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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!

The OT Magazine named The Playful Otter one of the Top 5 Pediatric OT Blogs.


Mar 14, 2022

Fairy-Opoly

Fairy-Opoly - A beginner's Monopoly with small denominations


If you are looking for a "fairy" simple introductory version of Monopoly that doesn't take too long to play and does not require large number mental math, check out Fairy-Opoly by Late for the Sky.

Fairy-Opoly is a kid themed game and is loaded with all kinds of fairies with fun names like Wisp, Sparkle and Baby Belle. Fairy-Opoly's game board is decorated with fairies, butterflies and flowers, and pieces include plastic butterflies to mark your properties, fairy deed cards, and fairy game markers. Spaces on the board carry on the theme and include the Twinkle, Spooky Forest and Free Berries. The board measures 18 x 18" and has 32 spaces total and features 16 fairies.

This version doesn't take too long to play (maybe 30-45 minutes) and doesn't require large number math, as money (acorns) only comes in denominations of 1 - 5. Set a time limit to play, or move around the board until someone runs out of money. An added bonus is that the chance cards may require physical movement, such as do your favorite fairy dance, and all players stand and flutter your imaginary fairy wings.

If you like this game, check out a dozen Little Kid Monopoly games I have posted about.


Object:
Be the person with the most acorns when the game ends. The game ends when any one person owes more acorns than he can pay. Or, set a certain amount of time to play and then quit if you don't want to focus on someone going "bankrupt".

Set up:
Place the board between the players. Each player chooses one fairy pawn, places it in the small stand and places it on the START square on the board. Each player chooses one color of butterflies (red, yellow, green or blue) and takes all 12 butterflies of that color. Choose one person to be the banker. That person gives each person a certain amount of money (acorns), per the instructions. Shuffle the deed cards and give each person the same number of cards (per the instructions). Players look on the board to find the fairies on the cards they were dealt and then place one of their butterflies on the border at the top of the square for each fairy they own. Shuffle the obedience school cards and place them in a face-down deck where indicated on the board.

Play:
Players take turns. Throw the die and move your pawn forward that many square on the game board. Here are the instructions for how to proceed after landing on space on the board.
  • Puppy space without a bone - The player looks at the amount of treats listed on the bottom of the space, pays that amount to the bank, receives the deed card, and places one of his colorful bones at the top of the space. That player now owns that dog/space.
  • Puppy space with a bone - The owner of the space is paid the number of treats shown at the bottom of the space. If the player happens to own both spaces with the same color border, that owner is paid twice the number of treats at the bottom of the space.
  • Play - A player collect 2 treats from the banker any time he lands on or passes this space.
  • Go to the doghouse - The player immediately moves to the doghouse. If the player passes play, he does not collect two treats. The player must pay the banker five treats. The player will move forward as usual on his next turn.
  • Doghouse - If a player lands on doghouse as he advances around the board, by the roll of the die, he is just napping and moves forward as usual on his next turn.
  • Command spaces - These are the four spaces on the board with a black silhouette. If you land on one of these spaces, place two treats on the free treats square on the board.
  • Free treats - If you land here you can take any/all treats on this space.
  • Obedience school - A player must draw a card and follow the instructions on that card.
Continue advancing around the board until someone is required to pay an amount and does not have enough money. That player is out of the game. Remaining players count how many treats they have. the player with the most is the winner.


Try this:
  • Assign the person who is working on counting or making change to be the banker.
  • Gather a small stack of mixed bills and ask the individual to separate them and sort them into the correct denominational piles.
  • Hold the deck of property cards in the non-dominant hand and use the thumb to push each card off, one at a time, to deal.
  • Stand up all of the butterflies that will be used for the game by holding 2 or 3 in the palm and moving them, one at a time, to the fingertips to rotate and place. 
  • Make a butterfly garden next to the board by standing up all the butterflies that won't be used in the game. Pick them up one at a time and rotate in the fingers to orient them upright and place. Make sure the butterflies are laying down to start.
  • Cup the hand, squeeze the fingers together, and hold for several seconds while shaking the die. 
  • Sort the butterflies by color. 
  • Put the butterflies away after the game by asking the player to cup the hand, hold the fingers tight in that position, and then slowly drop the butterflies into the palm one at a time. If he has trouble cupping the hand, first shape the player's palm by putting a small ball or round object in the hand and forming the hand around it. Then remove the ball.
  • Put the butterflies away by picking them up one at a time and squirreling them in the palm as you pick up and add others. How many can you hold before having to drop them into the box? Do it again and try for one more.
  • Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, eye-hand coordination, following directions, motor planning, gross motor, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, palmar arch development, play and leisure exploration and participation, creative play, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, decision making, simple addition and subtraction

In the box: Board, money, plastic butterfly markers, die, board markers, fairy dust (chance) cards
 
Ages 5-8, 2-4 Players

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


Mar 13, 2022

Flippin' Birds

 

Flippin' Birds - Instructions include 6 ways to play.

 

I like games with pieces that you can flip. It's requires finger isolation and the ability to grade pressure. The problem with flipping games, like this one, is that the piece that is being flipped often loses it flexibility and no longer works very well. The best game I have found for this in the past 15 years is Monkey Dunk. The monkeys have not lost any of their spring.

My game came in a different box and has two red cups instead of the wooden bowl. The cups measure 4" tall and 3 1/8" in diameter at the top. The instructions call for cups and makes no mention of the wooden bowl. The instructions show the birds being flipped into cups and you get different points depending on how the bird lands, including in the cup and on the lip of the cup. I guess you use your own cups.

The birds are different than any I have ever seen. They are made from a laminated paper or thin card stock. Initially they flipped well, but after playing only a couple of times they started to lose their spring. Then we started folding them back, hoping to restore it, but that won't last forever before they break on the folds.

 

The flippin' birds.

The game gives different points depending on how a bird lands after he is flipped. Here is the position chart:

  1. Dead duck - Lands on its back
  2. Sitting duck - Lands on its tail and legs
  3. Sick chick - Lands on its side 
  4. Silly goose - Lands on its head
  5. Wild turkey - Lands on the cup rim
  6. Lucky Duck - Lands in the cup

The instructions list these six games:

Flippin' Birds Classic 

Players take turns flipping the birds and accumulating points depending on how they land. Play to 500 points.
 

Just Lucky Ducky 

Players take turns flipping the birds. Only lucky ducks (duck lands inside the cup) will gain you points. Play until someone reaches 1000 and wins.
 

Fly South

Line up 8 birds for 2 people. Both try to land ducks into the cup. After they have all been flipped, score according to the position chart. Play until someone reaches 500 points.
 

B.I.R.D 

Play like the basketball game H.O.R.S.E. First player announces a landing position. He tries and if he makes it, the next person plays. If he does not make it, he gets the letter B. Plays goes back and forth until someone has spelled the word BIRD with missed shots and loses the game.
 

Birds Gone Wild 

Each player gets 5 birds, 4 of one kind and 1 of another. Players take turns flipping their birds. Each player gets points depending on how their birds land. The one-of-a-kind bird gets double point for its landing position. First player to 500 points wins the game.
 

Duck Pond

Place a box lid in the middle of the table and place a cup inside of it. Play according to the Flippin' Classic game, except add a 25 point score if you get it into the box lid. First to 500 points wins the game.
 

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


 In the box: 2 cups, 16 birds