Erasable Geoboard Flip-And-Draw Pattern Book

Work on visual discrimination, visual closure, near visual memory, spatial relations/position in space, fine motor precision, efficient pencil grasp, separation of the two sides of the hand, manual dexterity, using two hands in a coordinated manner, motor planning, executive functioning skills

A valuable tool for working on visual perceptual skills. This spiral-bound flip-and-draw pattern book contains 120 patterns, four to a page, that can be copied on a plastic sheet. Use dry erase markers to draw patterns over and over. 

The book is made of a heavier paper and include one clear, plastic sheet. Flip the book so that the plastic sheet is over a blank grid and next to the pattern you want to copy. The black grid page will have 4 blank grids (see image above). One grid has 25 dots (5 X 5). The other 3 grids are also each 5 X 5, but some of the dots are missing. This will make drawing the patterns more challenging. Add the dots before you begin or just draw to the area. 

The patterns you will copy are all drawn on grids that have 25 dots. There are 16 grids with 25 dots and no patterns, so that you can draw in your own patterns or copy the sheets and make up many different patterns. Patterns start simple (fewer lines, no overlapping) and increase in difficulty. 

I have found that Expo dry erase markers come off the laminated sheet a lot better than the Bic erasable markers, which smear and leave color behind even if you use the EXPO eraser fluid. I have a clear piece of plastic, such as used for overhead projectors, that I lay on the pattern that the individual is copying from. The pattern book is paper, and eventually someone will start to draw on the paper sheet instead of the laminated sheet. This protects it. 

Also check out this similar Geoboard Picture Book.

If you are interested in purchasing this book or checking it out further, go to https://mcruffy.com/products/geo-patt

Instructures

Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, visual form constancy, eye-hand coordination, visual memory, figure ground, coordinated use of both hands, manual dexterity, sequencing, social skills, motor planning, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 1 game board, 38 wooden blocks, 72 sets of blueprints, 60 second timer, 1 die
Ages 8+, 4+ players

A game of construction chosen by Mensa as a National Competition Winner.  The pieces are solid wood, unfinished and smooth (see box above). The cards do not include any step-by-step directions but show pictures of completed structures. The cards are numbered and increase in difficulty as you go. Cards are also rated from apprentice to journeyman to master builder. 

The goal is to be the first team to reach the DONE space on the board. There are two sets of 29 spaces on the board for two teams to play. In each round there will be one foreman who will receive the blueprint and give the directions. He does not build, therefore the game is set up for a minimum of four people to play. The game starts by each foreman receiving the same blueprint (there are 2 of each card). The timer is turned over and each team has 60 seconds to build the structure on the card. The foremen are the only people who see the picture of the finished structure and they must give verbal directions to their team of what to build. They cannot gesture, point or touch the blocks. The first team finished shouts "Done". The other team checks their work. If they got it right, they throw and die and move ahead that many spaces. If they got it wrong, they throw the die and move backward that many spaces. A new foreman is chosen for the next round and the game continues. As the teams advance around the board there are several special spaces. If a team lands on one of these they must follow the directions for the next round. Special rules are as follows:

• Silent Challenge - The foremen cannot speak or touch the blocks but may gesture, point, nod, waves, etc.
• Blind Challenge - The foremen turn their backs to the construction site and gives directions verbally. They do not see the finished structure until the round is over.
• Memory Challenge - Foremen memorize the structure before giving directions. Once they both agree they have memorized it, the cards are turned over and the round begins.
• Clock Challenge - Only the team that lands on this space plays the next round. The other team watch the timer, but cannot play.

The instructions suggest that you consider the age of the foreman before choosing a structure for each round and consider using only apprentice structures for the special challenges.

Try this:

• Use the cards with a single person, without playing a game. Build the structure as pictured.
• Increase the time for each round or eliminate the timer altogether until you get used to the game. Depending on the skill you are focusing on, the timer may add unnecessary pressure that slows down processing.
• Give the individual one block at a time to place if he does not know where to start or how to proceed.
• Place only the blocks needed for each structure in front of the individual. Turn them in different directions so he will have to identify them from different perspectives.
• Use consistent directional and positional language in your directions.
• Cover a part of the structure you are not working on as you work if looking at the whole structure is too confusing.

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

  

Gopher It!

Gopher It! Help the gopher store up food for the winter.

 

 

A card game of collecting sets of gopher food and counting. This game consists of two sets of heavyweight cards: gopher food cards (carrots, nuts, and apples) and gopher trophy cards.

 



Object: 

Be the first person to collect exactly six points for a single food to win a gopher trophy card. Play several games and see who can collect the most gopher trophy cards.

Set up:

Mix and scatter, face-down, all the food cards in the middle of the players.

Play:

Players take turns flipping cards in an attempt to collect six points of any one food. A player can turn over anywhere between one and four cards per turn. Each player chooses how many to turn over each turn. Players may keep all the cards they flip unless they turn over two of the same food in a row. If that happens, player loses all the cards that have been turned over on that turn. Therefore, to avoid losing cards, a player may decide to stop before turning over four cards. If cards are won, the player separates them by food in front of him and his turn is over. Once a player has collected a total of six points for any single food, the game is over and he wins. Or, player several rounds to see who collects the most trophy cards.

Try this:

• Play as a simple matching game. Turn cards face-down and then flip over two at a time. try to match either food only, number only, or number and food.
• Add a couple of the trophy cards to the original game. If, while you are turning cards face-up, you turn over a trophy, you turn ends immediately.
• Work on visual discrimination, visual memory, matching, simple strategy, manual dexterity, simple counting, socialization skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  

In the box: 50 cards

Ages 5+, 2-4 players

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

Goldie Bloks and the Parade Float

Goldie Bloks and the Parade Float

Goldie Blox has a series of Read-and-Build activity kits that are designed to introduce simple engineering concepts. The engineering concept for the parade float is wheel and axle.

The box includes a short story book and 34 pieces so that you can make six different models related to the story. The story is about three friends that enter the Miss Princess Pageant. When friend number one wins, friend number three is so upset she cries a river. So they decide to work together and make a parade float and let friend number three ride on it. The step-by-step pattern for the parade float is integrated into the story and then five additional models are pictured after the story. The five additional models are images of the completed models, no step-by-step directions.

My biggest complaint about this activity is that the pieces do not snap together securely and therefore do not stay together as you are building or when you try to play with the models. Pieces fall off and you have to keep adding them back on until you finally get frustrated enough to put it away. It is a great concept, so quite disappointing.

There are several different stories in this series, each with different parts and models to make. Maybe some of them are better. It won a best toy award, which now makes me wonder if someone really checks these games out before handing out those awards.

In the box.

 

 

Left - Step-by-step instructions for the float.  Right - Models at the end of the book.

 

 

 

 

Try this:

• Work on manual dexterity, coordinated use of both hands, visual discrimination, visual form constancy, visual closure, building a 3D model from a 2D model, spatial relations, problem solving, frustration tolerance, play and leisure exploration and participation 

 

In the box: Story book and 34 pieces