Melody Express Musical Train

Melody Express Musical Train

Set up the tracks, add the colorful tiles by following a colorful song pattern, turn on the train, and listen to a favorite tune as the train travels around the track.

The train has a simple circular track. The tiles can only fit the track in one direction and need to sit on small nodes. There are a number of colored tiles and as the train rolls over each, it will play a note. I like this one because when you are done with the task of setting it up, kids are treated to a musical surprise. It does go a tad bit slow in my opinion, but no one has ever seemed to notice. The songs are on one big folded sheet, not on individual cards.

The song sheet.

I like this one, but let me say up front that the reviews on Amazon are not favorable, saying the train does not work very long before it dies. I am still using it, but I may meet the same end some day. 

Try this:

• Cut the song apart if the individual has trouble continually looking at the sheet and finding his place.
  
• Work on manual dexterity, visual discrimination, figure ground, sequencing, visual closure, spatial relations, finger dexterity, process skills, play exploration and participation
  

In the box: Train track, colorful track tiles, engine, coal car, sheet with color coded music

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

Smarty Farm

In the box: 4 playing boards, 64 corresponding animal cards (16 each of 4 different colors), 3 wooden dice
 

Smarty Farm is an old bingo-style game. It comes with four cards and each playing card is divided into 16 squares, each square consisting of the silhouette of 3 animals (color on white). There is a corresponding animal calling card for each square, but the animal cards are white animals on a matching color background. 

Throw the 3 dice and find the card with those 3 animals. Put that animal card on the matching space on your playing card. Fill the whole card or cover a horizontal/vertical/diagonal line like bingo. 

Try this:

• Give the individual one animal card. Have him pick up the dice, one at a time, and rolling it in the fingertips, find the three animals that match.
• Make three copies of one card and use a highlighter to shade in a horizontal bingo on one card, a vertical bingo on another, and a diagonal bingo on the third. When playing bingo, place the copy on the table to help the individual remember what he is looking for.
• Take all of one color of cards and the matching color board. Place all the cards on the board in the matching spaces. 
• Work on visual discrimination, visual form constancy, figure ground, spatial relations, manual dexterity, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

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

Scram Blitz

Scram Blitz

Recreate the pattern from the puzzle card onto your playing mat using your set of small pattern tiles. Puzzle cards increase in difficulty with the lower level cards having more black and white boxes and the higher level puzzle cards having more patterned tiles. Each set of pattern tiles has a small symbol cut out in the middle so that they can be sorted quickly. There are 6 sets of tiles so that 6 people can play. Each tile has a pattern printed on the front and is either all black or all white on the back. There are 2 of each pattern - one with a white back and one with a black back. Therefore, when a pattern is pictured on the puzzle card, you will have to choose between the two which one to use.  Match the pattern pieces first. The ones that are left are the black and white. Match them. This is where the not-too-much-strategy-involved part comes in. If you don't have the right number of say black tiles left, trade some of the white for black by looking at the pattern on a white tile and trading it for the pattern tile already on the playing mat (which has the black side). It's a simple switch. The game description says to play to see who has the fastest fingers.  I don't usually play for speed, so will use with individuals who are working on pattern matching and spatial orientation. Out of the 8 different patterns, only 4 have to be turned to match orientation. The other 4 are not directional and are the same no matter how you place them (example circle). The lid on the tin is loose fitting and will need a rubber band to stay put unless you are carrying it flat. Nothing ever stays flat in my cart! 

Try this:

• Hold several tile cards in the non-dominant hand and push them off one at a time with the thumb.
• Turn all the tiles to the correct side before starting a puzzle and work on matching.
• Place all the tiles on the table. Point to one box on the pattern card and have the individual find the correct tile in the mix and then place on the playing mat.
• Cover all but the line you are working on to eliminate distraction.
• Give the individual coordinates to cover, such as A1 or C5. 
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, visual form constancy, in-hand manipulation, manual dexterity, executive functions, process skills, social interaction skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the tin: 6 playing mats, 6 sets of 16 pattern tiles, 50 puzzle cards
 
If you are interested in purchasing this game or just want more information, click on the image below.

CitiBlocs

CitiBlocs come in hot colors and cool colors.

 

 

If you are looking for games and toys that fit into the STEM category, this one would qualify. CitiBlocs earned the Platinum Best Toy Award from Oppenheim Toy Portfolio.

 

This box contains 100 wooden blocks, all the exact same shape and size: approximately 4-5/8" X 1" X 1/4". The plank colors in this box include red, orange, yellow, pink, and white, and are considered hot colors. You can also purchase a separate set that are considered cool colors and include colors like green and blue.

 

 

Included in the box is an instruction guide. This guide shows numerous models you can build to get your imagination going. The majority of these models are completed and step-by-step instructions are not included. The individual will need to be able to "see" the hidden sides of these models to build them. There are 29 completed  models that include seven pages of black and white models. This box contains 100 pieces and 13 of the models take more than 100 pieces. Here are some examples:

 

 

I had a chance to check both boxes, and the box with the cool colors and the box with the hot colors both have the exact same instruction book. So buying both games will not get you any extra model patterns. This game is similar to the Keva Brain Builders. I think this one would come after the Keva game, as this game requires you to build from many completed 2D models and Keva Brain Builders gives you pattern cards for all models with views from three planes.

 

 

Try this:

• Work on manual dexterity, coordinated use of both hands, graded grasp and release, visual discrimination, spatial relations, visualization, visual closure, visual form constancy, figure ground, balance, motor planning, critical and analytical thinking, creative thinking, planning, play and leisure exploration and participation

 

In the box: 100 wooden planks, instruction guide with patterns and models

 

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