Manufacturer Name:
B. Toys
Product Name:
Customer Quote: I like that all the pieces are attached or securely fit in place and that the toy is easy to carry and take in the car. -- Mother of a two year old, Salem, VA
Product Images:
Communicative Description
The drawing surface is large enough to write simple words, messages, etc.
Magnetic drawing board has an attached stylus and four animal shaped magnetic stampers: dog, cat, duck and bunny.
The drawing surface is heavily framed with a highly-contrasting brown, providing a visual boundary for focus and play.
The simple design and layout helps child understand function and purpose of toy.
Magnetic stamps and stylus respond quickly and with nominal pressure, ensuring drawing success for young artists.
Portability and easy storage makes the toy easy to take along and simple to put away. No paper or mess to clean up.
Skills
Memory and recall is practiced as children name each animal stamper.
There is only one board and one stylus to help encourage turn taking and sharing.
Children practice early literacy skills as they say and trace letters with the stylus.
Writing and reading skills can be practiced by drawing out individual letters, words and simple sentences.
Imagination and creativity is used as children create drawings and verbally describe their drawing to others.
Children can hone pre-literacy skills while using the stylus and focusing on the board to encourage number and letter interest or use words to describe the picture that is drawn.
The attached stylus can be used to learn the tripod grasp for writing.
Play Ideas
Write the child’s name on the board and ask them to trace the letters.
The sketcher can be used in a group setting with children who are learning and practicing letters. Each child takes a turn writing a letter of the alphabet then passes the sketcher to the next child. That child writes the next alphabet letter and passes it to the next child and so on.
Use the board to write the title of their puppet show.
Use the board with a play kitchen. Children can write down or draw what they are selling in their restaurant and how much each item is.
Draw a variety of symbols (e.g. stop sign, don’t walk sign, EXIT, etc.) and have the child verbally explain what they mean.
Adaptation Ideas
Use the Sketcher as a simple communication board for children to write down their wants or needs.
Remove the four individual stampers if they are a distraction for the child.
Cognitive Description
Magnetic drawing board has an attached pen and four animal shaped magnetic stampers: dog, cat, duck and bunny.
The drawing surface is heavily framed with a highly-contrasting brown, providing a visual boundary for focus and play.
The simple design and layout helps child understand function and purpose of toy.
Stylus, magnetic stamps with knobs and raised ladybug lever encourages successful manual manipulation.
Magnetic stamps and stylus respond quickly and with nominal pressure, ensuring drawing success for young artists.
Portability and easy storage makes the toy easy to take along and simple to put away. No paper or mess to clean up.
Skills
Eye-hand coordination is practiced as children draw on the board with the stylus and stamp with the stampers.
Imagination and creativity is used as children create drawings and verbally describe their drawing to others.
Beginning math skills can be supported by stamping out a specific number of pictures and having the child count them or copy and stamp that number, or by writing numbers and drawing the corresponding number of pictures.
Children can hone pre-literacy skills while using the stylus and focusing on the board to encourage number and letter interest or use words to describe the picture that is drawn.
The attached stylus can be used to learn the tripod grasp for writing.
Pre-math skills can be incorporated by stamping out an AB pattern, such as bunny, cat, bunny, cat and have the child continue the pattern. This helps children understand order and make predictions about what comes next.
Play Ideas
To help teach names of body parts, a caregiver can draw a face and point out the different body parts. Then the child can practice drawing faces or create a self portrait.
To incorporate beginning math skills, give children a verbal direction such as, “Stamp out three bunnies.” For more advanced math, give the child a simple equation, such as “What is 3 + 1?” and have the child use a stamper and stamp the answer or write the answer using the stylus.
Draw a simple picture and have the child guess what it is.
Draw a simple shape and have the child then find that shape in the room, for instance, a rectangle and window, a square and TV, a circle and a round area rug.
Use magnetic animal stamp and then have child draw in the detail of legs, tail, a home for the animal, etc.
Have the child imitate vertical, circular, diagonal, and horizontal strokes. This will encourage grasping, reaching, and crossing midline.
The magnetic surface will hold your own alphabet magnets. Spell out words and have child trace around each letter.
Play simple games of tic-tac-toe or hangman.
Have the child walk around the house to find other magnetic items that can leave an imprint on the drawing surface. Most refrigerator magnets will work. This helps children learn about the properties of items that work and incorporates prediction and problem solving.
Adaptation Ideas
Remove the four individual stampers if they are a distraction for the child.
Sensory Description
The toy has a smooth front surface texture and a soft cushioned back.
The stampers are all shaped differently to distinguish them by feel.
The visual features of the toy will be enjoyed by children who demonstrate a strong visual preference in their play things.
The “beanbag” bottom is squishy and soft. If placed on a child’s lap (with bare legs) it will not be cold or hard and will conform to the legs so it won’t slip off the lap.
The Sketcher has an attached magnetic stylus pen. This helps children be able to independently retrieve the pen if they lose their grip and drop it. It will not fall out of reach.
The drawing surface is heavily framed with a highly-contrasting brown, providing a visual boundary for focus and play.
The simple design and layout helps child understand function and purpose of toy.
Stylus, magnetic stamps with knobs and raised ladybug lever encourages successful manual manipulation.
Skills
Children receive proprioceptive feedback as they pull out and press the stampers into to their storage spaces.
The pattern fabric on the cushioned back is visually stimulating.
Visual attention is heightened by the dark-framed drawing surface. Note: To make the magnetic drawings more visible, completely “color” the entire drawing surface and erase several times prior to giving it to a child to draw on. This helps prime the drawing surface.
Eye-hand coordination is practiced as children draw on the board with the stylus and stamp with the stampers.
Play Ideas
For enhanced sensory stimulation, use the animal stampers to make imprints in your own play dough.
Have the child sit, kneel or stand to play to strengthen muscles.
Have a child try to hold the stylus with feet (between the toes) and draw.
Adaptation Ideas
Add different textures to each of the animal stampers.
Place the Sketcher on non-skid shelf liner so it does not slide out of reach.
Physical Description
The Sketcher has an attached magnetic stylus pen. This helps children be able to independently retrieve the pen if they lose their grip and drop it. It will not fall out of reach.
The large handle of the stylus is easy to hold.
The bottom of the Sketcher is cloth padded, which helps keep the toy from sliding around when used and enables the toy to be easily used when traveling.
The four magnetic stampers and the attached eraser ladybug lever have raised handles.
The Sketcher can be propped up to accommodate children’s individual positioning needs.
The simple design and layout helps child understand function and purpose of toy.
Magnetic stamps and stylus respond quickly and with nominal pressure, ensuring drawing success for young artists.
The Sketcher can be used with one hand or two.
Every slight movement, voluntary or involuntary, with the stylus or stampers creates designs on the Sketcher.
Skills
Whole hand and finger pincer grasp are practiced as children draw on the Sketcher with the stylus or use the magnetic stampers.
Children can practice arm extension and reaching as they select and use the different stampers.
Encourage two-handed play by having the child use a magnetic stamper in each hand simultaneously.
The attached stylus can be used to learn the tripod grasp for writing.
Eye-hand coordination is practiced as children draw on the board with the stylus and stamp with the stampers.
Crossing midline can be encouraged as children draw one continuous line from left to right on the Sketcher.
Play Ideas
Children can practice different drawing patterns (lines, waves, dots, etc).
Children can trace their own or a caregiver’s hand and or other objects.
Have the child walk around the house to find other magnetic items that can leave an imprint on the drawing surface. Most refrigerator magnets will work.
Have the child imitate vertical, circular, diagonal, and horizontal strokes. This will encourage grasping, reaching, and crossing midline.
Have the child sit, kneel or stand to play to strengthen muscles.
Adaptation Ideas
Use a small section of foam pipe insulation (or the foam section of hair curlers) to build up the size of the stylus and make it easier to grasp.
Place a strip of carpet tape around the smooth stylus to assist in better gripping.
A caregiver can use the handle of the Sketcher to stabilize the toy without obstructing a child’s creative play.
Place the Sketcher on a child’s weaker side to encourage him to use and strengthen that side.
Place a piece of Velcro on each of the stampers. Then have a child wear a knit glove or mitten. The Velcro will stick to the mitten and help a child, who may not have the physical ability to grasp, to successfully use the stampers on the Sketcher.
Place the Sketcher on non-skid shelf liner so it does not slide out of reach.
Place a short cord around the handle of the Sketcher and attach it to a child’s wheelchair. This will help keep the Sketcher within reach of a child. Note: This modification requires direct caregiver supervision. The cord should be no longer than 10” in length.
DESCRIPTION:
Magnetic drawing board that includes an attached stylus pen and four animal shaped stampers. A child can create, erase with the slide lever eraser and recreate over and over. A soft cushioned back supports lap play. Phthalate-free, BPA-free and lead-free.
Manufacturer Website: justb-byou.com
Approx. Price: $24.99
Box Age Range: 1+ yrs
# of Pieces: 2-5
Washability: Surface Wipe
Storability:
Directions: None
Play Locations: Travel/Car
Adjustability:
Levels of Play: Five or More Levels
Batteries: None needed
Features and Benefits
Can Be Used Independently or w/Others Portable Provides Visual Cues Easy to Grasp/Hold Different Shapes and/or Colors Self-Contained Large Target Area Easy to Store Simple Incorporates Fundamental Learning Skills Open-ended Wide Age Range Visually Stimulating Durable Fosters Imagination/Promotes Creativity
Developmental processes promoted
Fine Motor Hand and Finger Grasp Eye-Hand Coordination Reaching/Arm Extension Functional Finger Movement and Exploration Pre-Literacy Coordinated Movement Imagination/Pretend Play Finger and Hand Control and Dexterity Wrist Rotation Proprioceptive Input Motor Planning Visual Discrimination Creativity Sequential Thought Cooperative Hand Movements Counting/Beginning Math Cause and Effect Language Development Memory and Recall Visual Processing Visual Attention Bilateral Coordination
