I SPY Spectacular!

I SPY Spectacular - Unusual spinner

I'm expecting great things from a game that has the word "spectacular" in its name. I SPY does figure ground like nobody else, so I'm sure I won't be disappointed with I SPY Spectacular.

I SPY Spectacular includes a 3-level spinner, something I've never seen before, and 36 double-sided I SPY cards. You can see the spinner in the image above, but here is a picture of the back of the box because I think it shows it better. 

Back of box showing game set up for play.

The spinner is sitting on a square red base made of a sturdy card stock. In one corner of this red base is a yellow arrow that points to the spinner. The spinner is blue plastic and has little indents in the sides where you can put a finger to help you spin. It spins easily and all three levels spin together as one unit. On each spinner level (3) in the image above you will see a white ring with images. These images match the images on the picture cards. The three rings are two sided and the largest ring is blue on the other side, divided into six sections, each with one image. The middle ring is green on the opposite side with the words AND and NOT alternating around the ring. The smallest ring is yellow on the opposite side with six images, one per section.

There are 36 double-sided image cards. They each have a colored border (red, blue, yellow, green) that is not important to the game. Each card has a white background on one side and a lightly tinted background that matches the border color on the other side. The white side shows nine images and has a two line rhyme at the bottom. The tinted side has five images. Images are of common items including scissors, star, dinosaur, top, astronaut, sunglasses, pig, rose, hanger, frog and marble. Each item looks exactly the same whether on the card(s) or on the spinner. The only different is that the size may be a little different.

Front and back of cards, couple of game tokens at top.

If you would like to read more about the I SPY games I have blogged about, click here. 

There are instructions for two games - a competitive game and a cooperative game.

Competitive Game

Object:
Be the first player to collect 10 tokens.

Set up:
Place the spinner in the middle of the players and line up all of the cards, white side up, around the spinner (see the image above). Make sure the rings in the spinner are all white side up.

Play:
Players all play at the same time. Spin the spinner and notice where the arrow is pointing. There will be three items in that section on the bottom ring, two on the middle ring, and one on the top ring. Players race to find one card that has the image from the top ring, one of the two images from the middle ring and one of the three images from the bottom ring - 3 images in all. When a player finds one of the cards he takes it. All players continue to look for the second card. The person who finds it takes it. One token is awarded to the finder of each card. Cards are returned to the playing area around the spinner. Before returning the cards, read the two line rhyme at the bottom of each card. Of the three items that matched your spinner on that card, one of them will be the answer. Can you find it?

Spin again for a new round. Play until someone wins 10 tokens and wins the game.


Cooperative Game

Object:
Be the first person to collect 25 points.

Set up:
Place the spinner in the middle of the players. Flip the rings so that the colored rings are face-up. The top and bottom rings are each divided into six sections, each section having one image. The middle ring has the words AND and NOT. Place all the cards around the spinner, tinted side up. Get a paper and pencil to keep score.

Play:
All players play at the same time. Spin the spinner and note where the arrow is pointing. If the middle ring is AND, be the first player to find the one card of the 36 that matches the two images on the spin (top and bottom rings). If the middle ring is NOT, collect as many of the cards that do not have either of the items that were spun. Win one point for the AND game and one point for each card you collect in the NOT game. Play until someone gets 25 points and wins the game.

Try this:

• Skip the game. Read the rhyme at the bottom of each card and find the pictures in the rhyme on the card.
• Sort the cards into piles according to border color. Hold some in the non-dominant hand and push them off the top with the thumb, one at a time, to be taken to sort with the other hand.
• Skip the game. Spin the spinner. Look over the cards and find all the cards with the image from the top ring. Then look over the remainder for all the the two images from the second ring. Name the two images, repeat them as you look to help you remember. Try to remember and clear them without having to look back at the spinner. Repeat the three images on the bottom ring, saying them a couple of times out loud to help you remember. Look over the remaining cards and remove any that have any of these three images on them. Try to remember the three images, repeating them as you go to help you remember them without having to look back at the spinner for a reminder.
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual memory, eye-hand coordination, using both hands in a coordinated manner, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: Spinner, three rings, 36 I SPY cards, 40 tokens

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

Giggle Wiggle

Giggle Wiggle - Place the marbles in the hands as it sways and turns

If you're familiar with Scatterpillar Scramble, then you're already half way to Giggle Wiggle. I see on Amazon that the older Scatterpillar is no longer available and Giggle Wiggle seems to have taken it's place, with a few changes, but it's made by a different company.

Giggle Wiggles includes a 10" inch tall, segmented, green caterpillar with 12 sets of arms (24 total). Once you put the caterpillar in the orange base and turn it on it will sway as music plays. The instructions say that the caterpillar can rotate 360 degrees, but I have not seen it. It will turn toward the left until its back is facing you and then turn back the same way. It never turns toward the right. There is a scooped out dip in each hand where you will place plastic marbles. A thumbs up to the Goliath company for including four more marbles than you need. Most games give you exactly enough pieces and if you lose even one, some games are no longer playable. Before you play for the first time you must place the eye and bow tie stickers on the caterpillar.

The base is orange and has four divided sections at the bottom where you will sort the marbles by color (purple yellow, red, blue). Each one of the sections is at the bottom of a column of six arms. Push the button on the front of the base to turn it on, press again to turn it off.

One of my favorite things about Scatterpillar Scramble was the tweezers. I liked them so much that I took them out and used them for other games. Giggle Wiggle, unfortunately, does not include tweezers. You will need to place and remove the marbles with your fingers.

Requires 3 AA batteries and a small screwdriver to open the back. My 10 piece small screwdriver set is the best purchase I've ever made at the dollar store.

Object:
Be the first player to place all six marbles on the caterpillars hands.

Set up:
Add the batteries. Place the green caterpillar into the orange base. Sort the four marble colors into the four sections at the bottom of the base and assign each person one color. 

Play:
Turn on the caterpillar. As he moves, place your six marbles in the six hands above your section. The caterpillar will try to shake off the marbles as he moves. If any marbles fall off, pick them up and put them back on. Play until someone has all six marbles on the caterpillar and wins the game.

Try this:

• Try it with the music off first to get the feel of what you will be expected to do under more difficult conditions.
• Skip the game. Leave the caterpillar off and place the marbles into the hands. Hold two or three marbles in one hand and bring each one to the fingertips, one at a time, and place it in a hand.
• Skip the game. After loading the hands with the marbles, take them off one at a time, squirreling them in your palm as you go. Pick off as many as you can without dropping any.
• Sort the marbles into the base before the game starts by holding several in your hand and dropping them one at a time in the correct sections.
• Work on visual discrimination, fine motor control, manual dexterity, eye hand coordination, motor planning, in-hand manipulation, grading, proximal stability, balance, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.

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