The Dog's Meow

The Dog's Meow card game

Let me say right off that this The Dog's Meow, played with the wrong person, could be extremely frustrating for them. The reason I say that is because it requires you to identify above/below/left/right, and then do the opposite of what the card tells you to do. I use this game with kids who are learning left/right, but who are well on their way to identifying one from the other. 

 

Picture cards include a train, dog, alarm clock, horn, fish, duck, cat, piano, drum, frog, scooter, and rooster. Cards are a little thicker than standard playing cards. The instructions include a regular version of the game and an advanced version. 

Lay a directional card on the table and then put one picture card to the right, one to the left, one above, and one below. Turn over an action card and do just the opposite. The action cards will tell you to look left, look right, name the item, or make the sound the item makes. In the example below, the red action card indicates Above and Name. The player will then do the opposite, look below and make the sound that item would make (make a sound like a trumpet here). 

Try this:

• Do exactly as the cards tell you to do, instead of doing the opposite.
• Allow the individual to set up the game each round, picking up flat cards off a flat surface, picking up cards off a pile without disturbing the pile, dealing the cards by holding the deck in the non-dominant hand and pushing off the top one with the thumb for placement. 
• Work on spatial relations, problem solving, in-hand manipulation, manual dexterity, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 49 playing cards

 

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



Skip-Bo Dice

Skip-Bo Dice

Skip-Bo doesn't really play like the Skip-Bo card game, but it's fun nonetheless. And it contains pattern cards and dice - double win! 

 

Each player takes 3 dice of one color.  Lay one card in a position where everyone can see it.  Everyone throws their dice at the same time to see who can come up with the sequence on the card first. If you get one or two correct, set them aside and throw for the other number(s). The first one to get the sequence wins the card. Turn over another card and go again. The one with the most cards when all have been played, is the winner.

 

The combinations on the cards are 123, 234, 345, 456, 135, 246, all dice even, all dice odd, all the dice same. The lid comes off on its own so I have to keep a rubber band around it.

Try this:

• Model the cupping position and how to shake the dice before starting to play - fingers together, making a rounded cup in the palm. Sometimes the child will just squeeze the dice tight in the hand and shake the hand, thinking the dice are moving around when they are not.
• Shape the palm before shaking the dice if the individual has difficulty with this. Put a small ball or round object in the individual's hand and form the hand around it. Remove the ball and add the dice.
• Choose one card. Put one, two, or three dice in the player's palm. Ask them to bring the dice, one at a time, to the fingertips and rotate so that it will match a number on the card. Set it on the card. Do again with each additional die. 
• Choose one card. Put all three dice on the table but with the correct numbers on the bottom of the dice. Ask the individual to pick them up, one at a time, and rotate in the fingertips to find the correct number. Don't use a support surface such as the table or the body. Lay it on the card. Do all three.
• Choose a word card, i.e. all dice even. Have the individual cup the hands, one on top of the other, and shake all the dice and throw. Pick out all the even dice. Pick up the remainder, cup the hands, shake and throw again. Keep doing this until all dice are even. Keep the hands in the cupped position longer by counting to 10 or reciting a short rhyme.
• Work on arch strength, sequencing, in-hand manipulation, manual dexterity, visual discrimination, visual closure, process skills, executive functioning skills, socialization skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

  In the can: 12 dice (3 each of 4 different colors), 16 cards

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

Old McDonald - Pop N' Match

Old McDonald Pop N' Match

Old McDonald Pop N' Match comes in a plastic storage container.  Once opened, you will find all the pieces stored inside.  Give each person playing an animal scene card.  Push down on the popper and check the die. You will either see one of the five animal heads or a -1. The popper on mine is not stiff or difficult to push. As each animal head comes up, pick the matching head piece and place it on your farm scene card.  If you pop a -1 you must take one of the heads off your card and return it to the pile.  The first one to fill his card with the 5 different animal heads, wins. 

 

Try this:

• Place a farm scene in front of the person. Stack 2 or 3 animal heads at a time and put them into his hand. Using that hand only, have him push each piece to his finger tips, one at a time, and place them on the picture without dropping any. Once that card is filled, fill another card.
• Turn over all the animal heads so that the white backs are showing. Ask the individual to make sets by picking up the cow heads, looking at shape only. Then all pig heads, etc. Once completed, turn them over and see if they are correct.
• Look at the five animal heads needed for one card from the front and talk about the shape. Turn them over so the white side is showing. Ask the individual to match each head to the animal on the card. After they are all placed, turn them over and see if they are correct.
• Put the game away by popping the die and putting the matching pieces into the container until they are all put away.
• Pick each piece up where it lies, don't pull it to the edge of the table to grasp.
• Put the game away by picking up one piece at a time and squirreling it into the palm. How many can be held?
• Ask the player to cup their hand and hold it in that position while you drop the pieces in one at a time. Put the pieces away by the handfuls. How many can be held. Alternate hands for cupping.
• Scatter the pieces on the table and place them in different orientations, not all right-side-up. Individuals must recognize the pieces from different angles.
• Start easy by putting out only the piece the individual needs each turn. Then place all five needed for the scene. Then add additional pieces to the grouping as they get better at figure ground skills.
• Mix the pieces and place them on the table, face-down, so only the white side shows. Pick them up two-by-two, matching them by shape only. Turn them over and see if they match.
• Place all the pieces randomly and in different orientations on the table. Ask the individual to scan the pieces and pick up all of one kind, such as all cows. Put them away, animal by animal.
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, visual closure, spatial relations, visual form constancy, finger strength, finger isolation, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation,  social interaction skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  
  In the plastic box: a popper, 4 identical cardboard farm scene cards, 4 heads for each of the five animals pictured in the farm scene (1 set for each card)
  Ages 4+, 2-4 players
  

For more information, click on the image below.

Lacing Alphabet

A quality set of Lacing Alphabet by Learning Resources.

In the bucket: 260 lowercase alphabet (1 - 1.5"), 15 laces (25" long)

There is a lot to like here: The letters are easy to manipulate, the holes are smooth and big enough for easy stringing, the laces are plastic tipped, there are plenty of pieces so you don't have to worry about losing a few, pieces come in a plastic container that will hold up over time and is easy to snap shut, the colors are bright and kid-friendly, and the skills that can be addressed with this simple activity are many. Whew.

The strings are a nice weight and pull easily through the holes without catching or snagging. Holes are closer to the top of letters and I would think this would reduce the chance of letters flipping if you are going to wear it for a necklace. Holding the string in the right hand and putting letters on with the left will result in words spelled backwards.  Each letter comes in a variety of different colors. This bucket is lowercase and you will have to buy another bucket to get capitals, they are not mixed.

Some toys and games you pay $20 for and use them occasionally. This one is $20, but if you are like me, you will end up using it over and over. 

Below: lowercase b and capital K.

  

Try this:

• Practice letter recognition and look for all of a single letter.
• Line up and/or string letters in the a-b-c sequence.
• Spell your name, spell simple words, spell words for a spelling test or spell reading vocabulary words.
• Place needed letters upside down, backwards, etc. to practice recognizing them in different orientations.
• Dump a pile of letters on the table and search for all of a single letter to work on figure ground, visual discrimination, and visual form constancy.
• Place two letters in the palm. Push one forward and string it, then push the second forward and string without dropping or setting them down to orient. Holding the string in one hand and the letter(s) in the other will set up a natural opportunity to use in-hand manipulation skills.
• Watch to make sure the string is held still and the fingers are moved and the letter is pushed away from the palm.
• Place one letter in the cupped fingers and ask the individual to push it to the fingertips, turn it to the correct direction and use. Move to placing letters further and further back toward the cupped palm.
• Use as a sorting activity. Use a cupcake tin and sort by color or letter.
• Put one of each letter into a small box or bag. Pull out several without looking and see how many words you can make from the letters.
• Pick up the letters by handfuls when putting them away.
• Cup the hand and drop the letter one by one in the palm. Count as you go. How many can you hold? Return them into the bucket. Repeat, can you add one more than last time?
• Hold the bucket off and under the edge of the table. Cup the hand and sweep the pieces off into the bucket. Don't let any drop on the floor. Continue until they are all put away.
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, visual form constancy, eye-hand coordination, sequencing, manual dexterity, grasp, in-hand manipulation, fine motor precision, palmar arch development, separation of two sides of the hand, intrinsic muscle development, tool use, using both hands in a coordinated manner, motor planning, executive functioning skills, process skills, spelling, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

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