Jack Straws

Jack Straws - A type of pick-up-sticks featuring tiny tools

Your fine motor skills will be put to the test with Jack Straws. Fifty light-weight, miniature plastic tools, shaped like the real thing, makes this game look fun right from the get-go. Included in the box are miniature rakes, hoes, crutches, ladders, wrenches, canes and shovels, to mention a few.

Do you remember pick-up-sticks? This reminds me of pick-up-sticks because you have to pick up one tool at a time without disturbing any tools around it. This game is similar but a lot more fun because of 2 differences: 1) the pieces are all different shapes that keep them from rolling and may give you something to grip and 2) there is a hook with a very thin wire to help you pick the pieces up, if you are lucky enough to remove it before your opponent. With that being said, the wire is thin and pieces are slick and they can still be difficult to pick up. 

The pieces fall into four different groups, depending on how difficult they are to pick up, and each group has it's own point value. The box reads "Steady hands not included".

Do you see that hook on the end of the wire in the image at the top of this page? Well mine didn't have a very defined hook and nothing would stay on it so I attempted to bend it, thinking a wire this thin ought to bend quite easily.  Well it didn't, and that part at the very end of the hook that is curled under easily pierced my thumb, twice. I will leave it for my husband to figure out tonight. That man can fix anything. Off to find the Neosporin...

Object:
Have the most points when all of the pieces have been claimed.

Set up:
Empty the tools on the table and create a messy pile.

Play:
Taking turns, players will announce a piece that want to remove and then attempt to pick it up. If they are successful, without moving any of the surrounding pieces, the player claims the piece and the next player plays. If a player moves another piece at all while attempting to pick up his piece, his turn ends immediately. Play until all pieces have been picked up. Players add up their points using the scoring in the instructions. Highest scorer is the winner.

Try this:

• Practice picking up the pieces and using the tool before playing a game. 
• Allow a person who picks up a piece successfully to keep going, picking up as many as he can in one turn. 
• Allow anyone to use the hook at any time during the game.
• Ask the player to describe how each tool could be used. You may get some fun(ny) answers here.
• Sort the tools into piles by how they can be used. For instance, a shovel and hoe can both be used in the garden. The golf club and oar are both used for sports. Or all four can be used for outdoor activities. How many different categories can you come up with?
• Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, eye-hand coordination, fine motor precision, manual dexterity, tool use, motor planning, graded movement, socialization skills, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 50 plastic tools, 1 hook

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

Stenzzles Dog

Solve eight challenges to make eight different dogs using eight templates.

To solve the eight challenges in Stenzzles Dog will require a combination of logic, problem solving, visual perceptual skills and hand skills. The goal is to look at a 2D puzzle challenge in the booklet and recreate it by stacking the 8 puzzle cards on top of each other. It may take a bit of trial and error to figure out how to flip, rotate and then layer all eight cards into the correct order to solve the challenge.

The card layers are all the same size, each one has a different dog on the cut-out and each one is a different color (see the eight cards fanned in the image above). Each card may be oriented in any of eight ways: four directions and two sides.

The  puzzle challenges are printed in a booklet. Each challenge will be presented as a finished pattern. Puzzle solutions are printed in the back of the book.The arrows in the solution will tell you which direction each colored card is facing and the solid and outlined arrows will indicate front or back of each card.

L: Puzzles.                                                              R: Solutions.

To solve a challenge, try one card in each of the four orientations on the front of each card until the color on the stack looks like the color position on the challenge. If nothing looks right, flip the card to the back and try the four orientations on the back. Good for those who like a challenge and don't frustrate easily. This puzzle is available in a variety of themes. 

If you would like to read more about one-person logic puzzles, check out my post What's in Your Therapy Box? Logic Puzzles Edition. 

Try this:

• For a beginner, lay all of the plastic layers in the correct order and orientation and let him assemble.
• Increase the difficulty by giving the plastic layers in the correct order, but not the correct orientation.
• Give consistent verbal cues such as "turn one quarter turn to the right", "rotate counter-clockwise 90 degrees" or "flip".
• Work on spatial relations, visual discrimination, figure ground, visual closure, visual form constancy, executive functioning skills, process skills, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 8 card layers, black background layer, puzzle booklet with 8 challenges and solutions, puzzle stand 

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just finding out more about it, click on the image below to go to Amazon.com.