A-Z Pegboard Set - Lauri

A-Z Pegboard Set - Comes in upper and lower case letters.

 This is a nice set that includes large durable letters and LOTS of stack-able pegs. I have frequently bought items manufactured by the Lauri brand. They have fun stuff that is usually a little cheaper than the bigger name brands (I'm not advertising for them, just my opinion).

If you are working on letter recognition, a set like this can make that learning fun. There are 26 upper case letters in the box, one for each letter of the alphabet. The letters are made of firm foam and are 3/8" thick. Also included are 130 pegs made of colorful hard plastic, 2.75" long. The bright peg colors match the letter colors - red, green, yellow, blue, orange. Below are 2 pictures showing the sizes. I am holding the letters on the right (I have the lower case letter set.)

 

Try this:

• Start by tracing the letter with your finger before adding pegs. Do it two or three times and speak the letter out loud each time. Then trace the letter on the table next to the letter. Now add the pegs.
  
• Practice colors by adding all of the same color to a letter. Or use different colors and say each color out loud as you add it.
• Place the pegs in a mixed pile on the table. Call out each color as it is needed and have the individual locate a peg of that color in the pile.
• Pick up a leg and turn it in-hand before placing it in the letter. You can increase the odds of needing to orient a peg by the way you set up. Turn most of them so that they are facing away from you in the pile. Or stand the pegs up so the individual will have to pick up and turn to place. Observe that they don't turn their hand, so the thumb is on the bottom, so that they don't have to manipulate in-hand.
• Discourage turning the peg on the table to the correct orientation before picking it up. Discourage placing it against the body as a support surface to turn and orient it. 
• Model turning the peg in-hand by placing every other peg in the letter, if it is fatiguing to the individual.
• Line up letters to spell words, then place the pegs. Just remember, there is only one of each letter.
• Line up the letters in alphabetical order, saying each letter as you place it. Add the pegs or don't. This will take several feet - try doing it on the floor.
• Using just one hole in a letter, stack pegs as tall as you want. Ask the individual to copy your tower of pegs. Demonstrate how to use two hands, one to steady the tower, one to add pegs. Reach way up.
• Add assorted colored pegs to each letter. Take a picture of each letter on your cell phone. Show each letter (picture), one at a time, and ask the individual to add the same color pegs as in the pic.
• Sing the A-B-C song as you sort through the pile to find each letter.
  
• Work on letter recognition, visual discrimination, spatial relations, sequencing, manual dexterity, in-hand manipulation, coordinated use of two hands, process skills, executive functioning skills, play and leisure exploration and participation.
  

In the box: 26 letters, 130 pegs. 

PuzTech 3D Butterfly Puzzle

 

Color and assemble two standing, 3D butterflies. They would look nice standing on a kid's dresser or bookshelf. I have to say, to me this looks like something I really would have liked as a kid.

In the box are two butterflies, a Monarch and a Swallowtail, that each consist of 16 pieces. The "bug" you see at the bottom, is actually the butterfly's body. There are two of them and each one will attach to butterfly wings and that is what enables them to stand. 

They are made out of a light weight plastic that is 1/8" thick and colorable. The finished size is 9.5 x 8.5 x 4". Each butterfly is printed on a separate sheet. They are printed on one side only. The pieces are very easy to punch out. 

Their website says "Use any washable colored marker or washable glitter glue. If you want to create something new, wash off with soap & water and make a new design." I have no experience with washable markers or glue so I am not sure how that last parts works, and I won't be able to find out because I am gifting this set to someone. Just a tip - Use the fine line crayola washable markers. It would be difficult to color in the small spaces with the bigger markers. If the individual has trouble coloring in small spaces, read my last tip under TRY THIS below.

Their website is 3Dpuztech.com. They also have a video of someone assembling this on their site. The assembly instructions are not exactly step-by-step, but are in three sections that look pretty straightforward. Here is the first step:

Try this:

• Go online and see the actual Monarch and Swallowtail butterflies. Then try to color them the same.
• Use the fine tip Crayola markers because there are some very small spaces to be colored in.
  
• Cover all of the assemble diagram except the piece you are adding. Making a 3D object from a 2D diagram is difficult for some. Be patient.
  
• Don't punch the wings out until you have finished coloring them so you have something to hang onto. If you punch them out, since they are colored all the way around, you may end up resting your hand on still-wet marker and smearing or smudging it onto places where you don't want it.
• Work on distal rotation, efficient grip, coloring inside the lines, tool use, separation of the two sides of the hand, precise fine motor control, finger dexterity, executive functioning skills, process skills, play and leisure exploration and participation
  
• Color a dot marker picture before coloring this if the individual does not have good control or colors from the wrist. Dot marker sheets make great practice for distal rotation and fine motor precision. I always used colored pencils for this. Demonstrate how to move your fingers in a circle to color in the circle. It's just a natural movement to color in a circle with a circular movement. Rest your wrist on the table for stability. Ask them to watch you and then practice. These have always worked well for me with kids who write big, who color with back and forth strokes, who can't round letters, and who can't color inside the lines. Below is an example of what I mean by dot marker sheets. You can find these on Pinterest, a lot of times for free. I bought mine from Oriental Trading but they don't sell them anymore.
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In the box: 2 complete butterflies to color and assemble.