The Pop 'n Slide Ball is a manipulative puzzle designed to promote a range of developmental and therapeutic skills:
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Fine Motor Skill Development: Manipulating the inner balls, pushing them from one hole to another, enhances fine motor control, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination. The precise movements required to maneuver the balls strengthen the small muscles of the hands.
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Cognitive Skills: Solving the puzzle promotes problem-solving, spatial reasoning, planning, and critical thinking skills. Users must analyze the current configuration of the balls, plan their moves strategically, and sequence the ball movements to achieve the desired outcome of matching the colors.
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Visual-Motor Integration: The puzzle requires visual-motor integration, the ability to coordinate visual information with motor actions. Users must visually perceive the colors and positions of the balls and then translate that visual information into precise hand movements to manipulate them.
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Bilateral Coordination (Potential): Using both hands to stabilize the ball while manipulating the inner balls can promote bilateral coordination.
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Sensory Integration: The combination of visual and tactile input from the puzzle can be beneficial for sensory integration. The colorful balls provide visual stimulation, while the tactile feedback from manipulating the balls can be calming and focusing.
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Emotional Regulation: The focused activity of solving the puzzle can be calming and regulating for some individuals. The repetitive movements and the sense of accomplishment upon completing a task can be beneficial for emotional regulation. It can also serve as a non-tech fidgeting activity.
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Attention and Focus: The task of solving the puzzle can help to improve focus and attention span, as it requires sustained concentration and engagement.
This Pop 'n Slide Ball is a valuable tool for Occupational Therapists to use in therapy sessions to address a variety of goals, including improving fine motor skills, enhancing cognitive development, promoting visual-motor integration, and supporting emotional regulation. Its portable design makes it suitable for use in various settings. The puzzle's engaging nature and achievable challenge make it motivating for a wide range of individuals. The description highlights its ability to keep "fidgety hands busy," indicating its potential as a discreet fidgeting tool to support attention and focus.
Approx. 7cm
Recommended Age:3yrs+
