With so many sensory and fidget toys, it’s easy to get lost in all the different toys! We all know that our best-selling Stop ‘n Pop popping pad has an array of educational games that can be played, but today we’re going to look at some fun, and different games you can play with our Silly Slappers, Poppin' Pipes Pokies, and our Magnetic Fidget Rings this summer.
1. Crackling Counting Worms
For this activity, you’ll need a pack of our Poppin Pipes Pokies, numbered pebbles, and a container such as a shoe box, bucket, or even a small-to-medium-sized plastic container. To make this activity even better, add our original Poppin’ pipes, XL Poppin Pipes, or our mini Poppin’ Pipes! We’ve also tried it by adding some of our Super Stretchy Strings!
Let’s get started! Add the numbered pebbles to the bottom of your container and add the Poppin’ Pipe Pokies (and any other sensory toys you’ve opted for) on top of them. To emulate different sizes of worms, make sure some of the Poppin’ Pipes are extended and some are not!
Find the number stone hiding among the Pokies. Begin your search with number 1, and then bury the numbers you're not searching for again into the Pokie bowl. Place the numbers in sequence from 1 to 10 and on a table or tray as your youngster discovers them. Count out loud as you point to each number.
Discuss the number shapes and how the number appears, such as how the number 5 seems to have a big belly. Kids learn their numbers more quickly when they relate them to something they are acquainted with.
This activity is perfect for:
- Concentration.
- Number identification and number sequence are two aspects of mathematics.
- Solving problems and overcoming obstacles are essential skills to have.
- Sensory play allows kids to handle and mold things, which helps them develop fine and gross motor skills.
- Sensory play is the purest kind of exploratory learning since it is unstructured, open-ended, and not product-oriented.
- Self-esteem: Sensory play allows children to express themselves since there is no right or wrong response, and they feel free to adapt or experiment with what they're doing.
- Getting acquainted with words and descriptive terms are integral to language development. Also, practice counting aloud.
2. Tentacle Poppers
Tentacle Pop is perfect for auditory stimulation! You’ll need some of our new Silly Slappers tentacle sensory toys and a large, flat, and smooth surface. You can add some of our Silly Suckers to elevate the play!
There are three ways to play this game.
The first way is to slap several Silly Slappers to the flat surface and let the kids race each other to see who unsticks the Silly Slappers the fastest. This activity is excellent for fine motor strengthening and visual-motor integration. It also gives children that extra bit of proprioceptive input as they pull against the suction cups of the Silly Slappers.
The second way to play tentacle pop is to apply the Silly Slappers the same as the first variation of the game. Instead of seeing who unsticks the Silly Slappers the fastest, let the kids unstick the Silly Slappers according to the color scheme or matching texture. Color is more applicable to the Silly Suckers since they come in an array of vibrant colors, and the Silly Slappers have a textured and non-textured option.
The third way to play this fun tentacle pop game is the same as the first two variations, but here we unstick the Silly Slappers or Silly Suckers in a series of sequences! It can be anything from green-yellow-red to textured and non-textured and textured again. These small sequences are a great way to up the complexity for older kids – great for sequencing, memory, and fine motor skills!
3. Hand-Eye Coordination with Magnetic Fidget Rings
Our magnetic fidget rings are perfect for older kids and adults, but they can help with hand-eye coordination and motor skills when used under supervision for the younger tikes!
Since these might not count as games, it does undoubtedly count as an enjoyable activity to do with your younglings and their friends. Here are some great hand activities to practice with our fun magnetic ring tricks!
The Split
This trick requires all three magnetic fidget rings. Firstly, using your index finger, place one magnetic ring. Add two more so that you have a slight triangle shape that is connected to the magnetic ring on your index finger. With your thumb, break the two magnetic rings apart while moving the topmost ring forward to fall over the ring on your index finger.
The around-the-world-at-eight
This one is a bit more complex than the others. Place a magnetic ring on your index- and ring finger. Place the third magnetic ring between the two, and using your thumb and middle finger, move and spin the middle ring over and under with each movement.
4. Texture Guess
This is a super fun exercise to expose children to the wonderful world of sensory touch! It’s pretty easy to set up. All you need is three of any size of box or container that has an opening at the top; as long as the box isn’t see-through, it’s perfect! Add an array of different textures; these can be anything from smooth to bumpy! We’d suggest adding the Silly Slappers without the textured bumps to one box, and the ones with the textured bumps to another; the last box can be filled to the brim with the Poppin Pipes Pokies. When you’re all set up, let the youngsters determine the textures, i.e., smooth, bumpy, etcetera, simply by touching!
This activity can be done with any of BunMo’s sensory toys to aid in sensory perception development.
So, there you have it! A few games to play with your fidget and sensory toys. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do. What are some of your favorite ways to play with these fun tools? Remember to tag us in the videos on Instagram with @bunmoandfriends to show how you play these games!