Magnetic Mosaic KIDS

Magnetic Mosaic Kids

Another winner from The Orb Factory, Magnetic Mosaic Kids is the next step up from the beginners Magnetic Mosaics - My First Picture Maker. With 20 patterns, it will keep you busy for a long time.

The white pattern sheets are large, about 11" X 16" and the squares on the pictures use numbers only, no symbols or alphabet like My First Picture Maker. The easel is 11.5" X 16.5" and comes with a stand. The stand is cardboard and you have to be careful not to bump it as it is easy to upset. A stabilizing hand may be useful here, depending on how steady your placement hand is. The cubes are colored foam with a thin magnet on one side, and don't have any stickers on them to fall off.  There are exactly enough pieces of certain colors to complete some of the pictures, so don't lose any. 

Since the 20 pattern sheets are only black and white, it will require you to look at the color key (see bottom left of the box above). The color key is also printed on a sheet that is included in the box. Pictures on the sheets include a person kicking a soccer ball, a giraffe, a birthday cake, a seahorse, and a truck. There is a sheet that shows all the pictures completed, so it is easy to pick out from that sheet which one you want to work on.

The kids and I have both liked this activity. Prepare to spend a whole session on one picture, or bring it out over several sessions to finish one picture. Once the pieces are placed on the board, you can easily re-box it and bring it out later without any pieces slipping off as they stick well.

Try this:

• Place the magnetic pieces upside down or in a jumbled pile.  Require the individual to pick up one piece at a time and use in-hand manipulation to get it into the correct position for placement.
• Pick a number and ask the individual to cover all of some of that number. Then pick another number.
• Ask the individual to support the board with the non-dominant hand and pick up and manipulate in-hand each piece with the dominant hand.
• Ask the individual to pick a color and cover all of those color before moving to another color.
• Practice reading the color key by just pointing to numbers on a design sheet and having the individual consult the key and tell you what color would be used for each one.
• Cup the non-dominant hand and drop the pieces in one at a time when picking them up to put the activity away. How many can you hold? Go again and try for one more. Or grab the pieces up by the handfuls when putting them away.
• Ask the individual to make one element of a picture at a time. For instance, in the image above, ask them to make the tree first. Can they separate it out from the rest of the picture?
• Work on fine motor precision, in-hand manipulation, using a stabilizing hand, manual dexterity, palmar arch development, web space development, grasp, separating the two sides of the hand, visual discrimination, visual closure, figure ground, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 20 black and white design sheets, easel with magnetic board, over 600 magnetic foam cubes

If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, click the image below.