Obstacles

Obstacles - A game of imaginative solutions and cooperative problem solving.

The goal of Obstacles is to encourage imaginative solutions and cooperative problem solving. Time to think outside the box!

You've been out and about, but it's time to head home. As you make your way toward home, you'll encounter several obstacles and will need to find ways to get past them by using the random tool cards that you're dealt. There are 100 tool cards included (see image above), so you can play this game over and over without ever repeating a solution. Some of the tool cards seem quite promising, such as a bridge, lever, trampoline and cement mixer. Others seem less so, such as a pile of leaves, jack-in-the-box, shower curtain and butter. But what seems promising in one situation may be absolutely useless in another. As you brainstorm solutions together, it will be these odd combinations that will make the game challenging, fun, and even funny. I loved this game and so did the kids.

Three of the 25 obstacle cards that may block your path are shown above - a herd of sheep, an ogre and a swamp. Others include a cliff, swarm of bees, traffic jam, thicket of poison ivy, and blizzard.

The instructions are on the back of the lid. It will be hard to misplace them :)

Object:
Get home safely by working together to overcome obstacles in your way.

Set up:
Deal tool cards to the players (how many cards will depend on how many people are playing). Players place their tool cards face-up in front of them. Mix the obstacle cards and lay a path of several with the home card at the end.

Play:
Start with the first obstacle in the path. One by one, the players will choose one of their tools and tell how it will help overcome the obstacle. Once everyone has had a chance, open it for discussion. Players can suggest using any combination of tools from any of the face-up cards. Use the rules for brainstorming and don't be judgmental as everyone throws out ideas. When brainstorming is over, the players choose one solution, by consensus or majority vote, that they feel is the best. Best may mean different things to different people. Best could be the most inventive, the funniest, the most clever, the most efficient or the most novel solution. Sometimes the hardest part may just be getting everyone to agree on a solution. Once a decision has been made, place all the tool cards at the bottom of the deck and deal new ones to each player to face the next challenge (remember, there are several that will block your path home). Play as long as time and/or interest allows. When you get to the home card, congratulate each other on a job well done. 

Try this:

• Work on problem solving, cooperation, brainstorming,  compromise, thinking outside the box, imagination.
• Use the opportunity to talk about the dynamics of coming to a group decision, when to compromise, how to apply group priorities to solutions, how to respond if your ideas are rejected, etc.  
• Review the rules of brainstorming before you start. They are not included go you will have to Google them if you don't know them. Write them on a marker board if you think the individuals will need to refer to it during the session.Then enforce the rules as you play. Good skills to learn here.
• Place one obstacle card in the middle of the group. Place three random tool cards next to it. Each person writes their solution on a piece of paper. When everyone is done, mix them face-down on the table so you don't know whose is whose and one person reads them all out loud. The person who reads chooses their favorite. The person who wrote it gets the obstacle card. Play until someone has three obstacles cards and wins the game.
• Place one obstacle card on the table. Put the deck of tool cards face-down next to it. The first player turns over the top card and states how that tool can be used to help overcome the obstacle (one card alone may not be able to completely solve the problem, but how could it help). If the answer wins support, the person gets the card. If not, then the next person gets a chance to turn a card and offer a solution. Play through a predetermined number of obstacle cards. The person with the most at the end is the winner.
• Scatter the tool cards face-up on the table. Set a time limit of two or three minutes. Present an obstacle card. Together, see how many tool cards you can use in one solution. 
• Randomly turn the tool cards face-up on the table. Flip over one obstacle. Playing simultaneously, the players choose three cards that they feel make a plausible solution. After each person states his solution, vote on the best. 

In the box: 25 path cards, 100 tool cards

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

HABA Cat and Mouse Brain Builder Peg Set

HABA Cat and Mouse Brain Builder Peg Set

Similar to the Brain Builder Peg Set that I blogged about recently, this set is by the same company, HABA, but features a cat and mouse. The 14 wooden blocks come in a variety of shapes and are brightly painted. Most of them are also decorated, including a wedge of cheese, an orange slice and different parts of flowers. Featured in the Cat and Mouse Brain Builder Peg Set is a happy cat and a happy mouse.

The goal is to build the structures by following the images on the 20 pattern cards. The pattern cards come in three levels of difficulty and the level is indicated by the background color and the number of stars in the top, left corner. The image above shows one of the more difficult models, level 3. The images become more difficult by adding additional pieces and by placing pieces in different orientations, requiring you to figure out how they are being held in place. When the blocks are stacked horizontally, a dowel will have to be placed horizontally inside the pieces to hold them in place. In the image above, the pink piece would not stay suspended next to the green piece without the dowel, which you can see sticking out of it.

A solution is printed on the back of each card and any dowels will be shown on the outside of the structure. Here is a sample card from each level and below those are the solutions on the back of each card:

One card from each level of difficulty, front.

Solutions from back of cards (above).

If you are interested in other activities of this type, check out my post What's in Your Therapy Box? Pattern Block Edition.

Try this:

• Start by playing, and/or examining the pieces without building any models so that the individual can get acquainted with the different shapes and views from different perspectives.
• Start with the necessary pieces lying on the table, already in the correct orientation, for beginners. As the individual improves, turn the necessary pieces so that they will need to be flipped and oriented, pile the pieces on the table so that some are partially covered or behind others, and/or add additional unnecessary pieces to sort through. Work on a variety of visual perceptual skills at the same time if the individual can handle that. 
• Hand the individual a block at a time to build if they cannot look at a finished model and tell where to start or how to proceed.
• Try using the work "stack" if the individual wants to start at the top and build down.
• Build a structure while the individual looks on and problem solve out loud. Then let them try to build it. Say things like "This piece couldn't balance here on its own, so there must be another piece that is helping hold it in place that I can't see" or "Why is so much of this dowel sticking out? There must be something under it that is stopping it from going all the way down" or "It must be a short piece that is helping to hold these two pieces together, as they aren't very tall and I only see a tiny bit of it poking out". 
• Orient and place a piece for the individual as he watches, if he is having difficulty building. Then pick it back up, flip or turn it, and give it back to him to try again.
• Ask the individual "Is that correct?" if a mistake has been made and allow him time to spot the error and correct it before jumping in to help. Errors left uncorrected til the end may result in not enough pieces, an unstable structure and/or unnecessary frustration.
• Hand the individual each piece as he needs it in the incorrect orientation. Ask him to turn it in-hand to position it for placement.
• Find all the pieces for a model ahead of time. Place only those pieces and the card in front of the child. This may decrease frustration that might be added by working on too many things at once.
• Push the first piece or two toward the individual if he is having trouble getting started. Stop assisting as soon as you see he is ready to go it alone.
• Show the individual the back of the card after the model is completed. It will not be the view you will see because parts of pieces will be hidden if they are inside other pieces, but it will give another perspective.
• Place the pieces into a bag that you can't see through (or Ned's Head) and ask the individual to put his hand in and feel for each piece as he needs it to build.
• Show the back of the card to the individual if he gets stuck. It will provide additional clues. Then flip the card back to the front, as building from the back may be difficult.
• Use consistent positional and relational language as you work.
• Work on manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual discrimination, visual closure, visual form constancy, spatial relations/position in space, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 14 wooden pieces, 20 pattern cards

If you would like to purchase this item or just want more information, click on the image below.