Manufacturer Name:
Step2 Company
Product Name:
Customer Quote: "Now we have summer all year ‘round in our kitchen!"
Mother, Chicago, IL
Product Images:
Sensory Description
Water is refreshing during hot summer days and easy to clean up.
The blue, green, and yellow colors are appealing and similar to the colors found at the beach or near a lake.
Skills
Children can pour water into windmill and put their hands underneath to engage in sensory exploration.
Children can mix sand and water to explore the different textures and properties of each.
Children can splash water to create loud noises for children with hearing impairments.
Play Ideas
Children can mix sand and water to build tactile discrimination.
Sing the song, “If you’re happy and you know…splash your hands”.
Bury objects such as seashells in the sand and have children dig to find them.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Adaptation Ideas
If a child has a sensory impairment and does not like to touch water then the child can use a straw to blow air on the boat to make it move across the water.
For children with tactile discrimination difficulties, only put one type of substance in the table, such as only water.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Communicative Description
If a child has a sensory impairment and does not like to touch water then the child can use a straw to blow air on the boat to make it move across the water.
For children with tactile discrimination difficulties, only put one type of substance in the table, such as only water.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Skills
Children build language skills by saying go/stop while swishing water or racing boats.
Children learn how to formulate questions and ask for play items across the table. The large, rectangular shape and length encourages verbal communication skills.
Sand and water tables and the use of accessories help build imaginations.
Play Ideas
Have children take turns building a structure using sand materials and then have the other children verbally guess what the structure is.
Children can play “Simon Says” by verbal instruction of telling another friend tasks to act out such as, “Simon says pour 3 scoops of water into the mill.’ Or, “Run around the table 2 times”.
Children can imitate “vroom vroom” with the boats to promote verbal sounds.
Sing the song, “If you’re happy and you know it…splash your hands”.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Adaptation Ideas
Cognitive Description
The blue, green, and yellow colors are appealing and similar to the colors found at the beach or near a lake.
Open-ended play with the water and sand allows children of all ages to enjoy playing for long periods of time.
The table is very inviting for a large age range of children.
Skills
When sand is in the table, children can practice writing letters in the sand to improve knowledge and formation of letters.
The two boats are realistic looking which can improve object identification.
Children understand action concepts by pushing/pulling the table and saying go/stop while playing “boat races”.
Children learn life skills such as washing hands using the water in the cart.
Children improve color recognition skills by identifying the colors of the Sand & Water Cart.
Play Ideas
Write words in the sand to spell out 2 or 3 letter words for children to identify.
Children gain shape recognition by drawing shapes in the sand with their fingers. This can also work on finger isolation and writing skills.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Adaptation Ideas
Physical Description
The portable table moves on wheels, which is great for children who may have limited mobility.
The easy to grasp large handle is ideal for children who are just learning to walk and push items.
The removable aspect of the umbrella allows children who may be in a wheelchair to get close to the edge of the table.
Skills
Children can cruise around the edges of table to improve hand and foot placement, balance, and weight shifting.
Upper body strength and stability can be improved while shifting weight from side to side
Children can increase their range of motion in the arms and reaching abilities by maneuvering boats in the table.
Children are able to reach and spin the umbrella allowing for improvement in arm extension.
Play Ideas
Children can race the boats across the table to improve arm extension and reaching.
Children gain shape recognition by drawing shapes in the sand with their fingers. This can also work on finger isolation and writing skills.
For children with limited physical ability, place a boat on the water and have the child use a straw to blow air and move the boat.
Instead of using water and sand, put in different materials such as strips of paper, cotton balls, dried beans and rice, small rocks, seashells, or dirt.
Adaptation Ideas
Older or taller children can kneel to play.
Take off the umbrella to allow a wheelchair to fit around the table.
DESCRIPTION: Approx. Price: 51.00-100.00Box Age Range: 2+ yrs# of Pieces: 6-10Washability: Surface WipeStorability: Directions: Simple Play Locations: Indoor and Outdoor Adjustability: Levels of Play: One LevelBatteries: None needed
Features and Benefits
Connects/Assembles Securely Promotes Active Play Easy to Grasp/Hold Lighted Buttons Simple Fosters Imagination/Promotes Creativity Oversized Durable Auditorily Stimulating Tactilely Stimulating Visually Stimulating Wide Age Range Inviting Due to Uniqueness Large Openings Open-ended Can Be Used Independently or w/Others High Quality
Developmental processes promoted
Visual Attention Money Skills Creativity Weight Shifting Matching Visual Acuity Categorization Color Recognition and Identification Visual Tracking Visual Processing Language Development Cause and Effect Action Concepts e.g. In/Out, Push/Pull, On/Off, Go/Stop Fine Motor Imagination/Pretend Play Finger and Hand Control and Dexterity Physical Range of Motion Tactile Discrimination Two-Handed Play – Midline Focus and Transferring Wrist Rotation Balance Motor Planning
