Mindflex is a unique new game that supposedly reads your brain waves and allows you to levitate a foam ball using concentrating and relaxing thoughts. Everyone says it is the kind of game that must be seen to be believed so we decided it was our turn to give it a try and do a mindflex toy review.
First off this game is recommended for players eight years and older but my six year old son tried as did I so take that into consideration when reading this review. I wanted to test and see how long he would attempt at playing the game (he has ADHA and this game has some great recommendations for that) The game basically “begins” when you strap on the headset and start to concentrate on the foam ball by taking it around a mind-bending obstacle course. A pressurized air flow keeps the ball lifted, but raising and lowering the ball and taking it through the course must be accomplished by alternating concentrating and relaxing your mind.
Mindflex Game
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 List Price: $79.99 Sale Price: $44.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Eligible For Free Shipping 
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Product Description
A lightweight headset containing sensors for the forehead and earlobes measures your brainwave activity. When you focus your concentration, a small foam ball will rise on a gentle stream of air. Relax your thoughts and the ball will descend. By using a combination of physical and mental coordination, you must then guide the ball through a customizable obstacle coursethe various obstacles can be repositioned into many different configurations. MindflexTM combines advanced technology with the power of thought to create an interactive experience unlike any other a game where players compete in the ultimate mental marathon!
For ages 8 and up.
Requires 4 "C" and 2 "AAA' batteries.
Details
- Mindflex, the new mental acuity game from Mattel, makes that dream a reality
- Mindflex combines advanced technology with the power of thought!
- A game where players compete in the ultimate mental marathon
- The various obstacles can be repositioned into many different configurations
- Finalists for 10th Annual Toy of the Year (TOTY) Awards
How this toy works (taken from site): This toy takes a measure of brain activity in the left frontal lobe and, based on the amount of activity there, sends power to a fan to push the ball higher, lower and somewhat directional.
MindFlex Review
One major reason I really wanted to do a mindflex review and give my son a try was because one of the reviews I read written by a doctor mentions his recommendations of the toy based off studies that have shown that “if you can increase frontal lobe activity through exercises like this you can increase objective measures of concentration (e.g., amount of time engaged with a task) and decrease measures of impulse. And not just for the task where the skill was trained. So a child who got adept at playing this game should also pay better attention in school, likely increase their reading comprehension, do better on homework, etc.”
Neurofeedback (NFB), also called neurotherapy uses real time displays of electroencephalography to illustrate brain activity, often with a goal of controlling central nervous system activity. Sensors are placed on the scalp to measure activity much like the mindflex game. In labs where they do this sort of therapy, children with ADHD have shown serious improvement in functioning although it is still not confirmed, you can try the toy yourself and see what you think. Getting my child to sit for 25 minutes is a big thing with a toy.
Out of the box, this toy has some detachable pieces that complete the obstacle course which requires putting together before you are able to play. Once the headset is on, you can start the concentration. I tried it first and actually found it to be funner than I thought. It looks like a neat magic trick of sorts and my son was amused watching me as I made funny faces while concentrating. It took a bit to get used to it and the strap around my head was a bit annoying, but overall was fun. I didn’t get much of a chance because my son wanted a try so I suggest playing with it either alone or in small groups.
My son placed the headset on and it felt uncomfortable at first so after a bit adjusting he began. He sat there a while trying to figure it out and actually concentrated pretty hard. He got the ball moving up and down but it took a while before he could get the ball through one of the hoops. He got a bit frustrated at one point because he said was hard, but continued to use it. This may be because he is only 6, but still I was impressed with his determination. As he gets older I can see him mastering this toy with ease.
If you want to test or master this toy it is recommended to challenge yourself by setting performance goals and rewarding yourself (or your kids) for meeting and exceeding those goals. Start small. At first, get a stopwatch and see how long they can keep the ball in the air. After that, see if they can start to raise and lower the ball a couple of times, then see how many times they can pass it through one of the hoops. And take data the whole time. Track their progress in some way so you see how they are doing.
Overall we both enjoyed playing with the mindflex toy and for the cost felt it was worth it. Some of the other reviews mention this toy could get boring fast and that is true if you don’t challenge yourself or try and beat your previous attempts. Also, it is true that the headset is a bit uncomfortable but even with those issues, we really liked and I am hoping it will give my son a slightly better advantage with his concentration issues.
