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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.


Sep 4, 2023

Create-a-Burger Sequencing Stacker

Create-a-Burger Sequencing Stacker - Go to work as a burger builder by following the pattern cards.

In the box: 10 pattern cards, stand with dowel, 7 ingredient pieces

You are working for a fast food restaurant and as each custom order comes in, you Create-a-Burger. There are seven ingredient pieces (pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, bun top, patty, cheese, onion) and a base. The base is going to be the bottom part of the bun on every sandwich. So when looking at the card, the bottom piece is already on the sandwich for you because it is the base. Pieces are brightly painted and solid quality. As you can see from the image above, the pieces are painted to look like the real thing.

There are 10 one-sided cards, it would have been nice to have more. At the top of the card it shows you the pieces you will be using. The big burger on the card shows you the order for stacking. When there are two greens on the stacked burger, kids may not be able to tell them apart. The pickles are a little darker than the lettuce but from the side they look very similar. There are two cards with four ingredients, three cards with five ingredients, three cards with six ingredients and two cards with seven ingredients. 

Try this:
  • Stand the card upright, so that it looks like a vertical sandwich, if the individual has difficulty building from the bottom up when the card is flat on the table.
  • Use a blank sheet of paper and cover all the layers above the one you are working on.
  • Start by placing two pieces next to the stand, the one you need next and another one. Ask the individual to choose the correct one and stack it. Add in additional pieces as they are able to look over more and choose correctly.
  • Ask the individual to say the color and/or ingredient verbally each time he picks up a piece (purple onion or red tomato) to reinforce learning.
  • Allow the individual to stack the pickles for lettuce and vs. if he cannot tell them apart on the pattern card. They are very similar from the side.
  • Turn the card upside down and build another burger. If you use a piece of plain paper to cover the bottom of the card and the sesame seeds on the bun, so it doesn't look like a domed bun at the bottom, you just might get away with it.
  • Allow the individual to create his favorite sandwich. Ask him to name each item and color.
  • Try using the word "stack" if the individual has difficulty going from the bottom up.
  • Skip the cards. Scatter all the pieces on the table and name one piece after another for the individual to find and build.
  • Look at one of the cards with four ingredients. Name the ingredients in order verbally. Repeat three or four times. Turn the card over and see if the individual can build the sandwich from memory. Then flip the card back over so he can check his results.
  • Ask the individual to check his work if he made a mistake. See if he can find and correct it himself before jumping in to help. Since OTs are natural "helpers", sometimes sitting on our hands and letting kids make mistakes, and then find and correct them, can be the hardest part!
  • Work on visual discrimination, figure ground, visual form constancy, spatial relations, manual dexterity, eye-hand coordination, sequencing, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation 
If you are interested in purchasing this item or just want more information, go to LakeshoreLearning.

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