Gems in a Treasure Chest

Gems in a Treasure Chest - Who doesn't want to look inside a treasure chest?

I have used this counting game more times than I can count (sorry). It seems like everyone is intrigued by a treasure chest. When kids look into my cart and see the little brown treasure chest box they always grab it and look inside.

I basically use Gems in a Treasure Chest to work on hand skills, including in-hand manipulation and palmar arch development. The die is a lightweight foam-type material and has the numbers 1, 2, and 3 printed on it. The gems are smooth, transparent, brightly-colored plastic. It also comes with instructions that include "extension ideas", but I no longer have that instruction sheet. Each chest measures 2 3/8" x 3" and has held up well. There is no latch on the lid, so it does not stay shut on its own. I put a rubber band around it. I also own quite a few of the small gems, which are about the size of a piece of rice, but they don't come with this game. I happened to run across them on a clearance table for $1.00 at my local Lakeshore Learning store. I scatter them on the table to work on a pincer grasp as well as focus.

Like so many things, Lakeshore Learning doesn't sell this any more. You could always watch ebay or other online stores that sell used products when you see something that you would like that isn't sold any more.

 

Try this:

• Sort out four different colored gems, such as all red, blue, green, and clear. Open and line up the four chests. Place 1, 2 or 3 gems into the player's palm. Ask him to bring them to the fingertips, one at a time, and sort them into the chests by color. Go through all the gems until they are all sorted.
• Sort out four different colored gems. Scatter them on he table top and ask the player to grab several at once and then sort them one at a time into the treasure chests by color. Use the whole hand to scoop them up.
• Scatter the gems on the table. Pick up all of one color, one at a time, squirreling them into the palm. How many can you hold?
• Throw the die. Pick up that number of gems, squirreling them into the palm as you go. Drop them into the chest. First to collect 10 gems in their chest wins.
• Pick up a fistful of gems with the dominant hand. Cup the non-dominant hand and drop the gems in one at a time as you count. How many did you pick up? Try again, switching hands, to beat that number.
• Cup the non-dominant hand and hold a handful of gems. Pick them up with the dominant hand, one at a time, and count out 10 into each treasure chest. When one handful is gone, pick up another until all gems are sorted into the smaller chests.
• Line up three empty boxes. Put a different color gem in each box and choose one color to watch. Tell the individual to keep his eyes on the box with the gem you have specified. Close the lids and move the three boxes around, changing positions. Ask him to point to the box with the color gem you specified and open the lid to see if he is correct. (The old shell game.)
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, coordinated use of both hands, palmar arch development, process skills, counting, color recognition, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 4 wooden treasure chests, 40 plastic gems, 1 die

Coconut & Monkey King

Coconut & Monkey King - Monkey launchers and coconuts challenge eye-hand coordination skills.

 

If you've read my blog at all, you can guess I was hooked after seeing the monkey launchers. Place a coconut in the monkey's hand, aim for a cup, pull down on his arms and launch. Each time you land a coconut into a cup, you get to take the cup. Use the cups to build a pyramid on your individual game board. Be the first to finish a pyramid created with six cups and win the game. There are six types of special cards that may also be played throughout the game to make your life easier or more difficult as you play.
 

To set up Coconut & Monkey King, give each player a game board, 8 coconuts, and 2 special cards. Set the cups up between the players. In turn, each player will shoot one coconut, attempting to get it into a cup. If he succeeds (and it doesn't jump back out), the player takes the cup and places it on his game board. If the cup is red, he will get to play again. If it is yellow, his turn is over. The monkey legs will need to be held down with one hand while pulling down on the arms with the other hand.

 

 

Here are the special cards that are always played right before another player launches a coconut:

• Guess Who? - Player must close eyes and make a blind shot.
• Aimed Order - Player must shoot coconut into one specific cup chose before launching.
• Freeze! - Player loses his turn. 
• Far Shot - Player must make a shot from at least and arm's length.
• Call the Wind - Player launches as another player blows on the coconut.
• Reduplicate the Coconut - Player may launch twice in one turn.

 

IMPORTANT - The coconuts feel kind of rubbery and look like Milk Duds (candy). Be very careful around children and those needing supervision for safety.

 

I have actually used pom poms instead of the coconuts with one individual and today was thinking why not use playDoh. Get all the fun and benefit of practicing distal rotation while forming the balls before the game. The downside - they may pick up dirt or lint if they hit the floor.

 

Try this:

• Skip the game, just have fun with the monkey launchers and the cups. The coconuts are rubbery and tend to bounce. Collecting the missed ones can be a chore. I like to use medium sized pom poms instead. There also is much less safety risk of someone eating a bright pink pom pom than a coconut that looks like a chocolate Milk Dud.
• Place the cards face-down in a pile and draw one card per turn instead of other's playing them on you.
• Put the coconuts away by picking them up, one at a time, and squirreling them into the palm. Drop them into the box by handfuls.
• Stack the cups and see how high you can go with all 14 cups.
• Line the cups up randomly and shoot the coconuts until they are all in a cup.
• Place two or three cups on the table top. Shoot all the coconuts. How many attempts does it take you to get them all into the cups? (There are too many coconuts for just one cup.) Play again and try to make it in fewer attempts.
• Work on eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity, visual discrimination, in-hand manipulation, fine-motor precision, coordinated use of both hands, graded pressure and release, aim, process skills, executive functioning skills, social interaction skills, play and leisure exploration and participation. 

In the box: 4 monkey launchers, 4 player boards, 14 cups (4 red, 10 yellow), 36 coconuts, 12 special cards

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