Smart Mom’s Toy Box: June 2015Brain training experts Ken Gibson and Tanya Mitchell have created a listof toys, games, and activities that support healthy cognitive development.“We want to give parents practical tips they can use to make savvybuying decisions,” Gibson explains. “Science continues toprovide insights into how plastic our brains really are, and there’sabsolutely no reason not to use that characteristic to help our kids experiencemore success in school and in life.” “A parent whose child has Attention Deficit Disorder, for example,can purchase toys that improve attention,” explains Mitchell. “Likewise,a child who struggles with reading can benefit from games that practicesound-blending and segmenting.” Gibson is the founder of nationalbrain training franchise LearningRx, and the coauthor of“Unlock the Einstein Inside: Applying New Brain Science to Wake Upthe Smart in Your Child” with Mitchell. Things to Keep in Mind A smart toy box will stimulate the brain in ways that support core cognitive skills . Parents can help their kids get smarter at any age. Brain research shows that the brain continues to grow throughout life. Children who are already good learners will do even better in school withstronger cognitive skills. Parents should take 30 minutes three times per week to focus on developingstrong cognitive skills in their children. One way to strengthen cognitive skills is to use fun, game-like activities. How important are strong cognitive skills? Research shows that 88% of allreading struggles are the result of a single weak cognitive skill. SmartDad’s Toy Box Gather ’round, dads (and moms)! This month, we’ve rounded upa bunch of family-friendly games that are sure to delight, entertain,and challenge the brains of your brood. We think each of these games andactivities is a perfect addition to your family’s repertoire, andthe best part is, dad will love them, too. 1.DaVinci’s Trebuchet Once upon a time, trebuchets smashed down castle walls, bringing entirekingdoms to their knees. Fast forward a few hundred years and this workingreplica can knock down makeshift dollhouses, office supply towers andother things your mischievous mind can think of to bring pesky siblingsor annoying coworkers to their knees. Measuring 18 inches long by seveninches wide by 24 inches tall, this battling bad boy can hurl a soft modelingclay ball over 20 feet. But all in good fun—of course. Your familywill learn basic principles of physics while engaging fine motor skillsof the motor cortex in order to build an awesome machine. 2.Labyrinth This timeless game of Labyrinth is all about the balancing – likeyoga for your hands! The idea is that, by using only the knobs on thesides of the board to tilt towards your direction, you must guide thesteel ball along the black path, through the labyrinth, to find innerpeace. Along the way are many traps, but no worries if the ball fallsthrough one – simple play for points, and add the number of thattrap to your score! Use the four included mazes to play head-to-head,as a family, as a team, or in the quiet of your own mind. (And, as anadded bonus, two mazes feature brainy facts, so you can learn state capitalsor periodic elements at the same time!) The hippocampus, important formemory storage and recall, as well as visual processing centers are activatedwhile navigating the Labyrinth. 3.The GeekBox These puzzles may not have many pieces, but don’t get too smug asyou take them apart, thoroughly convinced that you can reassemble themduring the commercials of your favorite Star Trek (the original series)episode. Because if that televised geekfest has taught you anything, it’sthat looks can be deceiving. And assembling these handsome little fellasis much harder than it looks. To succeed, you’ll need a hefty doseof memory, visual perception, and strategic thinking skills. The payoffis a smarter brain and a computertop decoration that’s both beautifuland brilliant. One of those rare puzzles that engages the hippocampus,frontal, and parietal lobes, the GeekBox makes for a total mental workout. 4.Tic Tac Two A World War II soldier created Tic Tac Two as a way to help him and hiscomrades pass the time in a foxhole. It’s like Tic Tac Toe, onlybetter for your brain, which is no surprise for a game created by a memberof the Greatest Generation. What makes Tic Tac Two better? For starters,this solid wood strategy game has 25 spaces instead of nine. But the realfun (and brain workout) begins when players pick up the smaller grid ofnine spaces and move it around the larger board to either win the gameor block their opponent. Play this addictive game over and over and you’llnever see the same strategy twice! A constantly shifting perspective requiresa nimble brain and agile prefontal cortex as you adjust strategy to theevolving game board. 5.Inside³_Mortal INSIDE³ is a unique puzzle that is sure to shake, rattle, and rollyour noggin to new brainy heights. Guide the small marble through thedark and twisty labyrinth full of false paths and other sneaky traps tothrow you off your game. On each of these two faces, the player findsa map indicating the course that needs to be taken in order to directthe marble towards its destination. The map is composed of 7 plots representingthe successive layers that must be crossed. Luckily, we carry six differentdifficulty levels of INSIDE³ so there’ll always be the perfectplace to get you started, no matter what your experience is in tricky,dexterity and memory driven puzzles. Give INSIDE³ a crack, but don’tblame is if you can’t put it down! The Mortal level is the mostdifficult. You cannot take apart the cube to find the marble and thereare no maps. Good luck! 6.Tummple Deep down we’ve all got little bit of architect and carpenter inus. There’s this innate desire to build and create. In some of us,there’s also a desire to see our friends fail and watch that glimmerof hope in their eyes disappear only to find their plans have been ruined.Of that course that’s only a small percentage of people. Luckily,Tummple is just the game for people like you! Part Jenga, part Suspend,players must role a dice to determine what type of piece to stack on thestructure being assembled by the rest of the players. Make it fall overand you must keep those bricks. Be the player with the least amount ofbricks at the end to win. This suspenseful and engaging game is greatfor those looking to brush up on their physics and spatial reasoning skills.And the wooden block design is beautiful and durable as well, guaranteedto fall and be drenched by the tears of your opponents numerous times.Develop fine motor skills as you stack different geometric shapes higherand higher without knocking them down.