Block Puzzle - Ravensburger

In the box: 9 blocks, 6 pictures, carrying case

A little different than the typical Ravensburger jigsaw puzzle, I like this one because it requires manipulating cubes. There are six puzzles total, each a whimsical, colorful image from the farm. There is a picture of each finished puzzle to use as a reference while building.

Each puzzle is made up of all 9 blocks. Each block has a partial picture on all six sides (each side for a different puzzle), and is approximately 2 x 2 x 2 inches - just right to hold and manipulate in-hand. The blocks are plastic and washable. They are printed, not stickers, so there is nothing to peel off. This puzzle comes in several themes.

Try this:

• Place the pieces on the table in random order and with the correct side already up, if you are working with a beginner.
• Lay the puzzle picture on the table and have the child build the puzzle beside it, not on top of it.
• Place the picture at the top and above the picture so that the child will have to look up, remember what he saw, and return to the puzzle.
• Show the child a picture, talk about the particulars of the picture, such as theme, colors, and specific details. Turn the picture over and see if he can remember and can build it.
• Require the child to manipulate each block in one or two hands, instead of using the table top for assist.
• Find the 9 pieces for a single puzzle. Show the individual one block and ask him to find the same image on the puzzle sheet. 
• Work on spatial relations, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual closure, visual form constancy, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

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

 

Cranium Puzzle Plus

Cranium Puzzle Plus - You can write on the puzzle pieces

A 24 piece puzzle that kids LOVE because you get to write on it with a dry erase marker! This puzzle depicts a busy city block, but you can also purchase others with different scenes. The pieces are large, colorful, and fit together securely. 

 

Assemble the puzzle and then use the cards to seek-and-find. The beginner cards say find something pink or find something green, and advanced cards say find 8 dogs or find 4 fire hydrants. Once the person finds the item(s), he gets to circle it with the dry erase marker. That's everyone's favorite part. Some of the items can be quite elusive, similar to Where's Waldo. Once you have found all of one item, erase the marks you made on the puzzle and start a new card. 

 

This puzzle comes in three different pictures: Let's Go to the City, Come on Down to the Country, and Take Me to the Carnival (3 separate purchases). Finished size is 14" X 20". It does not come with an eraser. I cut an old towel into small squares and use that.

For tips on teaching kids to assemble jigsaw puzzles, read my post HERE.

If you would like to read more about games that require writing or drawing in some form, check out my post Games That Require a Writing Tool. 

Try this:

• Rotate the puzzle piece in-hand if it is not in the correct orientation when picked up.
• Ask the individual to mark the items with whatever you are working on, such as circle closure or X's.
• Start with the cards for the fewer and easier to find items, to avoid the child possibly getting frustrated by starting too hard. 
• Point out something about the picture that is close to the needed item if the individual needs a little help. That will guide the eyes to the area without giving away the answer.
• Start with the frame if the child has not learned that the pieces with a straight edge go on the outside.
• Ask the person to refer to the box while putting together the puzzle. Match the area on the box to the area on the exact puzzle.
• Work on figure ground, visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, functional grasp, precision with a writing tool, separation of two sides of the hand, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 24 puzzle pieces, dry erase marker, 30 Seek & Find activity cards (15 beginner, 15 advanced)

 

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

Robot Turtles

Robot Turtles

 

The box lid says that Robot Turtles is a game that teaches basic coding concepts to little programmers. I expected it to be loaded with long complex instructions that would require frequently referencing the rule book, but the basic game was not.

 

Object:

Be the first to move your turtle robot card from the corner of the board to the middle.

 

Here are the quick starter rules:

1. Each player chooses a matching Robot Turtle, Jewel Tile, and deck of code cards. Place the gem tiles in the middle of the board and the robot turtle tiles in the corners.
2. Put the code cards in front of each player. Each card has a arrow that points in a different direction.
3. On each turn, the player will place one code card in front of him, indicating which way he wants his turtle to move.
4. You, not the child, moves the turtle card to the space indicated by the code card: move forward, turn right, turn left. The child is the programmer and you are the computer, moving the turtle for him.
5. A child can undo the last move by tapping the bug tile and telling BUG before the next player's turn. He can then play another card.
6. Continue taking turns playing code cards (one per turn) until the first person lands his turtle on the matching gem in the middle of the board. 

A game in play.

 

This sounds like a very simple game to learn about spatial orientation. There is, however, much more you can do with this game, such as introducing a variety of unlockables and playing different board setups. If you are interested in the more complicated ways to play this game, you can get more information at www.ThinkFun.com/RobotTurtles or www.RobotTurtles.com If you would like to see a video from the makers of Robot Turtle, click here to go to their website.

 

Work on spatial relations, visual discrimination, visual scanning, manual dexterity, mental flexibility, problem solving, decision making, applying logic, executive functioning skills, process skill, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

 

In the box: Game board, 4 robot turtle tiles, 4 jewel tiles, 36 obstacle tiles, 4 bug tiles, 4 code card decks (44 cards each)

Ages: 4+, 2-5 players.

 

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

 

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

Pattern Blocks and Boards set.

In the box: 5 wooden boards (10 designs), 120 wooden pieces

There are a lot of pattern block activities out there and Melissa & Doug have more than a few. If you have read my blog much, you will already know my pet peeve for many of their products - packaging. This product has multiple pieces and no lid. Once you open the shrink wrap, it is up to you to figure out how to store them.

The boards and pieces to this kit are all wooden. The boards are smooth and the pieces are smooth, making it easy for pieces to slide if bumped, so work on a flat surface.

The boards measure approximately 7 5/8" x 6 1/4". Patterns include a flower, rabbit, bird, geometric design, train, butterfly, fish, snail, dog, ship. There are two patterns per board, one on each side. Pieces needed per pattern range anywhere from 10-18.

The pieces are brightly painted and come in the shapes you see in the image above. The shapes and colors match the size/shape/color format that you see with a lot of these types of activities. Geometric shapes are fun to use for working on spatial relations as pieces need to be turned and placed in specific orientations.   

I know I already griped about this, but there is no lid to this box. I just don't get the thinking that goes behind selling a set with 125 pieces and no lid.  

Other Melissa & Doug pattern blocks kits I have blogged about include the magnetic set and the beginners set. 

For more toys and games that use pattern blocks, check out my post What's in Your Therapy Box? Pattern Blocks Edition.

Try this:

• Play with the pieces before using the boards and point out the differences in size, shape, color, etc. Show how one piece can look different in different orientations.
• Build on top of the board. Once this is mastered, build on the tabletop next to the board. Finally, prop the board up in front of the individual so that he will have to look up and remember before looking down to work on the tabletop.
• Put the first piece in place in front of the individual if he cannot look at the picture and figure out where to start. Or say something like "let's start with the ears". This may be more difficult for the individual if you are building on the tabletop next to the board, in blank space.
• Talk about the pieces by their shape and color and encourage the individual to do so. For instance, you could say the middle of the flower is a yellow hexagon and the green petals are triangles. Or, the rabbit's tail is a square, but when you turn it like this, it's also a diamond.
• Orient and place a piece if the individual is having trouble with orientation. Then pick it up, hand it to the individual, and invite him to orient and place it.
• Hand the individual a piece he will need and ask him to turn it in-hand for the correct placement.
• Use consistent directional and positional language.
• Find all pieces for the picture ahead of time. Place only those pieces (or even fewer) next to the board if you want to focus on one specific skill at a time, such as spatial orientation. This may decrease frustration from working on too many things at once.
• Work on figure ground by placing many pieces on the tabletop and letting the individual look them over to find the ones he needs. 
• Work on visual closure and visual form constancy by placing pieces on the tabletop so that they are in different orientations from what the individual will need, and so that some are overlapping where parts of them are hidden. However, if the individual figures out that there is only one piece per color, and color is the attribute that he uses to choose his pieces, you will not be working on these skills in this way.
• Correct errors as soon as they are made as continuing to build on incorrect placement may impact the rest of the puzzle.
• Teach the individual to recognize and correct errors. After the individual places a piece incorrectly, ask "Are you sure?" or say "Try again". If he cannot figure out the error, correct the piece while he watches. Then pick up the piece and hand it to him to place.
• Give fading prompts as the individual learns to identify errors and correct mistakes on his own.
• Ask the individual to cup his non-dominant hand. If he has trouble doing this, place a small ball in his hand and ask him to curl his fingers around the ball. Then remove the ball and ask him to hold his hand in that position. Place several of the pieces he will need in the cupped hand and keep the hand cupped while he places the pieces on the board with the dominant hand.
• Work on manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual memory, palmar arch strength/stability, visual discrimination, visual closure, visual form constancy, spatial relations, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, executive functioning skills, process skills, recognition of shapes and shape names, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

If you are interested in purchasing this item, or for more information, click on the image below.