Learning Expressions

Toy Review: Blurt!® Game by Educational Insights

Rapid word recall! This week we’re testing out a great family game called Blurt!, which challenges your vocabulary and cognitive reflexes. And better yet, we’re giving one away for FREE! (See below for details.) Keep reading to find out how Blurt! was invented, and how it shakes out in my 3F’s of toy quality—form, function and fun!

Form

The game of Blurt! was spontaneously invented by a man named Tim Walsh. One day, Tim needed to entertain a group of restless students. He opened up a dictionary and started calling out definitions. The kids enthusiastically “blurted” out their guesses for the matching word, and a new game was born.

Blurt! comes in a classic, sturdy box and includes a colorful jumbo game board, 6 game pieces, die, 300 playing cards, and instructions. The playing cards are kept in a box, which is labeled “Draw” and “Discard.” I found this very helpful (having gotten my Trivial Pursuit cards completely mixed up on more than one occasion).

There are three definitions (“clues”) and their corresponding words on each side of the playing card. The side with the stars has an easier set of words, so you can decide how much of a challenge you’re up for. All of these game pieces are made from high quality materials and will stand the test of time.

Function

Blurt! game play is very straightforward. Here are the basic rules:

1. One player begins as the Reader. The Reader rolls the die and reads the corresponding clue on the card.

2. All the other players blurt out word guesses.

3. The first player to blurt the correct word moves ahead on the game board.

4. The card box is passed clockwise to the next player (the Reader for the next round).

5. First player to return to start, wins!

Pretty simple, huh? I love games that are easy to understand so you can start playing right away. The beauty of Blurt! is that it’s pretty flexible as well. You can play individually, or as teams, and there are “Bonus,” “Advanced,” and “Junior” play options described in the instructions.

The play is pretty fast-paced and entertaining, so even little ones will like being involved. Those of you who have played Balderdash will recognize that Blurt! focuses on a similar word/definition concept, but makes it infinitely more kid-friendly. This is a fantastic way to build cognitive recall reflexes and develop vocabulary.

Fun

Blurt! will have you laughing in no time. It’s amazing how quickly your tongue gets tied as you try to spit out the right word. Within the first couple minutes of playing it, we had a pretty funny moment. A player was trying to answer the “kitchen in a ship or plane” clue and ended up very enthusiastically shouting “poopdeck!” instead of “galley.” Priceless. Watch this video to see Blurt! in action.

 

Thanks for reading, and don’t miss your chance to win the free Blurt! giveaway below!

 

 

 

  Thanks to Educational Insights, we have a FREE Blurt! game to give away this week! Leave a comment on this post with your first name, your email address (so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner), and the name of your favorite childhood game. Entries will be accepted now through Wednesday, May 25. A random winner will be selected and announced Thursday, May 26. Thanks for playing along!

Toy Review: Math Slam™ by Educational Insights

Jam and slam! This week on the blog we review a fun, portable game that helps kids practice their math facts—Math Slam! And better yet, we’re giving one away FREE! (See below for details.) Math Slam was created by Educational Insights, the sponsor of next week’s first-ever Teachers Tournament on Jeopardy!® (watch the show starting Monday, May 2). Keep reading to see how it shakes out in my 3F’s of toy quality—form, function and fun!

Form

According to the packaging, Math Slam is the “slammin’ new way to practice math facts,” and I couldn’t agree more. This is definitely a high quality product. It’s sturdy and well-made, full of color and flashing lights, and the perfect size to sit on a child’s lap. (I actually played with it on my desk, which worked just as well.) As with most electronic games, batteries are not included, so make sure you have three C batteries on hand.

A simple power on/off button is clearly marked, and a volume setting with a headphone jack is on the side. There are lots of great sound effects and background music while you’re playing, so I think parents will be particularly thankful for the headphone jack if Math Slam goes along for a road trip.

Five buttons at the top allow you to select from the different games. It’s all very intuitive and there’s a voice that gives you instruction before game play begins. There is a large, clear LCD screen that displays the questions, and four large paddles that display the possible answers.

Here are some sketches by the Riley Wilkinson, the Creative Director at Educational Insights, showing the development of the concept!

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Function

Math Slam is engaging, entertaining, and infinitely more fun than the flash cards I remember using to develop these skills. The physical action of “slamming” the paddle with the correct answer is reminiscent of toys like Bop-It. It challenges your hand-eye coordination and reaction time in the same way, but you’re practicing math while you’re at it. It’s very satisfying to hear the “Beep!” when you get it right, and appropriately frustrating when you hear the “Bong!” for getting it wrong.

The five possible games in Math Slam are called Slam it Up, Sum Slam, Subtraction Slam, Mystery Number, and Triple Slam. Slam It Up asks you to order the numbers that appear on each of the four paddles from lowest to highest. It was definitely a challenge to glance at all four and immediately begin sorting—reaction time was a factor. Sum Slam and Subtraction Slam are straightforward addition and subtraction equations, but Mystery Number is algebraic. In that game mode, the questions are in this format: 8 + ? = 11. While it’s simple enough that kids will be able to answer, just substitute that question mark for an “X” and you’ve got yourself a little algebra! The final game is Triple Slam, which I found the most challenging. That format was 3 + 7 - 2 = ? and it’s amazing how adding that one extra step can impact your reaction time.

Math Slam is appropriate for the kindergarten level and up. (Typically kids are introduced to multiplication and division in the third grade, so they may have mastered the Math Slam skills by that time, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ve outgrown the toy.) There are ten questions in each round, and if you miss one, it comes back later until you get it right. This ensures that you’re getting comprehensive comprehension and mastery of the skills.

When it comes to function, Math Slam hits the bull’s eye. After playing for just a few minutes I felt like I had been challenged and had relearned those tricky equations that involve 6’s and 7’s (the numbers my brain has never really liked to calculate).

Fun

Math Slam gets full points in this category as far as I’m concerned. It’s very entertaining and it won’t get old, thanks to the four levels of increasing difficulty, and the fact that it records your time for each round and challenges you to beat it in the next one. This would be a really great way to take a break from homework and have fun without losing focus. It’s a slammin’ good time!

Thanks for reading, and don’t miss your chance to win the free Math Slam giveaway below!

 

Thanks to Educational Insights, we have a FREE Math Slam to give away this week! Leave a comment on this post with your first name, your email address (so we can contact you if you’re the lucky winner), and the name of your most memorable math teacher. Entries will be accepted now through Wednesday, May 4. A random winner will be selected and announced Thursday, May 5. Thanks for playing along!

Giveaway not available in stores. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO WIN. A $39.99 value.

Blog: Colleen’s Top Toys for Kids with Autism - Holiday Gift Guide

As promised, this is our second post about toys for children with Autism and other special learning needs. All of the products mentioned in this article are carried by Learning Express toy stores. Our first post (click here to check it out) featured some toys that are fantastic for developing essential skills—fine motor, cause and effect, muscle control, etc. Now that we’re nearing the holidays, I thought it might be good to offer up a little gift guide with toys that special needs kids will really enjoy interacting with.

As the manager of the Learning Express toy store in Roseville, California, I’ve spent ten years helping families find the perfect toys for their kids. Although I’m not a qualified professional in child development, my fifteen-year-old daughter has Autism, and I understand the importance of making every play opportunity a learning opportunity. And what’s even more important? Giving our kids gifts that they will love and cherish. Here are a few suggestions:

The Plasma Car

This is one of my absolute favorites! My daughter has never been able to ride a two-wheel bike due to a low level of muscle tone and other challenges associated with Autism. A Plasma Car gives her the opportunity to ride around the cul-de-sac with all the other kids. It helps her work on her core muscle strength and her directional bearings, but, more importantly, she gets to experience that freedom and joy of movement.

This item is a fabulous holiday gift. It holds up to 220 pounds, and the added bonus? All the other kids love to ride on the Plasma Car too, which gives her another opportunity to work on sharing and taking turns.

 

Games

Many games can be challenging and sometimes frustrating for children with special needs. I recently hosted a social/game night at our house for my daughter and all her friends on her special needs cheer team. No two kids on the team are alike and they range from age 11 to 23 but there was a game that absolutely everyone loved—Spot It! When we played it the first few times we played on teams.

Sometimes a game can seem daunting and you think to yourself, “Oh, my child won’t be able play that.” But working together as a team can make it much less challenging. Watching the kids work together the other week was something very special. The game itself is not the only gift in a case like this; the experience of coming together and building important social skills is a gift in itself. (Read our recent review of Spot It! on the blog.)

 

Stocking Stuffer Must-Haves

Stocking stuffers offer a unique opportunity to marry function with fun when you’re buying for a child with learning disabilities. Lots of kids with special needs have oral motor goals that they’re focusing on as they work to develop certain muscles of the mouth. Some of my favorites for at home, or even in the car, are plastic harmonicas, kazoos, recorders, or slide whistles. All of these small, collectible items are inexpensive and allow for some really fun music time that also increases oral motor strength. You can find many kinds of toys and gifts like this at your local Learning Express.

I hope you find these suggestions helpful! Happy Holidays!

Blog: Only at Learning Express! The 2010 Exclusive Holiday Toys

In the toy industry these days, it seems like most of the big box retailers are spending their time in petty price wars and staging drawn-out battles with each other over the internet. Ironically, I think this is a good thing. It forces independent shops (like each of our individually owned Learning Express toy stores) to focus on the things they do best. I’m thinking of the things that bring people through the door—customer service programs, expert advice, and, most importantly, the selection of product. Learning Express is called a “specialty” retailer for a reason. We specialize in finding unique toys that have what we like to call “play value”— items that kids will play with hours on end, weeks, months, even years after the Christmas trees have been taken down.

When it comes to differentiating ourselves from the mass retailers, Learning Express takes it a step further. Many of you may have read an interview I did last year about how we develop exclusive holiday products with some of the leading manufacturers in the world. (If you missed it, you can check it out here.) This year, we are thrilled to be introducing over TWENTY toys that will be available only at our stores in the 2010 holiday season. There are many reasons to shop locally, so these are really just the icing on the cake. We hope you stop by one of our stores and check them out!

2010 Exclusive Learning Express Holiday Toys

 

NEW! Make Your Own Advent Calendar

*Check with your local store for availability

 

NEW! Make Your Own Advent Calendar

Read the blog about Nandy!

 

 

NEW! Tie-Dye 2-in-1 Moon Chair

 

NEW! Glow-in-the-Dark Lap Desks

 

 

NEW! Little Hands "Get Crafty" Activity Kit

*Check with your local store for availability

 

NEW! Cap It Off Jewelry Party Kit

 

NEW! Pop Tab Jewelry Kit

 

NEW! Color N' Carry Peace Messenger Bag Kit

 

 

 

NEW! M&Ms Candy Wrapper Jewelry Kit

 

 

NEW! Shrinky Dinks Holiday Tree Kit

 

 

NEW! Sticky Mosaics Funky Notebook and Pen Kit

 

NEW! Sticky Mosaics Groovy Cards Kit

 

NEW! Stick N' Style Bottle Cap Showcase Kit

 

 

NEW! Stick N' Style Fun with Fashion Kit

 

 

NEW! Lava-Blasting Volcano Kit

 

 

NEW! Candy Creator Lab Kit

 

 

NEW! Wobbally Game

  

 

 

NEW! MLB and NFL Bean Bag Game

 

 
NEW! MLB and NFL Toss Game

 

 

 

Busy Box

 

 

NEW! Baby Walker

Toy Review: Spot It! Game at Learning Express

Okay, I love this game. I mean LOVE it. I was visiting one of our Learning Express stores in Ohio and saw one of the staff members play it with a customer, and I was hooked before I even put my hands on it. I loved it so much I convinced our games buyer to request it from Blue Orange (the manufacturer) so I could try it out. In the weeks since there have been countless Spot It! tournaments at my house and on the road. I spent a rainy weekend doing nothing else with two kids (ages 7 and 10) who consistently beat the adult competitors and kept asking for more.

The product came out in July and just three months later we estimate that between our 150 stores we’ve sold at least 4,000. I think that’s what they call an “instant bestseller.” And that number will be even more impressive by the time Christmas rolls around. But enough of the hype. Here’s the skinny on the Spot It! game and how it measures up in the Toy Talker’s 3F’s of toy quality.

Form

Spot It! comes in a sturdy tin, about the size of a coaster. It will definitely hold up to travel and the years to come, so you won’t run the risk of losing one of the fifty-five playing cards. The tin also includes instructions and four cards that explain how to play each of the four “mini party-games,” which are all variations on the same basic strategy.

Each of the playing cards features eight bright, colorful, illustrated symbols. There are more than fifty different ones in all. And here’s the catch—between any two cards there is always one matching symbol. Just one, and only one. And it’s always there. New players are often skeptical on that last point. I’ve heard the “I don’t have a match!” excuse quite a few times, but trust me, it’s there.

The packaging and presentation of this game is cute. It’s convenient. It can go anywhere. Enough said!

 

 
Function

Spot It! can be played with two to eight players. Blue Orange recommends “Ages 7 to Adult” but a five-year-old nearly wooped me so I think you can stretch it. The idea for the game is credited to Denis Blanchot, but I couldn’t find any additional information about him or his background so that little mystery remains unsolved.

Regardless of which of the four mini games you choose to play, the strategy is the same: Be the first to “spot” the matching symbol between two cards. In some games, you’ll be trying to collect the most cards; in others you’ll be trying to get rid of them, but the skill involved is the same. When you do find a match you have to call out the symbol and either discard or pick up the corresponding card. (“Clock!” “Cheese!” “Leaf!” “Weird crosshatch thing!”) What makes this really tricky is that while the symbol is always the same color and shape, it changes in size. It’s incredible how much that can throw you off, but, like I said, there is always, always a match.

The game can be learned quickly, it doesn’t last very long, so it’s great for filling transition time (waiting for food at a restaurant, etc.), and the cards are just the right thickness to hold and manipulate easily, even with little hands. I do, however, recommend you make sure there are no beverages nearby when this game is played. It’s definitely quick fire, and if you’re a competitive bunch the cards and elbows start flying.

Fun

I really can’t say enough. I haven’t met anyone who didn’t ask to play again when the first round was over. It’s engaging (gripping even) and you definitely get better as you play it more, which is encouraging. Perhaps most importantly, Spot It! builds and improves those all-important visual recognition and reflex skills. Moms and dads, I’m giving you fair warning—you better bring your A-game because young brains are really, really good at both.

If you want to try it before you buy it, head into your local Learning Express where we love to play or check out the video below.

Here’s hoping we “spot” you soon!