Uno Moo!

The Look

Uno Moo! has the best packaging.  All the pieces can be contained in a small, lightweight, fun looking barn that has a handle for easy transport.  The pieces are the perfect size for grabbing and the animal faces are really cute!  The paper haystacks that are designed for blocking your pieces from the other players’s view are flimsy and often fall when you take your turn but it’s really no big deal.

How to Play

The children each randomly pick five figures from the barn and place them behind their haystack.  Then one player picks a figure from the barn, closes the roof of the barn and places it on the side barn door.  The children must then match either the color or the animal to that of the figure on the side barn door.  There are four farmer figures that are “wilds” in which the player can change the color. When the child has just one more figure to play, they must say, “Uno moo!” The first player to get rid of all their pieces wins.

Skills and Modifications

Non identical matching: There are 28 figures but the only ones that match exactly are the white farmer figures which act as wild cards.  Therefore the child will mostly be doing non-identical matching (or categorization).  This is a more advanced skill than just identical matching.  Children are realizing that things can be different but still have a common base.  Also, it’s good that they are concentrating on two components of the figures, both the color and the type of animal.

Sorting: Animals (cows, pigs, skunks, sheep, dogs, chickens), the farmers or colors can be sorted before or after or instead of the game.  I normally use the excuse of “let’s see if we have all the pieces” to have the child classify and count them. 

Language: As with every turn taking game, I always practice different phrases such as, “my turn” or “you go now” etc.  Specifically with Uno Moo, I have the child say the color and the animal of both the figure waiting on the side barn door and the one they are going to play with.  This is not only to reinforce the color and animal identification but also a way for them to understand why their figure is or isn’t a match.  My verbal model may be longer than theirs but it serves a reference for them. For example, I may say, “red dog” (the figure waiting on the side barn door), “I don’t have a pig, but I do have a red” and then take my turn.  If the child just names the color and the animal that is fine. What I’ll do is have him/her pause momentarily so they see the two figures side by side and can process if it’s a correct move or not.

Animal Noises: This is not a part of the game but definitely a good way to enhance it.  When the student states what type of animal they have they can also say the sound of it.  This is may be a good thing to review before the game starts.  I honestly don’t know what noise a skunk makes but it’s fun inventing one! For the farmer, his noise can be “hello” or something else that is short.  

Matching animals to their noises:  After the game, or if you just want to use the figures to play with outside of the context of the game, it’s fun and good practice to match the animal to their animal noise.  Of course, you want this to be motivating in of itself and not just an answer question type routine.  You can have the farmer call the animal by its name and then have the child find the animal and make it sound.  Or you can pretend on the animals is the mommy and she makes the noise to call for her baby. 

Simple Rules: I like that besides the basic matching theme, Uno Moo has two small twists. One is that farmers are “wild” and the other is that playing a skunk means “draw 2” for the next player.  To modify, sometimes I just take out the farmers and not mention anything about the skunk to the child. Then after they really grasp the basics of the game, introduce the wild or take two concepts either one at a time or together.  It’s good practice for more complicated games down the line.

This game is really cute and fun.  It's got lots of repetition without being boring.  It’s nice that it can accommodate four players but there is always only the one central figure that the child must keep track of.  Because the other players’ animals are hidden behind the haystack it’s less visual distraction for each member. I highly recommend this game for a structured group activity.

Rating

Overall rating: 9

Fun value: 9

Educational value: 9

Durability: 9

Cost: 9

Sum Swamp

Nothing like a good sale to get me to try out a new toy.  I bought this game at diapers.com because it was an “educational” game and it was on disount-what a great combination!.  I had never come across a math board game for young children so I was anxious to try it out.

The Look

The board game is smaller than the average board and it’s design is fairly basic.  In fact, when I first opened it my first thought was that I could have made this game myself.  I mean, it’s cute and it’s got a few twists and turns but nothing so visually appealing that I (or anyone) could not top with some art supplies and extra hours to the day.  There are three dice.  Two with the printed numbers 1-6 and one with the plus and minus signs.

How to Play

The child rolls the dice and then arranges them in the form of a numerical equation (always starting with the highest number first).   The child then moves forward the amount of squares that correspond to the result of the mathematical equation.  Some squares have a number on them and when the you land there, you must roll the sign die to either go forward or backwards that many squares.

Skills and Modifications

Math: This game is obviously all about math and it’s fantastic because there are a variety of different ways that it can be modified.  

Different player abilities: One child can play the way the game is intended by finding the sum or difference of the equation while another child can take his/her turn by rolling only one die and identifying the number and advancing that many squares.  

Getting acquainted with plus and minus: I recommend throwing one number die and the sign die.  When the die shows the plus, you advance that many squares. When it show a minus you backtrack that many squares.  I like this because it’s totally random when you move backwards and not because you answered something wrong or landed on the dreaded backward.

Keeping one or more die constant:  To just focus on addition, keep the plus die showing on the board at all times and just have the children throw the numerical dice.  To add or subtract by just one number, keep one number constant and have the child roll the other two.

The best part of the game is that the players don’t realize they are “doing” math. Number Identification, counting, addition, subtraction, even the concept of odds and evens is incorporated into the game.  Encourage use of counting on fingers or small manipulatives like counting bears.

Rating

Overall rating: 8

Fun value: 8

Educational value: 10

Durability: 8

Cost: 9

Play Mais

This is the coolest product! From Germany, this modeling toy is completely ecological. It’s made from organic corn starch, water and all natural food coloring.   So yes, it’s ok if eaten!  Seriously, even besides its “green” quality, this toy is so fun and original it’s hard not to want to play with it.  I found this at a children’s fair in Madrid and although Americans can purchase it through amazon.com, it seems to be much more popular in Europe.

The Look
They are small, colorful pieces (about an inch long) that stick to each other with water.  Take a peek at this youtube video from the company: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3l8IEGMixk


How to Play

All you need to do is wet a cloth and you’re off!  If the child is going to make some sort of standing structure with the Play Mais they will benefit from using a little piece of cardboard or heavy paper as a base.  The pieces stick together when they are moist so just press the colored piece on the cloth and start creating!  

Skills and Modifications

Sensory Input: I love that this is an art product but doesn’t require getting messy, sticky or having advanced fine motor skills.  Many children have sensory input sensitivity and thus often miss out on participating in art projects.  This toy is the solution.

Motor Skills: Play Mais provides great fine motor and coordination practice as the child will be continuously picking up the small pieces and then using their two hands to press the pieces together. The pieces stick together very easily when damp and can also be pulled apart if the child wants to change the design.

Pre-Math: The pieces come in several different colors but are all the same size and shape.  This is perfect for sorting and counting (even fractions as there is a plastic serrated knife included in the box for cutting).

Creativity: Obviously, as with any art, there is no right or wrong.  Play Mais is a non stressful means to be creative and explore color combinations and designs.  Somehow, no matter how you arrange the pieces, the result always looks cool.

Language: Because there are many different colored pieces, it makes it easy to have the child request the desired color many times without being unnatural throughout the play time.  Prompt comments on what the child is making or how tall/big/little/funny etc., the project is.  As always, prompt the child to alert you to his creation when finished ("Look what I did!" sort of thing) and dish out the lavish praise when this is done.

Group Play: I like to dump the pieces on a table in the middle of the kids so they are reaching into the same pile.  This is a good introduction to sharing.  A little while into play time, try alternating putting the pieces out of reach of one child and prompt him/her to ask their peer to hand them the piece they want.  Each child can make their own creation and/or do joint project.  You can provide a large paper base and have two children share the space.  


It's nice to be able to support a company that goes to such lengths to create an environmentally safe toy.  Has anyone seen this toy in the stores?  I have only seen it online and at that first children's fair in Madrid last year.  I'd love for word to spread about this amazing product!

Rating

Overall Rating: 9

Fun value: 10

Educational value: 8

Durability: 9

Cost: 8

Don’t Break the Ice

I know, this game is really old...but it is really good!  This is probably the game I recommend most to families I work with.  It’s a great multiplayer game that lends itself beautifully for fun, easy, group play.

The Look

The game is very basic. It’s just a simple plastic blue frame, white “ice” blocks, 2 hammers and a red polar bear figure that goes on top of the ice.  The children can set up most of the game but fitting in all the pieces will most likely require adult help at first.  The hammers are not of the upmost quality but durable enough for the purpose.  I wish the box it came in was more thoughtfully designed however. It comes in a flimsy cardboard box that easily tears when putting the game away and makes it very easy to loose some of the pieces.  You will most likely end up putting the game in a big ziplock freezer bag to avoid that.

How to Play

The players put the ice blocks in the blue frame and then put the polar bear (that has it’s own ice block) on top and take turns hammering the ice. The player that breaks the ice that causes the polar bear to fall down loses.  I find that most kids really don’t care if they are the ones who make the polar bear fall down.  They just want to hammer the ice and see it fall.  I don’t think I have ever played with “winners” or “losers” in this game, rather, it just ends when the bear comes crashing down.

Skills and Modifications

Turn taking: This game is perfect for kids learning to take turns.  I suggest just using one hammer if there is a child who has trouble waiting their turn.  This way, having the hammer in their hand is a physical cue to take a turn.  This is much better than having to verbally remind a child to wait their turn or having to block their out of turn hammer swings.  

Motor Skills: If the child’s motor skills make it difficult to break the ice with the hammer (which is possible since the hammer is so lightweight), then I recommend having them start with the hammer and just use one little finger to push out the ice piece.  

Cause and Effect: It’s fun for the child to see that by hammering the ice blocks it causes them to fall down.  It’s also fun to experiment by putting the big ice block where the polar bear goes in different positions other than dead center.  

Critical Thinking:  If playing with the objective of not letting the bear fall down then the child must strategize which piece he/she should hammer in order to accomplish this.  It also makes them aware of what degree of force they should use when hammering so as to control how many pieces end up falling down.

Short and sweet:  The actual playing time of Don’t Break the Ice is very short (maybe a couple minutes at most) but kids really do love seeing and hearing the ice and the bear come crashing down.  

Group Play: Don’t Break the Ice is terrific for a child that does not find playing with peers reinforcing in itself.  Pairing the fun of the game with being around peers is the perfect introduction to playing with others.  

Trio Blocks: Airplane Building Set

I bought these blocks for my son for Christmas a couple years ago on one of our visits to the United States.  We were living in Madrid at the time and since toys are so much cheaper in the states, I would always try to stock up while visiting.  So like any good American expat, I made the obligatory trip to Target and started emptying their shelves.

The Look

These construction pieces are bright and sturdy. The box is also durable and easy to open and close multiple times without tearing or coming open again once its shut.  I really like how the box displays the types of and number of pieces that are in the set. That way, when you are putting the toy away, you can easily check to make sure you have them all.  I am in disbelief that two years later, we still have all the pieces.

How to Play

The set comes with three different design models.  One of the models is a bit difficult to replicate without adult help just because of the angle of the drawing on the paper.  The other two are pretty clear.  A unique feature  of this toy is that the pieces are not all single pieces.  I didn’t even realize this when I bought the it but later came to appreciate the concept.  It just makes it easier to copy the models therefore ensuring more successful play time.  It’s a good precursor to making more complex models.

Modifications and Skills

Motor Skills: The handling and snapping of the pieces is great fine motor practice.  The block pieces are not difficult to snap together though a child with limited muscle control may need assistance.  Unfortunately however, the green pieces that serve as braces are difficult to snap in and secure.  Even I accidentally broke apart the airplane more than once while trying to jam the piece inside one of the blocks.   I would just count on the adult taking charge of the green pieces from the beginning.

Pre-Math: Because the pieces are of varying lengths, it is an easy opportunity to work on the concept of size. As you are building, you can ask the child to give you the longer of two pieces or the longest of more than two.  This can be done frequently in a very casual manner (don’t make it seem like a test) throughout the period of play time.  As mentioned earlier, the side panel of the box has a picture of the pieces with the number of their corresponding quantity. Either at the beginning or at the end of playing, use the excuse of making sure you have all the pieces and have the child sort them by color.  The child can then count the number of pieces in each group and match the verbally counted number to the visual numeral on the box.  Work on quantities by requesting to the child he/she help you clean up by putting a certain number of pieces back in the box.  You can tell or ask the child how many pieces you should put away and model how you are doing that.  

Imagination: Of course, after building, comes the playing with whatever the child has built.  Make sure that little one is zooming his/her airplane around the room. I find that making exaggerated, funny noises usually helps me get a reluctant child to enjoy this activity.  

This toy is a great little investment.  It’s the size of a small shoe box and is quite economical.  You can buy other TRIO sets to add on to this one for more building options.  Try not to limit the child to just copying the models but also creating his/her original designs.

Rating

Overall Rating: 9

Fun value: 8

Educational value: 7

Durability: 10

Cost: 10

Magna-Tiles Translucent Colors

This construction toy is brilliant in its simplicity.  My son received this toy as a gift for his third birthday from a very dear friend of mine and I haven’t met one child (or adult!) yet who hasn’t loved it.

The Look

The standard pack has 32 plastic, magnetic pieces consisting of squares and triangles. The pieces are lightweight and easy to handle.

How to Play

This is an open-ended play toy which is my favorite kind.  There are no rules and the possible creations are endless.  A fantastic aspect (and not so common in a building toy) is that it requires little motor coordination or physical strength.  The child need not press down hard to connect the pieces as with legos and if their creation falls apart, it is very easy to just try again.

Modifications and Skills

Language: For requesting, I withhold some desired pieces in a very casual, nonchalant manner and prompt the child to ask for them (vocally or through sign/pictures). If the child is building something and I know which piece he/she will need I may "accidentally" lose that piece to prompt the child to ask “Where is...?” or “I need the...”  For labeling, you can verbally model what the child is making, “It’s a big house” or “My blue castle” etc.  I like to build along side the student and when we are both finished use the two structures for some early conversation.  And of course at the end of the building time, it’s always important for the child to show off his/her creation to you with an enthusiastic “Look what I did!” or “My tower is the best” 

Imitation 2D to 3D: The tiles come with a sheet displaying and explaining how to make various designs.  The degree of difficulty varies so at first you may want to isolate just the necessary pieces for the particular design the child wants. 

Imitation 3D to 3D: Another variation of this imitation skill is for the adult to build something and have the child copy it.  The only thing to be aware of is that because there are not that many duplicates of the same colored shape tiles, it may be difficult to match exactly (same colors) the design unless you have more than one set.  

Critical thinking: A highlight of this toy is that it naturally enhances problem solving skills. There are two types of triangles included in the pack-equilateral and right angled.  I often see children try to use the triangles for the same purpose but then discover that they don’t fit the same way.  They must use a different piece or re-think their design.  If they don’t have any square tiles left they learn to put the two right angled triangles together for a substitute. I find it fascinating to watch the wheels turn in the child’s head as he/she experiments throughout this creative process. 

Imagination: One thing that my son loves to do with this toy is to incorporate his other toys into it.  For example, he loves to build different types of space ships with the tiles and will then put one of his action figures in the space ship.  Or he will build a garage for his cars or a school...you get the point.  This pretend play also makes it easier to prompt more language skills as you can role play what the other toys may be saying.

Easy: This very well be my all time favorite toy.  The pieces can crash to the floor an infinite amount of times and even played with in the bath (water can get inside but it dries out and doesn’t affect the magnetic property). 

Downside?: Perhaps the only drawback to this toy is that it does not naturally incorporate more than one person.  It’s great during those times you need your child occupied by themselves but if your goal is group play, you’ll just have to work a little harder at getting the kids to look up from their creations and paying attention to what the others are creating.

I know that there are other magnetic block type toys out there but I find these the most attractive and I love that I don’t have to worry about small pieces that could be a choking hazard.  Any other teaching ideas with this toy that I've missed?

Rating

Critic Rating: 9

Fun value: 10

Educational value: 8

Durability: 10

Cost: 6 

Froggy Boogie

The Discovery

I have to admit, I came across this game accidentally two years ago as my son randomly picked it up in a Barnes & Noble and insisted that we buy it. I really wasn’t planning on buying anything but as my son persisted more and more, shoving the box under my nose, I noticed an Oppenheim Best Toy Gold Award sticker on the game. I then justified the expense to myself and gave in.  So glad I did!

The Look

The game’s pieces are attractive solid wood packaged in an unusually sturdy cardboard box. There are eight adorable, bicolored froggies with places to put 2 eyes each-one with a frog underneath and one blank.  Although there are a good many number of pieces to the game, they are not hard to keep track of as the box is well designed in a compartmentalized fashion. 

How to Play

The players give each froggy two eyes, one that is blank at the bottom and one with a frog at the bottom. The child rolls the the colored die to see which frog's eyes they must investigate. The challenge of the game is to remember which eye is blank as that enables the player to advance their froggy from lilly pad to lilly pad.  The first one to go around the lilly pad wins.

Take a look at how the game is designed to be played here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbA_tH9Jwhc

Modifications and Skills 

According to the instructions, you are supposed to vary the positions of the eyes with and without the frog.  But that’s not really important now is it?

Memory: To help the child initially succeed, I really like the idea of putting the eyes in a fixed pattern.  For example, I'll have all frogs have the blank eye to the right, when just starting to learn the game or for younger learners. This will help build their confidence as it will be easier for them to remember where the blank eye is.

Shapes: When setting up the game you spread the lilly pads around the froggies in a circle.  My four year old son came up the with the idea of changing the shape of the lilly pads each time.  We alternate between circles, triangles, squares or rectangles.  If there were more pieces you could do more shapes but I think those four shapes are just about it for this game. 

Colors: The dice are a good size for any child and once they land, depending on what level the child is at, you can either tell him/her the colors that are indicated or you can give him/her an appropriate prompt for them to do it. 

Language: Once the colors are stated, I like to then verbally search for the correct froggy by asking, “Blue and yellow froggy where are you?” and also have the child do the same.  When he is found we can tell him, “I found you!” 

Short on time? Another beautiful feature of the game is that when you are under a time constraint, you can simply not put out all the given lilly pads and you shorten the game without sacrificing any of the fun or educational value.

I have to say I just love this game. There are not that many interactive memory games that hold a child’s attention like this one.  Also, the wood pieces are a rare treat.  I’m surprised this game is not more popular.  I don’t see it on the shelves at the typical toy stores but you can order it online at http://www.amazon.com/Distribution-Solutions-LLC-4102592-Orange/dp/B000NE3EYW  In my opinion it should be a staple in every kids’ toy chest.  What do you think?  What rating would you give it?

Rating (1-10)

Overall Rating: 9

Fun value: 9

Educational value: 10

Durability: 10

Cost: 9