As the physical therapist at Memorial and Center School in East Hampton, I work with students in Preschool through Grade 5 who have a variety of mobility and gross motor challenges. Finding activities that are fun, engaging, and easily adapted to different learning styles is invaluable. Bonus points if those activities are easy to set up and easy use without a lot of prep. Extra bonus points if they travel well, as I move between schools frequently.
The Jumbo Inflatable Dice and Write On Wipe Off Blocks from S&S Worldwide are perfect tools in all these ways!
Jumbo Inflatable Dice
Combining the Jumbo Inflatable Dice with any form of exercise, turns work into fun! The dice (comes as a set of two) take just a few seconds to inflate using a pump and deflate quickly for storage. The kids are drawn to the large size and beach ball like material. They can be used with groups of one student at a time. They are easy for the kids to pick up and light enough to toss without risk of breaking anything in the room. In physical therapy sessions, the students toss the dice and do the number of exercises that they roll.
For older students, they double or multiply the number rolled by five or ten. Not only are they having fun while getting stronger, they are also working on math! The dice are a thick vinyl material. It’s only been two months of using them, but they have held up without issue. This is impressive, especially with students wanting to sit and lie on them.
Write on Wipe Off Blocks
The Write on Wipe Off Blocks are a great complement to the jumbo dice. These come as a set of four, each with a small white board on each side. They are so versatile, I have used these in so many different ways.
For example, for typical strengthening exercises (push ups, sit ups, jumping jacks, etc.), yoga poses for balance and stretching, a different animal on each side (students have to move like that animal), and with a “favorite” on each side (color, candy, animal, etc.) as an ice breaker activity while running a group.
The best part of these blocks is the ability to change what is on them so easily. This allows me to adapt the activity to various levels of ability, interest, and understanding. I can use words or draw pictures. I’ve even let the kids have a turn coming up with ideas to write on them. This has been especially helpful at engaging students who can have more resistance to participating. The blocks are made of a solid foam material, making them sturdy, but not hard. They are quiet when tossed on a hard surface, which helps when using them with students who have auditory sensitivities, as well as staff who appreciate not listening to the crash of a harder material.
The students have loved both of these products and request to bring them out frequently. They have been a great addition to the motor room at our elementary schools!
About the Author:
My name is Sue Freeman, and I am a pediatric physical therapist. I have worked as a physical therapist in a public school district for the past 18 years. I work with students from preschool through high school who have mobility and gross motor challenges that impact their participation in school. I am also the coach of the Unified Sports teams in all four schools in the East Hampton district. Unified Sports is a division of Special Olympics that pairs students with and without disabilities in a variety of athletic and recreational games. In my 30 years of being a pediatric physical therapist, I find such reward in supporting children as they work on movement, participation with peers, and enjoying the fun things in life.
