Express, The Fun Way to Progress
Overall Presentation
I was contacted a couple of months ago by Maya Schwartz, who helped create the game Express with her aunt Tsila Shwartstein, a certified speech language pathologist. I was immediately impressed with the overall presentation of the game. When the game arrived, the box and cards were professional and in excellent condition. On the box of the box is Q & A, which I found helpful for consumers. The cards are made of plastic and are waterproof and very durable.
What the game includes and how to play
The game includes 130 cards, 10 categories (fruit, clothing, tableware, cookware, vegetables, furniture, transportation, school supplies, home electronics, and musical instruments) and a handy brochure with ideas on how to play the game. The game is considered more of a “toolbox” that can used in a variety of ways to meet speech and language goals. There is also an additional set of cards that can be purchased, which includes additional categories.
I immediately liked the overall quality of the cards and the vivid images. I also enjoyed that there isn’t’ just one way to play with the cards. Depending on a child’s cognitive level, different games and goals can be targeted. For example, with a child that has more significant cognitive issues, you can work on labeling, matching, receptive tasks or categorizing. For others, you can play a modified game of Uno, Go Fish, War or Memory. You can also create your own game!
Targeted Population
Given the flexibility and pictures that are part of the game, targeted populations can vary. This game can be used for younger and older children as well as adults with aphasia, Alzheimer’s or another significant disability that impacts speech and language. The pictures lend themselves to all ages, which increases the flexibility and marketability of the game. I also enjoyed and appreciated the functional items that are included in this game (e.g. kitchen items, vehicles, clothing). The functional categories and pictures lend themselves to goals of improved vocabulary, categorization and word association. The box is also separated into slots, which is meant to be a built in organizer.
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