Kanoodle 3D Puzzle

In this house, we do almost as many puzzles as we play games. Usually they are jigsaw puzzles, but lately we've found a bunch of really fun dexterity puzzles. We also (shamefully) watch a lot of competition reality TV, and one puzzle we see over and over is the dreaded stack-weird-shapes-into-a-new-shape-puzzle. It's like nutso tangrams come to life in 3D space, and we love it. Which is why we love Kanoodle, a portable puzzle really packing a punch.

How it works: The little black case contains a single layer of colorful balls, attached in various patterns and configurations. Once you dump them all out, the single layer ends and the 3D construction madness begins. The game comes packed with a bunch of different cards, each containing a shape you'll need to assemble with your various pieces (if they would just... grrr.. FIT!).

Why it's clever: You (or the kids) can play a few quick rounds and pack it back away in a matter of minutes. You can also play collaboratively, or race each other. It's a great way to get the brain going, and really forces you to look at a simple problem from various angles. And if you find you like it, the entire Kanoodle line is worth checking out.

Price: $10

BONUS content: here we are at the Sherwood Forest Faire attempting a very similar puzzle, and doing.... great!