Cat in the Hat - I Can Do That!

The Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! Game ia a high-energy game that combines balancing, jumping, sliding, giggling, and more to celebrate your child's I Can Do That attitude. Jump into the fun and discover all the new things you can do! Can you limbo under the trick-a-ma-stick while balancing the fish on your stomach?! There are hundreds of hilarious possibilities. The player who earns the most stars wins. The Cat in the Hat, I Can Do That! Game offers hours of out-of-your-seat fun while encouraging reading development, physical activity, and memory skills.

This is not your traditional board game. I Can Do That! comes with imaginative props inspired by the classic children's book The Cat In the Hat by Dr. Seuss, as well as a deck of color-coded cards that provide funny, challenging activities.

To start, a player picks one of each of the three color cards. Taken together, the cards create a fun and funny activity the player is challenged to do. For example, Card 1 could read "Take Four Giant Steps," Card 2 "With the Cake," and Card 3 "On your head!" Each card also has one, two, or three stars on it for score keeping purposes. If the player wants to take the challenge, he says "I can do that!" and proceeds. If he succeeds, he keeps the cards in his own scoring pile. If he doesn't think he can do the activity, he can re-draw until he gets an activity that he can do. But watch out: if he draws a "Stop!" card, he must give up his cards and end his turn. The player with the most stars in the scoring pile wins the game.

The beauty of this game is in its simplicity. Easy-to-follow instructions and super-easy assembly ensure that your family will be playing in no time, with minimal frustration -- a must for the enthusiastic, shorter attention spans of younger kids.

We also love that this game goes beyond traditional board games to get kids up and moving. This is great both for energetic youngsters who lack the patience to focus quietly and for children who need a bit more motivation to get physical. Kids will have a lot of fun balancing, crawling, leaping, and skipping with the whimsical props. They'll enjoy watching each other, and they'll learn to compete in an entertaining environment.

We also love that the game's structure encourages kids to challenge themselves, while the option of drawing and re-drawing cards still gives them the choice to play at their comfort levels. The simple, generalized game instructions are open it to many variations, and the instructions actually encourage families to customize the rules to their children's abilities and desires.

The only concern we had was with the game's durability. The foam pieces definitely won't last as long as your vintage Monopoly set. But on the plus side, the flexible, soft props guard well against injuries or mishaps.

Cat in the Hat Reviews

"Excellent Teaching Game...and it's fun for everyone!!!"

I bought this for my son and I thought it was too good to be true! My son is 4 and has autism. This game is wonderful for any child (my typical 2 year old can do it and LOVES it!) but it is the perfect game for teaching a child with autism to follow directions. We started out just having him do one thing at a time, quickly moved to using 2 cards, and are now on using 3. It has been such a wonderful addition to our therapies that we do with him and he has so much fun playing it. My only complaint is that my two year old easily ripped the foam thing-a-ma-stick (I think that's what it's called) but the toy is recommend for 4 and up anyway. If you are considering this game for your typical child or your child with special needs I would say go for it. I mentioned the game to both his speech therapist and occupational therapist and they have both gone out and bought it to use with kids they see for therapy with rave reviews. A++++

"Super fun!"

I bought this game for my niece (age 6) and nephew (4) and we had a blast playing it over the weekend. The game is infused with Seuss silliness and lots of fun physical activity. What I loved most was that it gives each child their little moment in the spotlight as they act out the activities on the cards and show everyone what they can do. I also loved the reinforcement of numbers, colors, counting, and puzzle solving. I highly recommend this game!

"Great for getting kids with speech disorders to talk"

We love this game. We play it with our 2.5 yo who has apraxia, a speech disorder. We also play it with our 5.5 yo to help him learn how to read.

Playhut Magic Ball Zone

Magic Ball Zone. All the fun and excitement of a real ball pit... right in your room! Included 100 3"-diameter plastic Magic Balls in bright primary colors. Features a hexagonal base, roll-up flap door, sunroof for ventilation and 2 tunnel ports to hook up to other Play Hut structures.

The Magic World Ball Zone is the perfect play environment for young children providing them with hours of interactive fun alone or with friends. Featuring a roll-up flap door for crawl through fun, mesh panels for ventilation, 50 colorful PVC balls and a ball toss game. Patented Twist N Fold technology also allows for instant set-up and quick fold-down for convenient storage. 

Playhut Magic Ball Zone Reviews

"Great toy!!"

The Playhut Magic Ball Zone is a fantastic toy. I bought this as a birthday gift for my two year old nephew and he absolutely loves it. My nephew has autism and like those who have children that they love with autism, it has been incredibly hard for us to find toys that he cares about much less enjoys playing with. My niece who is four has also enjoyed playing with it very much. We have only owned the product for a week, but so far it is appearing to be very durable and the balls that come with it are great. The only downside is that the balls that come with it are not enough to cover the floor of the Ball Zone, it took another package of 100 balls to do this.

"Appeals to kids of different ages"

Small children will love the tactile experience of crawling in the balls. Older children can use their imagination and enjoy the playhut as a tent, cave, castle or nest!

"Fantastic"

Hours of fun. Durable. Easy to fold and put away. Pit balls sold separately. This is a fantastic product and will keep children busy for hours.

"Tons of fun!!"

Logan loves his ball pit. When it got quiet this morning that is where I found him! Be sure to buy the additional 100ct balls. The only downside is having to pick up all the balls from around the house, but it is totally worth it being how much fun he is having in it.

"Huge Ball Pit"

I was so excited when we opened this up. It's huge! I can easily fit in with my four kids and have fun with them. I wasn't expecting it to be so big. Of course, like everyone says there's never enough balls, but we still have some more coming as another Christmas gift. Great Buy!

Choosing Toys for a Child with Autism

Have you considered a toy for autistic child? Regardless if a child has autism, another disability or not, all children love toys. Of course, no child is alike. Therefore, what may be enjoyed by one child may not hold the interest of another. Thus, the trick is to figure out which toys your autistic child will enjoy playing with, and will help them develop skills.

Ages 3-7

Paints and/or coloring pencils with large paper

This is a great way for an autistic child to express him/herself in color. Knowing what colors your child responds to may be helpful when it comes to learning.

Building blocks

Any toy for autistic child that can be stacked helps them improve their motor skills. Great toys to consider include “Lego”, alphabet blocks, colored shapes, etc.

Stories with Repetition and/or Rhyme

These books help in the development of speech skills. Good book examples you can consider include “Dr. Seuss” and “Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes”.

Mix and Match toys

Toys that involve sorting and grouping together matching numbers, colors, shapes, etc. help improve cognitive skills. One interesting toy for autistic child is “Match & Spell 3 – Letter Word”. This game teaches a child how to spell basic words by putting together matching colored cards that create a picture.

Toys that light up

Toys such as the “flashing ball” are good for visual stimulation. When the ball is bounced, the colorful balls light up and flash.

Ages 8 – 12

Calculator Cash Register

Calculator Cash Register, this is a perfect pretend toy for autistic child. This particular toy comes with a working calculator, pretend money (bills, coins and credit cards). This toy encourages creativity and math skills.

Musical toy instrument

If your child has an interest in music, consider getting a toy instrument such as drums, guitar, recorder or piano with sheet music. These toys teach cognitive, motor, creative and sensory skills.

Picture books

Picture books such as “I Spy” are great ways to engage your child’s imagination. “I Spy” has a collection of picture riddle books based on different themes.

Classic board games

There are many classic board games to choose from including “KerPlunk”, “Scrabble Jr.”, “Monopoly Jr.”, “Trouble”, “Yahtzee”, etc. Board games can be a toy for autistic child that helps to improve social skills, and depending on the game, may help to develop cognitive and motor skills.

Stretch-Eze

This is a unique sensory toy that is ideal for stretching, exercise, and making creative movements. The “Stretch-Eze” is a stretchy circular band that comes in different sizes and colors.

Keep in mind that the toys listed above are only toy for autistic child suggestions. You don’t need to base the toys you give your child on their age. In fact, many parents of autistic children find that any toy is acceptable if their child responds to it regardless of the age specifications on the box. Note: The only exception is choking hazard age warning.

LeapFrog: Phonics Writing Desk

Learn to write your ABCs on an electronic lap-sized desk. Featuring six innovative games that make learning interactive and fun for your child, the Phonics Writing desk helps kids practice their writing, phonics and spelling skills, including how to spell 

This electronic writing desk teaches kids the alphabet, letter sounds, letter formation, spelling, and word creation in a fun, interactive format. Kids can choose from six games: letters, a letters quiz, phonics, a phonics quiz, spelling, and "create-a-word." In the letters game, children push a letter to hear its name and see how it is formed on the LCD screen; players can also write their own letters on the "magic" writing screen. In the spelling game, children learn to spell simple words. In the phonics game, children first hear a letter and then are given a short word as an example. Along the way, the always-helpful LeapFrog "coach" offers lots of cheerful hints so children won't get stuck in any of the exercises. Additional features include an automatic shut-off, an oversize pullout handle, a variety of comical sounds for incorrect answers, and a two-position volume control.

LeapFrog: Phonics Writing Desk Reviews

"If I could give this toy Ten stars I would!"

This toy has been a true miracle for my five year old son.He has been diagnosed with autism and extreme ADHD and I was told by many professionals he'd never learn to read/write. This toy has taught him the beginnings of both. Being able to spell his name and other words has given him an interest in learning thats increasing day by day. I appreciate all the research and development the makers of this toy have utilized. I would recommend this toy for any child.

"Learning to write!"

If you want to teach your kid how to write the letters and don't know where or how to start, this toy is your answer. It not only holds their interest, it makes learning fun too. It teaches both uppercase and lower case letters. Most toys teach kids how to reconize letters but this one is step ahead and also teaches them their phonics so it's definately a must have!

"Great learning tool!"

Excellent toy! Letter sounds and voice are extremely clear. There are a variety of phonics games for a variety of learning levels. The writing strip is a plus, too, as is the digital demonstration of how to write the letters. My 4 year old loves it! It has definitely taught her to begin to read. She is already spelling 3 letter words on her own and beginning to read simple books thanks to the help of this toy. It's proven durable, as well, surviving several falls down the stairs and drops off the couch without any problems.

"A-M-A-Z-I-N-G"

This is an excellent educational toy. My daughter who just turned 2 spends long hours with this and takes this with her during car rides too. She can even write some of the letters. This is a must for those little tots who needs to learn in a fun sort of way. The toy teaches how to write upper and lower case letters. In addition teaches phonics and making three letter words. Really cool toy. It even has 2 adjustable volume settings...so parents are not always annoyed with letters repeating all over and over again in the background.