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Children learn through play. As an occupational therapist who works with children and youth, I use games and toys almost every day to help develop important cognitive, visual perceptual, motor, sensory, social, play and leisure skills. While many different types of activities can be used in therapy, this blog focuses on off-the-shelf games and toys that are accessible to most. Whether you are a therapist, parent, teacher, or a game lover like me, I hope you discover something useful while you are here. Learn a different way to play a game you already own or discover a new game for your next family game night. Either way, just go play. It's good for you!

The OT Magazine named The Playful Otter one of the Top 5 Pediatric OT Blogs.


Jul 15, 2016

Magnetic Colorpillar Maze

Magnetic Colorpillar Maze - Practice an efficient grasp without writing.

Play with the Magnetic Colorpillar Maze  for a chance to practice a functional pencil grasp without writing. I have blogged about several different mazes of this type (see links below), and this is one of the easiest, with fewer balls, only four colors, one level, and four sections to move to.

Only the tool is removable from the wooden maze, the balls are self-contained behind thick plastic. Hover the magnetic tool over the metal ball you want to pick up and it will jump to meet the tool. Carefully guide the ball through the maze to the section where you want to drop it. Lift the magnetic tool off the plastic surface and the ball will release. Push the tool into the slot on the board for storage.

Check out these other magnetic mazes I have blogged about: 

Try this:
  • Pick up each ball as it lands in line and sort into the correct color. Say the colors out loud as you go.
  • Choose one color and pick up only those balls until all of that color are sorted into the top section.
  • Say each color out loud as it is picked up and sorted.
  • Call one color at a time and let the player pick up one of that color and move it to the top.
  • Spell each color out loud after all have been sorted.
  • Remove the balls from the sorted sections at the top, one at a time and follow a pattern as you being them to the bottom. For instance red, yellow, red, yellow, etc.
  • Work on an efficient pencil grip, visual tracing, visual discrimination, color identification, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, play and leisure exploration and participation
In the box: 1 unit, magnetic tool attached
Ages 3-6

This maze is sold at Lakeshore Learning.

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