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By Mom Unplugged, October 29, 2007 5:45 pm

I recently found these sturdy cardboard puzzles at Cosco and they are really great!

Each puzzle represents a continent. At the moment the manufacturer, A Broader View, only makes four (North America, South America, Africa, and Europe) but I believe that more may be in the works. Cosco had them bundled in packs of two, so we ended up buying all four and I am so glad we did!

One of my pet peeves with some geographic puzzles is that often the pieces are cut out in such a way as to bear no relationship to the actual shape of a state or a country. Why? Wouldn’t it be much more useful and educational to follow the natural boundaries?

These puzzle pieces do follow the natural shape of each country or state (except in the case of very small countries and states). This makes total sense to me!

Capitals are labeled, as are other major cities, large bodies of water and even lat / long.

It would be nicer if these were made of wood rather than cardboard, but at least the cardboard is quite sturdy, and feels like it will last a long time. One word of advice though: the first time it is unwrapped, an adult should remove the pieces since they are stuck in there pretty hard.

If you can’t get to Cosco (or they don’t have them any more), then you can get North and South America from Amazon (links below). It seems that as of right now, Europe and Africa are out of stock. Hopefully they will return eventually.

You also can find all of them, plus some interesting-sounding global puzzles (a future post!) at the manufacturer’s store: Geography Zone. Otherwise, search online to check for other stores and pricing. It seems to vary between $7.00 and $10.00.

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By Mom Unplugged, September 19, 2007 6:04 pm

This is a simple, classic wooden toy that teaches the concepts of size, shape, color, and sequence! I first saw one of these in my children’s Montessori classroom and was pleased to be able to find one to have at home too.

The idea is simple. There are four sets of five blocks. Each set is a different color and shape. The wooden board has a hole for each block. Children must arrange the blocks in the rows of holes sequence from shortest to tallest.

As with all good toys, children can actually play with this multiple ways. Sometimes they simply like to use the twenty colorful shapes as building blocks, other times they sequence them on the board as they are “supposed” to do.

Here’s another idea: Put the blocks in a bag and have your child (by touch alone) pull out all the triangular shaped ones for example. Or just put in one set and have your child try to pull them out from smallest to largest!

This block board is very durable since is ours is now on child number three without so much as a chip in the paint. At $8.99, I personally think the price is great for such a long lasting and educational wooden toy.

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By Mom Unplugged, August 3, 2007 10:33 pm

The idea behind these cards is to help kids learn the pleasures of positive actions. I am not a baby flashcard kind of person, but since my 6 year-old daughter is so into the Sweet Dreams Cards, I thought she might like these. She does! We do a Sweet Dreams Card before bed, and a Karma Card in the morning.

The idea is that a child chooses a card and does what the card says. Some examples are: “Choose one of your toys to donate to a charity,” and “find a penny dated the year of your birth and give it away to someone special.”

Most of the cards spread kindness to others, or help you feel better about yourself. Several are merely useful in a more practical sense, such as practicing a family fire drill, or learning the words to your national anthem.

If you are interested, there are also adult Karma Cards with different themes. I have not looked at any of these others, but please check the Karma Coaching Cards website if you want to see what else they offer.

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By Mom Unplugged, July 5, 2007 9:02 pm

I sent my husband (aka. Mr.-These-Children-Have-Too-Many-Toys) to Jiffy Lube to get the oil changed in the car, and he came home with this puzzle. What a cool find it was!

This is a 100-piece United States map puzzle by National Geographic. It is made of rubber and is in relief, like some globes. Each state is labeled, as are the state capitols. Elevations are color coded (and bumpy), with a key to the elevations and their colors on the edge of the puzzle.

Although it is 100 pieces, the puzzle is quite small (I measure 12″ x 8.25″). After assembly, it slips right back into its box for easy storage (always a plus with puzzles, they can be hard to store and make a big mess). The rubber pieces fit together easily.

The box says that it is for ages 6 and up. My 6 year-old could probably do this by herself given a lot of time and patience, but so far we have done it together twice as a family. My 5 year-old enjoys helping and is excited when he figures out a fit.

Both my children are in awe of the fact that there are 100 PIECES!!! Wow! The topographical aspect also sparked an interesting discussion, begun by my 5 year-old, of mountains and valleys. Plus, by buying the puzzle, you are supporting National Geographic.

This is a wonderful find that the we all enjoy - adults included!

Now, what I really want to know, is how many times can a grown-up play Candyland without going completely crazy?

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By Mom Unplugged, February 27, 2007 7:20 pm

Cranium games are fun and educational, although some of them do require batteries and make noise. Cariboo is a quiet one that seems to be quite fascinating to preschoolers and young children.

Kids must match cards to the flaps on the game, then open the appropriate flap with the “magic” key in the hopes of finding a ball. Once all six balls have been found, then the treasure chest will open.

Teaches letters, numbers, colors, and shapes. Play time is short enough for little attention spans and no reading skills are required. It can also be played as a cooperative game if you prefer.

My kids even enjoy just sitting and opening flaps for fun. Hey, anything that keeps them occupied, right?

A multiple award winner. Check out the Cranium website for more info on their award winning games as well as some great family fun ideas.