Pathwords is a single-player word search game which requires students to think flexibly with words and shapes. The game comes with a plastic tray game grid, a book of challenge puzzles, and 8 "Tetris-like" translucent pieces that range in size from three to five connected squares. There are four levels of 40 challenge puzzles which have different arrangements of scrambled letters. Students must overlay the specific translucent pieces indicated on each puzzle to cover letters on the grid to spell words forward (e.g. skate) or backwards (etaks=skate). The directions seem complicated but students will quickly grasp the idea as they manipulate the pieces to make words and cover all of the letters on the board. The words are at most five letters, so they should all be familiar to middle schoolers but are difficult enough to make students pause and think about possible words. Although the game is designed for a single player, there is no reason students cannot play as a team. Students with motor weaknesses may have some difficulty with the tray and/or putting the pieces on without having them slide out of place. Also, the plastic covering on the tray can cause visual distortions for anyone, so students with visual weaknesses may find looking at the board very uncomfortable. Another concern is for students who have difficulty paying attention to details. If students do not correctly identify the small shapes in the corner of the book, they may end up struggling to complete a puzzle using the incorrect tiles. The final concern is the presentation of hints. The inventor helpfully provided layers of hints, so students can start with a single hint and finish the puzzle on their own or decide to use all three hints. Unfortunately, many students will find the hints table difficult to understand at a point when they may already be frustrated. Overall, students who are good at word puzzles, visual puzzles, or both could enjoy and be challenged by this game. However, students who enjoy neither will find this game mentally taxing.

• 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

• 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

• Abstract Reasoning
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Attention
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Fine Motor Skills
• Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)
• Organization
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Reading Basics
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Spatial Perception
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps
• Spelling
• Visual Discrimination
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Words used during activity can be too small or difficult to read
• Visually distracting with too many pictures, problems or moving objects
• Visual Motor Speed
• Has small parts that may be difficult to manipulate (e.g. battleship pegs)
• Vocabulary
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Working Memory
• Requires scanning in multiple places for words, objects or numbers
• Directions may be confusing for students using independently
• Requires remembering and completing a sequence of visual steps

ThinkFun PathWords