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Astronaut jump suit with a zipper closure is made of 100% polyester material and is adorned with NASA patches. Suit includes Velcro adjustable NASA baseball cap. Astronaut helmet, sold separately, is hard plastic, has a retractable visor and sound effects activated by a push button on the side of the helmet.
Approx. Price: 51.00-100.00 Box Age Range: None listed # of Pieces: 2-5 Washability: Machine Wash Storability: Easy Directions: Simple Play Locations: Indoor and Outdoor Adjustability: Strap Levels of Play: One Level Batteries: Yes – Included
In this costume and helmet (each sold separately), children can disguise who they are. They may be more able to verbalize thoughts, ideas or fears, if they are “someone else”.
The echo-like microphone is motivating for some children to use and talk into or make sounds.
The sound effects of the helmet help jump start imaginative play.
Some children may enjoy the confined feeling the helmet provides.
The helmet is large enough for an adult to wear.
The costume is machine washable.
Skills
The costume and helmet (each sold separately) encourage pretend play.
Count backwards from ten to one and after one say, “blast-off” and have the child run around. This works on number counting as well as incorporating patience in play. This is especially beneficial for children who have attention difficulties or who are impulsive. For some children, begin by counting up from one to ten and once they are familiar with numbers and counting, begin to count backwards.
Memory and recall skills are used as children remember who an astronaut is and what s/he does in order to pretend play.
Verbal communication and storytelling are encouraged as children talk about space and what planet they are visiting.
Play Ideas
Pretend to be the commander of a space shuttle.
Play with a friend – one child can be the astronaut and the other an alien from another planet. Try to communicate without real words.
Prior to trick or treating at Halloween, wear this costume and practice what happens to decrease anxiety level of a novel situation.
Make a spaceship out of a large appliance box. This is also a way to contain play and provide the child with a defined play space.
Create planet names starting with different letters. Help children identify letters by visiting the different planets.
Adaptation Ideas
Use a prerecorded message for children to press, such as “3-2-1 blast-off!” Recordable frames work well for this idea.
Note: Make sure the child can easily see through the helmet and is comfortable wearing it before walking around and playing in it.
The visor on the helmet can be pushed up for clear visibility.
The helmet is large enough for an adult to wear.
The costume is machine washable.
Skills
Self help skills such as zippering and buckling can be practiced.
The costume and helmet (each sold separately) encourage pretend play.
Count backwards from ten to one and after one say, “blast-off” and have the child run around. This works on number counting as well as incorporating patience in play. This is especially beneficial for children who have attention difficulties or who are impulsive. For some children, begin by counting up from one to ten and once they are familiar with numbers and counting, begin to count backwards.
Memory and recall skills are used as children remember who an astronaut is and what s/he does in order to pretend play.
Cause and effect is reinforced as children press the two buttons on the helmet. One button opens the retractable visor while the other button activates the sound effects.
Play Ideas
Get books from the library on NASA, space shuttles, Neil Armstrong, etc. to help children understand who astronauts are and what they do.
Watch space videos and act them out.
Learn about the different planets. Draw them on paper, cut them out and place them around the room. Pretend you are flying to each planet.
Set your own stuffed animals or dolls up as aliens on a different planet. Visit and interact with them.
Pretend you are an adult going to career day at school. Tell the class, made up of your friends or stuffed animals, what your job as an astronaut entails.
Listen to the sounds in the helmet and when they count down, “3-2-1 Blastoff” run around the room or yard.
Prior to trick or treating at Halloween, wear this costume and practice what happens to decrease anxiety level of a novel situation.
Make a spaceship out of a large appliance box. This is also a way to contain play and provide the child with a defined play space.
Use your own play tent as a spaceship.
Adaptation Ideas
Note: Make sure the child can easily see through the helmet and is comfortable wearing it before walking around and playing in it.
The costume has a zipper closure and padded neck collar ring. This may be difficult for children who have sensory processing difficulties.
The helmet has sound effects for added auditory appeal.
Children who have sensory processing difficulties may find it hard to wear anything on their head/face. Be aware of this when purchasing the helmet for a child.
The costume has slightly different textures such as the polyester material of the suit, vinyl neck collar ring, nylon webbing straps, hard plastic helmet, and embroidered patches.
The costume is made of a lightweight polyester material.
The costume is machine washable.
Skills
Count backwards from ten to one and after one say, “blast-off” and have the child run around. This works on number counting as well as incorporating patience in play. This is especially beneficial for children who have attention difficulties or who are impulsive. For some children, begin by counting up from one to ten and once they are familiar with numbers and counting, begin to count backwards.
The costume and helmet (each sold separately) encourage pretend play.
Memory and recall skills are used as children remember who an astronaut is and what s/he does in order to pretend play.
Play Ideas
Put different sensory mats on the floor (e.g. screen material, Flokati rug, carpet square, sand paper, bubble wrap). Imagine they are different planets to land on and explore.
Set your own stuffed animals or dolls up as aliens on a different planet. Visit and interact with them. This may help children who have visual impairments to be familiar with the setting.
Read a story about space, the space shuttle or astronauts to a child who is visually impaired so he can become familiar with this suit and why it is special.
Make a spaceship out of a large appliance box. This is also a way to contain play and provide the child with a defined play space.
Adaptation Ideas
Take out the batteries from the helmet if the sound effects are over-stimulating for the child.
Note: Make sure the child can easily see through the helmet and is comfortable wearing it before walking around and playing in it.
The helmet has slight curves to rest on a child’s shoulders.
The costume may be difficult for some children to get in and out of, especially if they are wearing orthotics. The material does not stretch at all. There is elastic on the cuffs, a zipper closure and buckles. The elastic cuffs on the ankles adjust slightly. The NASA baseball cap has an adjustable Velcro strap.
The costume is machine washable.
Skills
The costume and helmet (each sold separately) encourage pretend play.
Work on movement, balance, weight shifting and control by creating an obstacle course (see under “Play Ideas” in this section.
Memory and recall skills are used as children remember who an astronaut is and what s/he does in order to pretend play.
Play Ideas
Jump on a trampoline and pretend to be walking on the moon.
Make an obstacle course with several destinations to simulate different planets – such as soft pillows, a textured blanket, a hula hoop on a wood floor, bubble wrap.
Adaptation Ideas
Use a prerecorded message for children to press, such as “3-2-1 blast-off!” Recordable frames work well for this idea.
Note: Make sure the child can easily see through the helmet and is comfortable wearing it before walking around and playing in it.
