bottom, the match to that will have a red strip at the top. It may take a few games to put it together though.
• Give the player a small stack of cards and ask them to place them on the board during set up, pushing each top card off the stack with the thumb as he separates them.
• Require that each card is picked up where it lies and not moved to the edge for a better grip. The cards are about 1/16 inch thick, so they are not flat.
• Make the game a little more difficult by requiring players to find their sets in the same sequence as the animals that are pictured lined up on the board. If you match one of your sets out of sequence, you have to leave it in place until you come to that animal in your line-up.
• Work on visual discrimination, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, eye-hand coordination, visual memory, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: game board, 4 bear cards, 32 animal cards

 

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

Cubeez

Cubeez - Use your dice to create the faces on the pattern cards.

Cubeez is an easy to learn-and-play dice game that features facial expressions. Some straightforward - happy, sad, surprised and angry - and some just plain mixed up.

Each Cubeez card has one face on it and each player will have three dice to use to construct the face, two square dice and one rectangular die. There are four sets with three dice each and each set is exactly like the others except for the color. The cards also come in four different colors but it doesn't have any impact on the game. The dice are wood with color and expressions painted on.

Object:

Be the player with the most cards at the end of the game.

Set up:

Mix the face cards and place them in a pile, face-down, in the middle of the players. Give each player one set of three dice.

Play:

A player flips the top card face-up so all can see. Each player constructs the exact face on their dice as quickly as possible. The first one finished gets the card. Play until all the cards are claimed, until someone reaches a certain number of cards set before the game, or until a set amount of time is up. Count the cards and the player with the most cards is the winner.

Try this:

• Turn each die in-hand as you search for the correct side.
• Play alone and use the same color of dice that matches the color of the face on the card.
• Stare at the face card for 15 seconds, then turn it over and try to build it from memory.
• After each card is won, the person who claimed it states what he thinks the person might be thinking based on the expression.
• Build one face from a card, and then mix the card back into the stack of cards. Give the stack to the individual and ask them to go through and find the matching card. Have them hold the stack in the non-dominant hand and push the cards off with the thumb, one at a time, until they find their card.
• Place one card on the table and build the face. Make a mistake and ask the individual to find and correct it.
• Build the face from a different orientation. Place the card upside-down or sideways in front of the individual and ask them to build it right-side-up in front of them for an additional challenge. I have also used this when I am working with people on different levels. Let the person who needs more time build it from the right-side-up card and have the other individual sit across the table and build it right-side-up from the upside-down card. Interpreting it from upside-down will slow them down a bit.
• Set a timer for a minute or two. Build as many faces as you can, one card after the other. Count how many you made. Set the timer again and try to increase the number by 1 or more.
• Have each player choose a color of dice and give them the matching 12 pattern cards (enough for 4 players). Players all play at once, making one face after another from their cards. See who can finish first.
• Ask the player to make a face with the cubes that reflects how they are feeling today. Discuss why if they want to.
• Make a face with the cubes and then ask the player what he thinks the cube face would be thinking, based on their facial expression. 
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, manual dexterity, visual form constancy, visual closure, in-hand manipulation, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  
  
  In the box: 12 colored cubes, 50 cards
  
  
  If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.