Hoppin Poppin Spaceballs

Hoppin Poppin Spaceballs

Hoppin Poppin Spaceballs is an oldie, you may only find it on eBay, at a thrift store or at a garage sale.

The unit and marbles are plastic and the marbles cannot be taken out unless you break open the unit. There are six marbles each of four colors - pink, yellow, blue, green. There are four tabs that stick out for each color and four round holes inside the machine, one in front of each tab. Pushing down on the tab will kick the marble out of the hole in front of it.

To start the balls popping, hold the unit down with one hand and pull up on the yellow knob at the top. The marbles will start jumping and flying up into the round holes in front of the tabs. You have no control over what color marble lands where. You need to fill all the holes in front of your tabs with the same color marble as your tab. For instance, if you are playing on the yellow tabs you need to line up yellow marbles. Whenever a marble of the wrong color lands in one of the holes, push down on the tab to launch the ball back into the spinning mix, so hopefully the right color will jump in. To stop the machine, push down on the yellow knob at the top. The balls just keep popping until the machine is turned off. And yes, plastic marbles bouncing on plastic will make noise that you can't control.

I thought this toy would be good for isolating the index finger and pushing down, but there turned out to be a little more to it. Just pushing down will not launch the marble out. You have to push your finger down fast, with a little force, and then pull it off the end quickly to kick the marble out.

Object:
Be the first person to collect all four marbles of your color. 

Set up:
Place the unit on the table where all players can reach it. Each player chooses one color within reach.

Play:
Pull up the yellow knob to start the balls bouncing. Use the tabs to shoot marbles out that do not match your color. Leave the marbles that do match your color. Play until someone has all four color-matching marbles and wins the game.


Try this:

• Play alone. Get all of one color in, then turn the machine and work on the second color. Repeat until all four colors are in.
• Work on finger isolation, visual discrimination, grading pressure, motor planning, coordinated use of both hands, visual closure, executive functioning skills, process skills, socialization skills, play exploration and participation
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• In the box: 1 piece hopper as seen above
  Ages 3+, 2-4 players