The Tower

The Tower

The Tower has a colorful, unique, closed shaker tube with 8 marbles inside. Shake the shaker, let the marbles line up, and then stack your cubes to match the color sequence of the marbles in the shaker.

There are 16 cubes, eight each for two players. One has a white background and one has a grey background for easy sorting. Each cube has 2 colors and 2 smiley faces. For instance two greens, 2 blues and 2 smiley faces on one six-sided cube.

Object:

Be the first to stack your cubes to match the marbles in the tube.

Set up:

Give each player eight cubes. Start with your eight cubes in front of you, all smiley faces up. Place the shaker between the players.

Play:

Mix the marbles by tipping the marble shaker upside down and the marbles will all roll into the large base. Shake and turn it upright and the marbles with drop into the clear tube in a new sequence.

Players play simultaneously. As soon as the marbles are mixed and shaker is placed upright on the table, pick up the cubes, one at a time, and stack them to match the marble colors. It may sound simple, but you may get toward the top and find that you don't have the right colors left. At that point you will have to exchange a cube or two with ones that have already been placed to get the colors you need. Simple problem solving skills and the ability to reach and stack will be required.



 

Try this:

• Rotate each cube in-hand to find the appropriate color and then stack.
• Look at the vertical tower, but line the cubes horizontally instead of stacking vertically. The tower cannot be laid on its side without the marbles flowing back into the base.
• Memorize the color order of all, or just a few of the marbles. Hide the tower and build the stack.
• Stack as many cubes as you can before they fall.
• Work on manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, visual discrimination, figure ground, spatial relations, visual memory, eye-hand coordination, sequencing, problem solving, flexible thinking, socialization skills, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: 1 closed shaker tube with eight marbles, 16 colored cubes (8 with grey background, 8 with white background)
Ages 8+, 2 players

 

If you would like to purchase this toy, or for more information, click on the image below. 

 

Hot Potato

Hot Potato - Catch it but don't get caught holding it.

Hot Potato is a fun and simple musical-passing game that can be played by individuals at different skill and age levels. Families with members at different cognitive levels and levels of functioning have enjoyed playing this game together. 

The Hot Potato on the left (above) is made of fabric and can be played indoors or outdoors. It also comes with 13 cardboard potato chips. Squeeze the potato and loud music will start playing (there is no volume control). Throw the potato back and forth between players and the person who is caught holding the hot potato when the music stops is out. Continue playing until only one person is left - the winner. Or you can use the potato chips that come with the game on the left. Each time a person is caught holding the hot potato when the music stops, he gets one potato chip. The first person to get three potato chips loses and is out of the game. The music is the same over and over, but it stops at different time intervals. 

The Hot Potato on the right is plastic and is meant to be played with in the pool. Once it was in the water for awhile you could no longer hear the music. If I remember right, it went out on the first day in the pool. I have had one other Hot Potato Splash game that was made of some type of nylon and meant to be played in the pool. As soon as that one hit the water the potato was soaked and you couldn't hear the music any longer without holding it up to your ear. A complete waste of money. 

After you are done playing, the potato will call out "Again, again!" at two different intervals before automatically turning off. Requires 2 AA batteries. There is an opening on the back, which opens and closes with velcro, where you insert the batteries. The batteries go into a small hard plastic box inside the potato, so be careful how you throw, don't aim for someone's head.

Try this:

• Establish a pattern for throwing so that everyone has the chance to be involved.
• Sit in a circle and pass the potato instead of throwing it.
• Reduce waiting times between throws/catches by limiting the number of people who are playing.
• Start with players standing in a close circle. Pass the potato around once and then each player takes one step backward. After passing the potato around again, the whole group takes another step backward. Repeat until all players are eliminated but one.
• Choose an alternative gross motor action for the person caught holding the potato as opposed to kicking them out of the game.
• Use your own object as a hot potato and ask someone with an iPod or MP3 player to supply and stop the music. Have him turn his back to the group so he won't see who he is stopping the music on.
• Toss back and forth between two people. Take an occasional step forward or backward to adjust the gap to the just-right challenge.
• Practice catching in the hands without the aid of catching it against the body.
• Play passing it behind the back or a round of passing it above the head, etc. 
• Watch the potato as it is passed around the circle.
• Pass it by throwing it to someone opposite from you. Call out their name and throw it to them.
• Each time you catch the potato take one step backward. How far apart can you get and still catch the potato?
• Lose one chip each time you end up holding the hot potato instead of getting one chip. Start the game by giving each player three chips. Put a bowl between players and practice aiming and throwing a chip into the chip bowl each time you are left holding the hot potato. First person to lose all three chips is out. 
• Work on eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, socialization skills, coordinated use of both hands, balance, ROM, spatial relations, visual tracking, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the package on the left: 1 electronic potato, 13 potato chips
In the package on the right: 1 electronic potato to play with in the water

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

Bed Bugs

Can you remove the bed bugs with tweezers while the bed vibrates?

Games with tweezers and tongs almost always get a second look from occupational therapists, and this one is no exception. Place the 48 bugs on the bed, flip the switch, and watch them jump. Removing the bugs while the bed is still is one thing, removing them while they are jumping is a whole other challenge.

 

These tweezers are smooth overall but they have raised grooves at the bottom on the inside, making it easier to grab and hold the bugs. I am almost never crazy about the tweezers that come with these games, although they can often be used. Tweezers that you don't want to give kids are ones that do not open wide enough to drop an item, or that do not pop back open wide enough once an item is dropped.

 

The bed has an on/off switch that will make the bed vibrate when on. Requires 2 C batteries. All pieces are made of smooth, hard plastic. 

Object:
Be the first player to remove all your colored bugs from the bed. 

Set up:
Give each player a pair of colored tweezers. Put the bugs on the bed that match the tweezers color for each player. Turn the bed on so that it begins to vibrate.

Play: 
All players work to take their color of bugs off the bed until someone succeeds. 

To see a list of games with tweezers or tongs, click here.

Try this:

• Start with just one bug color on the bed when it is not moving to get used to picking up the bugs with the tweezers. Then turn the bed on and pick up the bugs. Then turn the bed off and mix all colored bugs on the bed and pick up only your color. Lastly mix all colored bugs together on the bed and turn the vibration on. 
• Place all the bugs on the bed. Turn the bed on and time yourself to see how long it takes you to clear them all. Play again and try to beat your score.
• Play alone and take the bugs off by color. Use the yellow tweezers to take off the yellow bugs, the green tweezers to take off the green bugs, etc.
• Play alone and take the bugs off and build a pattern: purple, yellow, green, orange, purple, yellow, green, orange, etc.
• Sort the bugs into four piles by color. Pick up a few bugs in the dominant hand and bring them to the fingertips, one at a time without dropping, to place into piles by color.
• Scatter the bugs on the tabletop. Pick up one bug and push it into the palm with the thumb (squirreling). Pick up a second bug and do the same, without dropping either bug. How many bugs can you squirrel into the palm without dropping any? Put them away by the handfuls.
• Place 1+ bugs in the individual's palm and ask him to bring them to the fingertips, one at a time, and stand them upright on the bed while setting up for play.
• Work on manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, fine motor control, tool use, separating the two sides of the hand, visual discrimination, figure ground, visual tracking, eye-hand coordination, sequencing, socialization skills, process skills, executive functioning skills, values, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: Plastic bed that shakes and jiggles, 48 plastic bugs, 4 sets of tweezers

The Original Dinner Games

Work on social skills, simple number and math, memory, creative and critical thinking, social interaction, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the tin: 50 game cards, 1 wild card, 1 How to Play card, 1 Introduction card
Kids ages 6-12

Quick and simple games that only take a few minutes each and can encourage interaction between all gathered around the table. The game consists of a tin box with 50 activities. The activities fall into the following categories:

• Social Skills Games
• Silly Games
• Numbers & Math Games
• Phonics & Vocabulary Games
• Creative & Critical Thinking Games
• Memory Games

Each card is color coded and has the category listed at the bottom so you can identify others in the same grouping. The wild card says "Stay Up Past Bedtime! An adult must agree to the specific night and time." Whoever picks this card evidently gets a special treat.

Here is a sampling of the games:

• Out of Order Challenge - One person lines up 4 to 5 different items in the middle of the table. An example would be a fork, ketchup, a napkin, a salt shaker. Another person looks at the items for a few seconds, then closes his eyes. The first person rearranges the items, and then tells the player to open his eyes and try to put the items back in the original order. 
• The Last Bite - Pass a small bowl full of raisins, cut pineapple, baby carrots, grapes, or orange slices around the table. Each person takes and eats one piece. Keep passing the bowl around until there is just one piece left. Whoever gets the last bite wins.
• What's in the Sock? - One person begins by hiding a secret object in a clean sock. He or she passes the sock around the table and lets everyone feel the object. No peeking! Everyone guesses what's in the sock and whoever guesses correctly leads the next round.
• I Can... Can you? - Taking turns, each family member challenges the others to a match of some kind. For example, I can scoop up my peas on a fork with my left hand. Can you? I can drink my whole glass of milk. Can you? I can wiggle my ears. Can you?

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