Manufacturer Name:
Little Tikes
Product Name:
Customer Quote: My rambunctious nephew has really taken to this truck! He loves it! -- Aunt, Park Ridge, IL
Product Images:
Sensory Description
Bright colors are very visually stimulating.
The steering wheel has three large, easy-to-press sound effect buttons.
The steering wheel has rubber strips that provide tactile interest.
The truck rides low to the ground. This, along with the steering wheel, helps provide an added sense of security for children who have visual impairments.
Skills
Children can learn directionality as they ride and drive the truck left, right, forward and reverse.
Action concepts on/off, go/stop, forward/backward are reinforced during play.
Motor planning skills get a workout as children learn such things as how to move their bodies to get on the truck and how to move their feet to propel forward.
The concept of cause and effect can be reinforced when pressing the sound effect buttons.
Children can heighten their auditory discrimination skills as they explore the different buttons on the truck and the response each elicits.
Play Ideas
Embellish play with small toys and blocks that easily fit in the back of the truck.
Adaptation Ideas
Add tactilely diverse items to the back of the truck for more sensory interest and stimulation.
Take the batteries out of the unit for children who become over-stimulated by sound or who may repetitively push the buttons.
Physical Description
The seat of the ride on sits low to the ground for a stable center of gravity and easy access.
The steering wheel has rubber strips to help maintain grip.
The steering wheel helps a child support himself with two hands while sitting.
Sitting on the seat helps keep children’s legs separated, loosening hip joints and muscles.
The sound effect buttons require a light touch to activate.
The sound effect buttons are in the middle of the steering wheel and easy to access.
Skills
Fine motor, grasping, reaching, two-handed play, and eye-hand coordination can all be incorporated into play as children drive the truck, manipulate objects to collect into the truck and dump them out.
Pushing the dump truck around enables a child to crawl along with it, practicing weight shifting, balance and gross motor movements. Or change the truck into the walker position to further enhance motor development, coordination and strength.
Bilateral coordination is used as children hold the steering wheel with both hands and drive moving their legs to propel forward.
Trunk control and strength are enhanced as children sit upright to play.
Motor planning skills get a workout as children learn such things as how to move their bodies to get on the truck and how to move their feet to propel forward.
Children can learn directionality as they ride and drive the truck left, right, forward and reverse.
Action concepts on/off, go/stop, forward/backward are reinforced during play.
The toggle on/off switch helps work on fine motor and problem solving skills.
Children strengthen their core muscles when they squat down, reach in the truck to retrieve an item and stand back up.
Play Ideas
Create a path for the child to follow using masking tape on the floor.
Have the child put laundry away by placing paired socks in the truck and having the child push the truck over to his sock drawer and put them away.
Play basketball by throwing a ball into the back of the truck.
Adaptation Ideas
Place a piece of non-skid shelf liner on the seat to help maintain a seated position.
Have the child drive the truck on a carpeted surface. The carpet will slow the wheels down so it doesn’t roll faster than the child is comfortable with.
Communicative Description
The familiarity of trucks and the sound effects can help support pretend play initiatives.
Children with communication difficulties can enjoy this toy without fear of failure.
The Haul & Ride can be incorporated in open-ended creative play. The child can express some of their feelings as they play.
The Haul & Ride is very concrete in its use so children who have difficulty with abstract concepts may find play more successful.
Skills
Give the children verbal directions as they drive. Begin with simple directions, such as "go," "stop," or "turn right." Then try more complicated instructions, such as "drive forward until you reach the couch." Learning to follow verbal directions helps children develop both expressive and receptive language skills.
Work on sequential thought by giving children several steps to do such as, “Push the truck to the table, pick up one toy, put it in the truck and bring it back to me.”
Children can learn directionality as they ride and drive the truck left, right, forward and reverse.
Action concepts on/off, go/stop, forward/backward are reinforced during play.
Creativity and open-ended play are encouraged through exploratory play.
Play Ideas
Build a wall using your own cardboard blocks for a child to crash through. This may help incorporate interaction between a child with autism and another person.
Put toys into the back and count each piece as it is placed in. Then count to three and dump them out.
Put your own alphabet letters inside the truck and then using your hands go fishing. Identify each letter as it is taken out. Or only use the letters of the child’s name. When they “catch” the letters, have the child arrange them correctly to learn how to spell his name.
Use the back of the truck as a doll bed. Put a small hand towel in for a blanket and put the baby doll in for a nap.
Give the child a job to do such as go around the room with the truck and collect all the board books or small toys. This not only gives children a fun job, it is also working on receptive language skills, following directions and sequencing steps to complete a task.
Adaptation Ideas
Take the batteries out of the unit for children who become over-stimulated by sound or who may repetitively push the buttons.
Cognitive Description
The familiarity of trucks and the sound effects can help support pretend play initiatives.
The Haul & Ride is very concrete in its use so children with a wide range of cognitive abilities can access and enjoy this toy.
Refined finger control is not required to successfully activate the sound effect buttons.
Skills
Children can learn directionality as they ride and drive the truck left, right, forward and reverse.
Action concepts on/off, go/stop, forward/backward are reinforced during play.
Motor planning skills get a workout as children learn such things as how to move their bodies to get on the truck and how to move their feet to propel forward.
Children can flip the truck over to count and spin the wheels on the truck.
The truck provides three different positions to work on different groups of muscles.
The concept of cause and effect can be reinforced when pressing the sound effect buttons.
Children can heighten their auditory discrimination skills as they explore the different buttons on the truck and the response each elicits.
Creativity and open-ended play are encouraged through exploratory play.
Play Ideas
Put toys into the back and count each piece as it is placed in. Then count to three and dump them out.
Put your own alphabet letters inside the truck and then using your hands go fishing. Identify each letter as it is taken out. Or only use the letters of the child’s name. When they “catch” the letters, have the child arrange them correctly to learn how to spell his name.
Use the back of the truck as a doll bed. Put a small hand towel in for a blanket and put the baby doll in for a nap.
Give the child a job to do such as go around the room with the truck and collect all the board books or small toys. This not only gives children a fun job, it is also working on receptive language skills, following directions and sequencing steps to complete a task.
Create an obstacle course for the child to “drive” through.
Embellish play with small toys and blocks that easily fit in the back of the truck.
Pretend the truck is a grocery cart and use it with pretend food.
Adaptation Ideas
Take the batteries out of the unit for children who are distracted by the buttons or sound.
DESCRIPTION: Approx. Price: $34.99Box Age Range: 1+ yrs# of Pieces: 1Washability: Surface WipeStorability: Directions: Simple Play Locations: Indoor and Outdoor Adjustability: Levels of Play: Three LevelsBatteries: Yes – Not Included
Features and Benefits
Versatile One-Piece Unit Promotes Active Play Easy to Grasp/Hold High Contrasting Colors
Developmental processes promoted
Bilateral Coordination Sequential Thought Weight Shifting Motor Planning Gross Motor Balance Proprioceptive Input Problem Solving Coordinated Movement Core Strengthening, Trunk Strength, Stability Reaching/Arm Extension Eye-Hand Coordination Auditory Attention Memory and Recall Cause and Effect Action Concepts e.g. In/Out, Push/Pull, On/Off, Go/Stop Hand and Finger Grasp Visual Attention
