the 7puzzle experience

To achieve our objective of making arithmetic and numeracy enjoyable for children, we deliver an exciting range of fun and effective educational programmes in schools throughout the UK.

Our top progamme, the 7puzzle experience, has been successfully delivered in schools for many years and utilises some of the best board games available anywhere in the world today. The children find the games fun, while the teachers see how the games positively affect the children, both academically and socially.

After a school visit, we also fully encourage teachers to build on the unique experience by continuing to play and enjoy the mathematical games in the classroom and possibly setting up appropriate clubs. Parents are also informed that the games used during the event are available for purchase, so they can also be enjoyed at home.

The resources utilised during our programmes are described elsewhere on this website. They are suitable for children aged 7 and older, including adults, so they are ideal as a family activity.

We regularly get asked if certain games are suitable for particular age groups. If you are like-minded, please get in touch as many of our games are extremely flexible in that the rules can be adapted when used with younger or less able children.

organisation of the day

We usually discuss the aspects of a future school visit with a representative prior to working with the children. Before making contact, here are a few points you may wish to consider before booking a visit to your school:

• there are usually three or four sessions organised during the day in Primary schools
• in the above case, each session would typically last for 1 to 1½ hours
• in Secondary schools, five sessions are usually delivered, lasting 1 hour each
• all the activities are carried out in the classroom
• a normal-sized class of 25 to 30 children would take part in each session
• the children normally work in groups of four or five, sometimes six, to a table
• the programme is designed for Years 1 to 6 in Primary and Years 7 to 10 in Secondary
• the cost is £399 for a full day, plus a daily maximum cost of £75 for travel/accommodation

One additional thing to consider! You may be a small or rural school with a limited number of children on roll. If so, why not get together with another local school in your network or cluster and share the cost? As has happened on a number of previous occasions, I can spend the morning in your school and the afternoon in a neighbouring school, not too far away I hope!

Although we work regularly with children in Years 3, 4, 5 & 6, we have recently delivered a lot more sessions in Years 1 & 2 as many of the games can be adapted for their use. If you wish to book a visit for the younger pupils, we would love to work with these children. It is advisable, though, for them to be assisted at each table by parents, helpers or older children to enable them to get the most out of the games during my visit.

Many schools now organise their own Maths Week which emphasises to the children that maths can be taught and learnt in a variety of different ways. We have been invited on numerous occasions to take part in such activities and usually come away from the schools amazed at the creativity of the teachers. We’d only be too glad if our programme can form just a small part of such an interesting week for the children.

overall benefits

As the 7puzzle experience can be an extremely valuable learning experience for the children, it is vitally important that they are able to participate within your school. We certainly pride ourselves on giving the children a thoroughly enjoyable time, so please consider inviting us to give the children a positive mathematical and social experience that they’ll remember for a long time.
As the 7puzzle experience can be an extremely valuable learning experience for the children, it is vitally important that they are able to participate within your school. We certainly pride ourselves on giving the children a thoroughly enjoyable time, so please consider inviting us to give the children a positive mathematical and social experience that they’ll remember for a long time.

the 7puzzle game

As the 7puzzle experience can be an extremely valuable learning experience for the children, it is vitally important that they are able to participate within your school. We certainly pride ourselves on giving the children a thoroughly enjoyable time, so please consider inviting us to give the children a positive mathematical and social experience that they’ll remember for a long time.

Described as an ‘addictive number puzzle’, 7puzzle is a brand-new game designed and produced in 2010 by Paul Godding and lightly based on the hugely popular Colour Magic game. It has quite a number of added dimensions though, which makes the game both playable for younger children (5 years and above) and challenging for the more experienced puzzle enthusiast.

During the last year, 7puzzle has become very popular and is currently one of the hottest educational games on the market. I was therefore extremely proud and flattered when Techniquest Science Discovery Centre in Cardiff approached me and asked permission to produce a larger version of the game to become a permanent exhibit at the centre. Since being unveiled in October 2011, it has been earning rave reviews by the general public and visiting schools.