A

ge

Toys

'Playskool popping pals'

short description

a colorful board with 5

animal figures that can be
closed under the lid and
revealed when the button is
manipulated

Mental operation and

cognitive skills which
can be supported

How individual mental operation

and cognitive skills could be
supported?

Use of senses and

motor activities (shutting
down
the
lid,
manipulating buttons)

A child has a chance to enjoy, touch

and manipulate the figures (shutting
them down), as well as 5 buttons
causing the figures to pop up. First, a
child learns that the figure is there,
although it's hidden, then the practice
of goal-directed actions is encouraged
the button must be manipulated in
order to reveal the figure.

Use of goal-directed
actions
Use of memory
Noticing of object's
permanence and causeeffect result

'Spot it' a matching game

consisting of over 50 circular
cards printed with the set of
various objects. There is one
matching object between each
card and the challenge is to
spot it the quickest of all the
players.

Development
of
perceptual abilities and
matching skills
Use of language
quick retrieval of eligible
word
Thinking in symbolic
way matching images
with words
Use
of
logical
thinking to understand
the rules

This is a group game developing social

skills, attractive due to its fast pace. A
child can improve his/her perceptual
and attention-focusing abilities by
quick noticing of two matching objects.
Additionally, the game requires the use
of language by quick identification of
the word corresponding with the image
(it could be successfully used with the
foreign language as well). Also a child
learns the logic of game rules the turn
taking, the quicker the better rule, etc.

10

'Origami folding puzzles'

heavy-duty
laminated
puzzle sheets with the
solution sheet suggesting
potential geometric designs
that can be created

Solving
concrete
problems in a logical
manner
Development
of
mathematical
thinking
(spacial and geometric)
Transferring
image
into spacious shapes
noticing
dual
representation
of
instruction sheet
Comprehension
of
image
and
written
instructions

15

Clue a murder mystery

game, which takes place in
the crime scene. The players
need to determine who killed
the victim, where and with
what kind of weapon. The
game consists of the board
(with nine rooms), tokens and
cards
(with
characters,
weapons and rooms).
At the beginning the 3 cards
are chosen from each
category to become the facts
of the case, unknown to
players. The remaining cards
are distributed and the players
start deductive game moving
their tokens around the board
(with the use of dice) and
making suggestions about the
murder's details in order to
deduce them before the
others.

Solving
problems

abstract

Developing scientific
reasoning
(systematic
problem solving) by:
logical
analyzing,
hypothesizing, deductive,
inductive thinking
Practicing social skills
through the group game
Comprehending
complex game rules
Learning strategies to
support thinking (note
taking)

Apart from the fine motor skills

practice, this set of puzzle sheets
encourages logical thinking. In order to
solve the problem and reach to the
desirable design, a child must go
through the cognitive goal-directed
process that includes planning and
imagining how the 3D shape is
constructed. There is also a place for
creative thinking as the child can try
the puzzles out in his/her own
imaginative way, not essentially
according to the suggested solutions.

There goal of the game is to deduce the

murder's details, which leaves the
players with 324 possibilities. There is
a slight chance to win it by guessing so
the application of logical thinking
strategies is necessary. Players can
practice systematic scientific reasoning,
involving memory and attention-focus.
They learn that note taking is a useful
and relevant way to extend memory
capacity and clue game gives
opportunity to practice and take
advantage of this strategy.

Sources which I used:

1. O`Donnell A., Reeve J., Smith J. (2011). Educational psychology. Reflection for action. Third Edition. John Wiley
and Sons.
2. Robson S. (2012). Developing thinking and understanding in young children. An introduction for students. Second
Edition. Routledge Taylor and Francis Group. New York.