Mattel Mindflex Mental Game

So, how does the Mindflex game work anyhow? It is actually a very simple design.

You wear a headband that picks up on your brainwaves in the frontal lobe (where you do cognitive reasoning). When you concentrate, this activates a fan motor, which causes the lightweight ball to rise. When you relax, the fan turns off, causing the ball to drop. As you practice, you're able to better control the movement of the ball.

There are several different obstacle courses you can guide the ball through. You can also make up your own for greater challenge. If you get a few friends together, you can even take turns having time trials to see who can get the ball through the fastest.

The Mindflex game relies on biofeedback to work. You move the ball by alternatively focusing your attention and relaxing your mind. That being said, there are a few groups of people who this would be excellent for:

• People who want to improve their concentration.


• Children with autism


• Children with ADHD


• Parents who want to help their child improve their focus


• People who have always wanted to be telekinetic.

So what do people think about this game?

Some really enjoyed it. People who bought it for autistic or ADHD children had the most praise. However, some people absolutely hated it. Why?

Mostly they said it was boring. It was hard to do, and the headband would start to hurt after about 10 minutes. It also has small pieces, which will get lost if you don't put them all away. (One reviewer suggested storing the pieces in a ziploc bag after you finish playing.)

This is not an addicting game you could play all the time. It does take some practice to get used to it. But once you do get used to it, the benefits will be huge, especially for children. One reviewer said that children have been able to go off their meds after using this for a few weeks.

Here's what Scott (who has a PhD in Psychology) had to say:
"Get this toy! When children do this sort of exercise in a lab, their ability to concentrate increases greatly. Some are able to get off meds completely.

My recommendation is that you buy this toy and play it with your child. Set performance goals and give them some sort of reward for meeting those goals, but start small. Use your stopwatch and have them raise the ball for a short period of time. Do exercises like take the ball through a hoop. Chart their progress and show them how they are improving over time.

Studies have shown that if you increase activity in the frontal lobe like this, you can increase ability to concentrate and decrease impulsivity. Children who play this should be able to pay better attention in school, increase their reading comprehension, and do better on homework."

Review shortened for brevity. Read full review here.