ThinkFun Trango
Mindprint Rating
Tags
Skills
Mindprint Expert Review
Pros
- Requires no reading and no timer, so can be as good for younger children as older children.
- Provides a fun way for students with weaker visual skills to identify patterns and recognize how shapes can fit together.
- Can be a good way for students to practice multi-digit addition, either in making trade-offs or by acting as scorekeeper.
Considerations
- Some children will find the game unexciting.
Mindprint Expert Review
Trango is a multi-player visual strategy game that uses interlocking triangular pieces to successfully promote visual reasoning and pattern recognition. On a player's turn, he or she rolls a die and must then place that number of triangles in an effort to complete a geometric figure. Figures are worth varying numbers of points, so students need to decide if they want to complete simpler figures or build up for more complex shapes. Students will need to make trade-offs between blocking other players in lieu of gaining points on a given turn. Trango is a solid visual strategy game that gives children an opportunity to think geometrically and construct patterns. If the child acts as score keeper, he or she also has the opportunity to practice multi-digit addition.
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
- Attention
- Problems or examples are not interesting for the target age range
Manufacturer Description
ThinkFun Trango