A few years ago, I thought I would help out the parents of my gifted and talented students by writing about some games, toys, or books that I thought might make good purchases during the holiday season. I called the series of posts, “Gifts for the Gifted,” and I have continued to do it annually on every Friday in November and December. These gifts are suggestions for any child – not just those who qualify for a GT program. Sometimes I receive a free product for review, but I am not paid for these posts, and I never recommend a product that I wouldn’t buy for my own child. For past “Gifts for the Gifted” posts, you can visit this page.
Dog Pile might be a good stocking stuffer for kids 8 and up. Though the box recommends it for 10+, there is no reading needed (except for the instructions). It’s a good game to promote growth mindset and spatial reasoning. Responsibility is another attribute you may need to cultivate, so none of the small plastic dog pieces get lost 😉
The multi-colored dogs included are in a variety of shapes. Challenge cards are included with scaffolded puzzles from Beginner to Expert. Each card has a region that must be filled by the dogs suggested on the card. When placed properly, the dogs will fill the area of the shape without going outside the lines.
Dog Pile is one of the games I like to say belongs in the, “Solitaire Games Best Played with a Partner.” My daughter and I take turns on the challenges for games like this. In my classroom, students usually work in pairs or small groups on games of this category (like Rover Control). Conversing about the puzzles seems to help, and kids tend to persevere more. It’s also important to keep them on the challenge “continuum.” Children often try the first couple of puzzles, think those are too easy, and then skip to the Expert challenges. When the Expert level frustrates them, they sometimes declare the game is “no fun.” Encourage them not to skip levels, as each one slowly introduces new difficulties that will prepare them for more complex puzzles later on. If playing this at home, you will find that games like this have a lot more “staying power” when adults join in and model good problem solving skills.
You can watch the video below for a quick explanation of the game.
Oh, and if your household prefers cats, there is a feline version of the game here!
Looking at the ThinkFun coding games… If you could only get one of them, would it be Rover Control over Repair or On the Brink? Why? I am a tech integration specialist, building a STEAM space for K-6 and looking to add computational thinking/coding games as choices.
Thanks!
The students really seem to like the dry-erase marker aspect of the Rover Control, although they also liked On the Brink. The Repair one has a LOT of pieces to keep track of.