ThinkFun, Inc. Laser Maze, Jr.

About:

Laser Maze Jr.  (Ages 6 to adult, MSRP: $29.99)

Your Mission: Get the laser beam to the rockets so they can safely return to earth! You’ll need to use science and logic to reflect the laser beam to the rockets. Carefully place the satellite mirrors to guide your path, but watch out for space rocks that might get in your way. It’s one tricky job for any scientist, but with a little brain power you’ll be sure to ignite the rockets and your mind. One mission completed and 39 more to go! 

Review:

Laser Maze Jr. Is a really fun game that was created for kids ages 6 and up to adult. I played this with my son (who is 6) and we had a great time trying to figure out all the combinations of the puzzles.

The puzzle combinations range from easy to super hard, and there are 40 possible cards to choose from in those ranges combined. You pick a card, and then set it under the grid to start the game. You set up your mirrors, tokens, beam splitters, etc. along the board to complete the puzzle.

This game is very kid friendly, and great for kids who like to play independently. It’s also great for kids who like to work together as a team. You can’t go wrong with this game. It really helps kids to use their logic and creativity skills as well as how to use some critical thinking to get the puzzle solved.

We spent a lot of time playing this game over the last couple of weeks, and we have gotten very good at figuring out how to get all the pieces to work together to get the beam to where we want it to go. It’s been a very fun and exciting game that just keeps on entertaining us!

You can find more information on ThinkFun on their website

And you can find the ThinkFun Laser Maze on Amazon.com

Disclosure:  I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Think Fun - Solitaire Chess® Brain Fitnes

About:

Strategic Skill Building Game

ThinkFun® Brain Fitness games help keep your mind young and sharp – all through play. Whether you grew up playing chess or can’t tell the difference between a knight and a rook, Solitaire Chess is for you!

Ages:  8 to adult

Players:  single player

Features:
80 Challenges
10 Chess Pieces
Instructions & Solutions

Review:

I used to play chess when I was younger but haven’t for some time. I had always enjoyed the game and when I had the chance to try and review this particular game, Solitaire Chess by Think Fun, I was very excited! I flipped open the instruction book and gave myself a quick refresher on how each of the pieces moved and I was good to go.

The chess pieces themselves were a beautiful hard plastic- a good quality, not a cheap plastic. The game board(s) book was also a good quality and I love that it’s spiral bound for ease of use.  The instruction book was easy to read and understand.

The game itself is like a simplified version of chess. The pieces move like regular chess pieces and the end goal is to have one piece standing. This would be perfect for playing alone or even to use in small group settings (think kids) to develop some thinking skills. I was actually playing this for a while and had my son and niece come up and want to watch and play because they were very interested.

Another good thing about this game is that if you ever get completely stuck, you can actually get the solution in the book. I like to work on the solution myself and try as much as possible to not look at the solution! I feel very proud of myself when I solve the puzzle!

I feel very strongly that people need to keep their minds active and sharp and I really believe this game will help with that. I think puzzles, thinking games, etc. are great for keeping your mind alert, active, and smart. This game is a great one to have in your collection as you can play many different puzzles with it as well as go back to the beginning and start all over! It would be really cool if they came out with new game boards as it may be a little easier the second time or more around.  It’s also fun to bring out when guests are around to see who can solve the puzzle first/the fastest.

Overall, I really think this game is neat! I love playing it when I have any free chance. It really reminds me of the times I’d play chess years ago. I don’t have a chess partner anymore, so playing by myself is amazing. I also love that I can teach my children and niece how to play as well.

This would make a wonderful gift!

You can get ThinkFun’s Solitaire Chess Brain Fitness Game on Amazon.com for only $14.99

You can also check out this game on ThinkFun’s website

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

App: Alphabet Jumbled by Little Learning Tots

Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.

Alphabet Jumbled App by Little Learning Tots is for the iPhone 5 or better or iPad 2 or better. It’s a reading and write app that can be downloaded for $1.99 on the iTunes store.

Alphabet Jumbled is a fantastic app for young children learning their ABCs. On the home screen children have the option of using flash cards, reading though the ABCs, an easy or more difficult alphabet letter jumble, and finally being able to test themselves with the jumble challenge.

The “Know your ABCs!” part is a fun way to learn the alphabet. You will get a screen that has all the letters laid out in very fun and brightly colored patterns. A child can click on the letter of their choice and the voice will read the letters out loud.

The “ABC Flash Cards” part is a great way to associate letters to a word and a picture. The first letter will come up on a flash card with the letter at the top, a picture that starts with that letter in the middle, and the picture’s word at the bottom. It’s a fun and great way for children to be able to associate a letter with a picture/object and to a word.

The “Easy Jumble” part has 5 random letters at the top and outlines of those letters at the bottom. The idea is to match the letter to its outline. The easy jumble is a great way for kids to start to be able to put the letters to the right outline.

The “Jumble A-Z” is a little more difficult and good for older kids learning. It has all 26 letters randomly sprawled out on the screen and the object is to put the letters in alphabetical order. The child only needs to tap and drag the letters to move them to the correct order. It also times them so they can see how they improve the more times they play it.

And finally the “Jumble Challenge” is where you need to re-arrange a set of letters as fast as they can. It’s timed and there is a fish that bites seconds off the timer. There is a help button that children can tap if they need help.

 At the top left of the screen there is a home icon that takes you back to the home page. There is an Aa icon that lets users choose the look and feel of the letters. And the arrow at the bottom right of the screen lets you review the last action.

I think this app is fantastic. It’s a great, fun, and clever way for kids to learn the alphabet. My son is 5 years old and absolutely loves this app. While he does know his abc’s, he does like the challenge of trying to put them all in order by visually looking at them. He also loves the jumble challenge and trying to get all the letters in the correct order in time, before the fish eats away at his time. It’s more of a challenge because the 5 random letters are just that, random, and he needs to figure out in what order they would go.

This would be a great app for any child who is in the process of learning their ABCs. It’s fun, interactive, and keeps their attention.

Download it on iTunes here

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I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.