Puzzle Sticks - Transportation

 

Mudpuppy Transportation Stick Puzzles

 

Puzzle Sticks Transportation contains six 8-stick puzzles picturing transportation vehicles (see image top and left). Each puzzle is made up of 8 sticks that are about the size of a tongue depressor. Assemble the sticks in order to view the vehicle.

There are 24 sticks total and they are each printed on front and back. They are made of a heavier card stock that is 1/16" thick. I could easily bend a stick and break it because of the length, but they should hold up if you are not rough with them. The finished picture will measure measure 6.25" x 1".

I put together the balloon to see if when it was assembled if the puzzle on the back was also assembled, and yes, it is. So once you gather the sticks for one puzzle, you will actually have two puzzles. You may end up spending a lot of time sorting the pieces out for each picture before you can play. If that is your goal, OK, but if it is not, I would sort and bag them, by picture, in the box before starting.

There are no larger pictures in the box to look at as you assemble, but they are all printed on the back of the box. Not too big, about twice the size of the image you see here (left). There is a blank gray frame in the box that you can assemble the picture in, or skip the frame and just assemble them on the table.

Won the best toy award and comes in a lot of variations including Under the Sea, I Can Be Anything, and Animals of the World.

Try this:

• Look for background color on each image to help you sort out the different images. Each picture has a different colored background.
• Don't show the finished puzzle to the individual as they build for a harder challenge.
• Save your money and make your own. Buy a package of craft sticks at the dollar store. Cut out a picture from a magazine or a cereal box. Line up the sticks and glue the picture on top. When it is dry, use an Exacto or other sharp knife to cut them apart.
• Up the challenge by giving the player all the needed sticks, right side up, and oriented correctly. Then some of them oriented incorrectly. Then mix them in with some unneeded pieces, then a mix with some of the needed pieces flipped to the wrong side.
  
• Sort out the pieces in advance and have the pieces you want facing up. Make it harder by mixing the pieces, so the individual will have to find the correct side to complete a puzzle.
  

In the box: Empty frame, 24 puzzle sticks

Mini Cornhole Game

 

A tabletop Mini Cornhole game

 

Looking at the Mini Cornhole box, I though this was an updated version of tiddly winks. But no, the coins are metal and that didn't work. So I tried tossing them in and that was really stale, so I figured there had to be more to it. On occasion, I have to read the manufacturer rules up front. 

Mini Cornhole comes with two wooden boards that measure 7 7/8" x 4 5/8". Each board has a hole at the top. There are also 16 flat, metal coins, four of each color - blue, red, green, yellow. The coins measure just under 1" in diameter. Don't play on a table that shows impressions easily. It just might leave indents.

Object:

Be the first person to win 21 points.

Set up:

Each player places a board in front of them as in the images above. Players each get 4 of one color coins.

Play:

Version 1

Players take turns. Bounce a coin in front of the board so that it jumps onto the board. One point is earned if it lands on the board, three points are earned if it jumps into the hole.  

Version 2

Players set up boards as in the image below. Player bounces his coin between the boards and onto the opposing board. Player plays all four coins and then the other player plays his four coins. Scoring is the same. First to 21 wins the game.

 

 

Try this:

• Try grading the force that you use depending on previous tries. If it jumped too far, you might be throwing it too hard. Not far enough, you might be throwing it too lightly.
  
• Try just tossing the coins into the hole if bouncing is too difficult.
• Pull out an old tiddly wink game and try it with the plastic chips. Might even work with plastic bingo chips.
  
• Play by yourself, try to beat your own score.
• Try throwing the coin flat, try throwing it on the rim. Which works for you?
• Put coins away by pushing them to the side of the table and then into the bag. These coins are flat and have to be picked up one at a time. Two-handed activity to learn to pick up many pieces quickly.
• Move the board closer or further away and adjust to the difference by trial and error, grading the force you use to throw.
  
• Work on manual dexterity, visual motor integration, motor planning, grading force and adjusting, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: 2 wooden boards, 16 metal coins