My First Fun Felt Shapes

 

Each time you play with Fun Felt Shapes can be a new adventure.

Playing with My First Fun Felt Shapes will give you a chance to let your imagination run wild. It is simply a felt board that comes with 100 pieces so you can build your own scenes and objects. For instance, in the image above a circle, half circle, two triangles and an eye have been assembled to make a blue bird.

The board and pieces.

 

The board measures 20.75" x 11". It is made from a sturdy cardboard-type material. It should hold up if you are not rough with it. The inside is blue felt and it folds so that you can close it in the front. A ribbon tie in front holds the book closed and can also be a chance to practice tying your shoes. Also included is an elastic piece, like a rubber band, that you can put around the book vertically to keep the pieces in the bag from sliding out. The whole thing is pretty light weight.

The thin, felt pieces are in a plastic Ziplock-type bag. Felt shapes include circle, half circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle, cloud shape, heart, sun, star, flower, person, diamond and a few odd shapes. Some pieces are solid colors, others have patterns printed on them. There are also googly eyes with felt on the back and small pom poms. 

Even though the book can stand because of the folding doors, they recommend playing with it on a flat surface. The felt pieces stick, but not that good. There are six objects on the front that you can copy and a simple scene on the back. There is an instruction sheet that shows you how to make four more objects and it also has simple instructions for tying your shoes.

Try this:

• Sort the pieces by color. Name them out loud as you go.
  
• Sort the pieces by shape. Name them out loud as you go.
• Start slow. For example the ladybug or spaceship on the instruction page above. Build it while they watch, talking about the individual pieces and where they go. Use spatial terms. Then take it apart and ask them to put it together. If that is too difficult with a picture, take a picture of the finished model on your phone and place it on the table by the pieces so they have something to look at. Increase the difficulty over time by making objects with more and more pieces. 
• Give them a set of pieces, for instance the cat in the image above, and ask them to make a cat out of them without the use of a picture.
• Look around the room and choose a simple object. Everyone make that object with pieces. Decide whose is the most recognizable.
  
• Use the blank canvas and place the pieces to the sides. Pick a theme and then start a story. Make an image on the canvas that goes with the story. The next player can add a sentence or two to the story and add an image. Go back and forth adding more to the story and more images to the picture.
• Make a mirror image design on the canvas.
  

In the box: One felt board, 100 assorted pieces, instruction/model page

Janod 12 Fairy Tales Blocks

 

Fairy Tale Blocks

I have used block puzzles for years as a spatial and 2-handed manipulation activity. With each block having six sides, and each side going to a different scene, there is a lot of turning and orienting going on.

This set has 12 blocks, but you can also get sets with four, six, or nine blocks. These types of puzzles can be confusing to kids, with each block being a part of six different scenes, so I typically start with the smaller sets with simple images and work my way up.

These are hollow, lightweight and measure 2" square. They are made of cardboard and the images are paper, but I have not had any trouble with the paper lifting or coming off. The colors are bright and these are the six complete scenes.

When I buy these types of blocks I usually look for sets that include large pictures of each finished puzzle so the kids can refer to the picture while building. This box shows all six puzzles on the back but the images are quite small. I actually built the puzzles, took pictures, enlarged and printed them on a color printer. It just depends on who will be working the puzzle and how much support they need.

Try this:

• Place the 12 blocks mixed, but with the correct side up, on the table. Allow the individual to assemble the puzzle to see what is expected before turning pieces to incorrect sides.
• Encourage the individual to hold the block in two hands while turning and looking for what they want instead of just flipping it on the table top.
• Keep the finished picture of the image nearby for beginners to consult as they build.
• Build a scene as the individual watches, talking through the process as you go. Say things like I can see this piece goes on the bottom because there is grass, or this piece must go on the top because there is sky above it.
• Put the puzzle together one row or column at a time.
• Flip all the pieces so that you have a complete building showing. Then give the individual one piece at a time, not in any particular order, and ask them to guess in which of the 12 positions it will go. Adjust as necessary as other pieces are added.
• Build the puzzle vertically.
• Cue the person what to look for if they are confused while they look over the six sides of the cube. I find that emphasizing background color can be helpful.
  
• Turn all the blocks to the correct side for the puzzle you are assembling first and then assemble the puzzle, instead of going back and forth between the two tasks, which might get confusing.
• Work on visual discrimination, spatial relations, visual closure, manual dexterity, coordinated use of two hands, in-hand manipulation, creative play, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation

In the box: 12 blocks