An activity box includes two pairs of wheels having blind holes, two axles having two ends releasably insertable into the blind holes, and a box defining a space having a defined volume sufficiently large to fit the axles. The wheels include a first magnetically attractable component. The axles include a second magnetically attractable component secured at each end of each axle. The axles have a length spanning a width of the box, which has two pairs of through holes on two opposing sides to accommodate the axles, such that the axles are threaded through the through holes. The two pairs of wheels are rotatably attached to the box by magnetically coupling the first magnetically attractable component to the second magnetically attractable component, such that the activity box is configured to be used as a cart that can be rolled over a surface.

A safe puzzle is configured with deep cutouts inside a base block, and inside the cutouts are respective pegs that are shielded by the surrounding walls. The base block may have multiple cutouts and inside each one is a peg that serves as the puzzle for the child. The cutouts can have a square peg, triangular peg, circular peg, and ovular peg that extends in a vertical direction from a floor of each cutout. A gap between the peg and the cutout's walls surrounds the pegs so that the child and a parent have sufficient space for their hand to manipulate the blocks, such as place the blocks over the pegs and remove the blocks from the pegs. The pegs have a height that is equal to or below the base block's top surface to create a safer environment for toddlers when playing with the puzzle.

An object manipulation system comprising a storage device and a plurality of objects, which are configured to be placed within the storage device and separately taken from the storage device. The object manipulation system helps stimulate cognitive abilities of a user and provide quality of life moments without the need for supervision by allowing the user to arrange the items according to one or more arranging cues. The object manipulation system also helps stimulate blood flow of the hands and arms of the user and provides the added stimulating benefits of exercise and flexibility by enabling the user to bend and manipulate one or more manipulative devices of the system. Particularly, in some embodiments, the plurality of objects are bendable and are able to be bent and manipulated as the objects are taken from the storage device and arranged according to the one or more arranging cues.

An article is moveable between a first position and a second position and biased to the second position. The article is retained in the first position by retaining means until a predetermined condition is met and when met, the biasing means are released to move the article from the first position to the second position. The predetermined condition is met when at least one formation of a plurality of formations located with respect to at least one face of the article is moved from a first position to a second position, thereby releasing the retaining means. The article further includes user selection means to allow the user to select which one, or combination, of the plurality of formations, when moved, will cause the release of the retaining means.

The present invention relates to a multi-purpose pairable puzzle system with hanging 3-dimensional puzzle element 100. In the preferred embodiment 100, the system includes a three-dimensional wooden board 146 with a shape or a plurality of shapes 144 cut through and then separated, thus forming a hole through the board 128 having a defined shape 148 through which the complementary three-dimensional shape 102 that was cut out and separated can be fitted to form a completed puzzle. The removable complementary three-dimensional shape 102 will have a small opening 124a, at the top surface through which a ribbon 124 is inserted for the purpose of hanging the removable three-dimensional shape 102. In another embodiment, the entire rear surface 108 of the wooden board 146 will have a paper element 220 fitted. The paper element will have slit lines 216 shaped as the removable wooden three-dimensional element 102 with small attachment points 208 to retain the shape created 212 with the rest of the paper until punched out by the user. When punched out the paper retain the same shape as the removable three-dimensional wooden puzzle element 102.

A matching game for a young child to play with a supervising adult. The game comprises a game board having a plurality of differently-sized and shaped recesses, each recess including a realistic or cartoon-like mother farm animal depiction and part of a sound switch pairing specific for the mother farm animal depiction with a plurality of differently sized and shaped baby farm animal game pieces, each having part of a sound switch pairing adapted for matching with the sound switch pairing for the mother farm animal depiction so that, when properly matched and joined together, will cause a sound indicative for the mother farm animal to be emitted. The game further includes means for storing the plurality of farm animal sounds from the game board and powering the sound playing means.

The invention is a method to uplift education comprising of 4-dimensional, single- and multi layered educational puzzles, operating through 7 designs of functional relationships between the indicia (learning contents), and substrate.

The invention constitutes an effective method to teach persons of all ages, particularly children, any educational subject. Examples: literacy, biology, science, geography, maths, etcetera.

Themes of the puzzles are structured according to the objectives of local school curriculum wherever it is made available globally, and it therefore accelerates cognitive development.

The invention is unlimited in application and form an incomparable educational aid, versatile and valuable in the cognitive development of learners, especially in remedial teaching. It can be used in a one: one teacher or parent: learner/child situation, or a group,or individual situations in urban or rural areas, without electricity. Children love doing puzzles repetitively, therefore successful assimilation of educational material is assured.

An apparatus for shape and color matching retrieval games to be played in a body of water, such as a swimming pool, includes base stations, cover panels, and retrieval objects that players retrieve from the body of water during play of the game. The base provides a support to which cover panels can be removably affixed. The base and the cover panels each have on their top surfaces a series of position markers in the nature of slots formed in various geometric shapes. Each base and cover panel has a subset of retrieval objects matched in shape and/or color to its respective position markers. A method is provided for playing different versions of retrieval games using the base and the cover panels.

The disclosed puzzle piece is attachable to, and releasable from, a baseplate where the baseplate includes forwardly extending male studs. The puzzle piece has at least one rear-facing engaging mechanism that is attachable to at least one of the forward-facing male studs carried by the baseplate. The puzzle piece has a particular outer shape defined by the outer shaped wall. The provided baseplate-piece(s) unit may be stored with the puzzle pieces engaged to the baseplate, but the puzzle pieces may be later detached for repeat use.

The puzzle with attachable and releasable pieces includes shaped puzzle pieces and a two-part base, which includes a front base section and a back baseplate. The puzzle pieces have rear-facing engaging mechanisms that are attachable to forward-facing male studs carried by the back baseplate. The puzzle pieces each have a particular outer shape determining placement. The puzzle may be stored with the puzzle pieces engaged to the back baseplate, but the puzzle pieces may be later released for repeat play by using a provided puzzle release mechanism.