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Ravensburger Make N Break Junior - Children's Game

Mindprint Rating

Tags

Mathematics ^21st Century Skills Elementary School Game

Skills

Fine Motor Skills Working Memory Attention Abstract Reasoning Visual Discrimination Processing Speed Visual Motor Speed Spatial Perception

Mindprint Expert Review

Pros

  • There are two different levels of play so the game is suitable for different ages.
  • The instructions recommend variations of the game to add more variety and difficulty.
  • This is a simple, quick game that requires no reading.

Considerations

  • Because winning is based on speed, this game may not be the best choice for children who need longer to complete visual motor tasks.
  • The manufacturer recommends a broad age range, but children older than eight may find the family version achievable and more fun.
  • This game is ripe for disagreement about who finished first so an objective judge should be nearby.

Mindprint Expert Review

Make ‘n’ Break Jr. is a fun multi-player game that uses colorful building blocks to help students with visual-spatial skills and coordination. Each player has a set of blocks and must race to be the first to build the structure shown on the card. The winner receives a chip and the player with the most chips at the end of the game wins. This can be a great game for children who like to build, and all children can use this game to improve on fine motor and visual skills. Although this game is fun for younger children, the family version will be needed to sufficiently challenge upper elementary and older students.

Academic Benefits

Improves academic skills

  • Provides sufficient and varied types of practice problems to maximize understanding and generalization of the targeted skill/concept
  • Manufacturer claims alignment with Common Core/Known Standards
  • Presents educational concepts accurately
  • Explains answers so students can learn from mistakes
  • Better for teaching the skill to new or struggling learners
  • Better for practicing or refreshing the skill
  • Skills are practiced through authentic, meaningful problems (not just rote practice)

Fun

Engaging for the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Appropriate for a broad age range to use and enjoy
  • Visually appealing to children in the target age range
  • Adults would enjoy playing with a child
  • For electronic games, gives positive or encouraging feedback
  • Offers ongoing, progressive challenge
  • Overall - Enjoyable. Given the option, students would choose this option

Easy to Use

Understandable for children in the Mindprint recommended age range

  • Provides teaching guidance for adults to support the child and set appropriate goals
  • Student should be able to use independently after first use
  • Student graduates to the next level or topic only after meeting a benchmark
  • Can effectively understand and monitor student's progress (email report or in product)
  • Does not require excessive set-up time after first time use
  • Can be fun as a single player game
  • Multi-player game which fosters collaboration or cooperation
  • Well-made for the cost
  • For electronic games, can play without sound
  • For electronic games, allows user to save work
  • For electronic games, voice/sounds are appealing and pronounces words properly
  • Provides options to play in languages other than English/Good for ELL
  • Presents information in multiple formats (voice over, pictures and text, etc.)
  • Overall - Easy to use

Cognitive Concerns

May not be advisable for students with the following cognitive needs

  • Anxiety
    • Multi-player activity with a clear 'winner' and 'loser'
    • A player's success depends on speed
    • Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out
  • Self-regulation
    • Multi-player activity that requires cooperation or has potential for disagreements
    • Multi-player activity with a clear 'winner' and 'loser'
    • A player's success depends on speed
    • Turn or quiz abruptly ends when timer runs out

Manufacturer Description

Make 'N' Break Junior is a version of the popular game concept Make 'N' Break for younger builders. Each player has their own wooden building blocks and races to be the first one to complete the structure shown on the card. The quick game play is designed for 2-5 players ages 5 and up and takes approximately 30 minutes to play.

Be the first to create the structure on the building cards with your own set of wooden blocks.

A 3D building game for younger builders with real wooden blocks!
Players use colored blocks to replicate the structure shown on the building cards.

Each player has their own wooden building blocks and races to be the first one to complete the structure shown on the building card.
On Your Blocks, Get Set, Go!
In Make 'N' Break Junior, children try to be the first in recreating the structure shown on the building card in the middle, using their own set of building blocks. There are two different types of building cards for various skill levels: building cards with yellow edging show buildings consisting of 3 or 4 building blocks and building cards with red edging show buildings consisting of 5 or 6 building blocks. For every successfully completed building, players win a chip. Be the first to collect 10 chips and become Master Builder!

Master Builder in the Making
Steady hands and speed are needed to recreate the structures shown on the building cards, down to the position of the blocks. With each turn, players must move quickly and precisely, practicing crucial hand-eye coordination skills. Make 'N' Break Junior trains shape recognition as well as basic counting skills and hones children's ability to concentrate and maintain composure under pressure while developing strategic reasoning. The sturdy wooden blocks provide a tactile appeal and promote fine motor skills.

3D Challenge and Social Interaction
A game of positive social interaction for players of various ages, Make 'N' Break Junior provides an opportunity for children of various ages to interact with one another in a fun and challenging way that sharpens everyone's coordination, motor skills, communication and patience.

What's In The Box?
27 wooden building blocks in 5 colors, 50 building cards printed on both sides, 48 chips, 1 card holder, 1 set of detailed instructions.