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Set of 75 richly-colored plastic blocks. The blocks have interlocking bristles on all sides to help them connect securely for successful building. Several spinning bases add movement to play. BPA-free and lead-free.
Approx. Price: $49.99 Box Age Range: 2+ yrs # of Pieces: 51-100 Washability: Surface Wipe Storability: Self Storing Directions: None Play Locations: Indoor Adjustability: Several Adjustable Features Levels of Play: Five or More Levels Batteries: None needed
Visually Stimulating
Wide Age Range
Inviting Due to Uniqueness
Open-ended
Can Be Used Independently or w/Others
Connects/Assembles Securely
Promotes Active Play
Hands-on Approach to Learning
Easy to Grasp/Hold
Different Shapes and/or Colors
Tactilely Stimulating
High Contrasting Colors
Durable
Lightweight
Fosters Imagination/Promotes Creativity
Developmental processes promoted
Eye-Hand Coordination
Spatial Relationships e.g. Under, Over, On, Off
Reaching/Arm Extension
Social Interaction
Core Strengthening, Trunk Strength, Stability
Imagination/Pretend Play
Problem Solving
Finger and Hand Control and Dexterity
Two-Handed Play – Midline Focus and Transferring
Proprioceptive Input
Motor Planning
Creativity
Matching
Cooperative Hand Movements
Counting/Beginning Math
Color Recognition and Identification
Bilateral Coordination
Hand and Finger Grasp
Fine Motor
Action Concepts e.g. In/Out, Push/Pull, On/Off, Go/Stop
The Bristle Blocks are tactilely unique and encourage exploration. The texture on most of the blocks is uniform.
The blocks are made of a flexible plastic. They do not make loud, startling sounds when banged together, dropped on the floor or when a structure is knocked down. This helps children who startle easily or are auditorily defensive.
Several unique pieces having spinning components that add movement interest to play.
Set includes a storage bin. Note: The container does not have a lid.
Blocks all have plastic “bristles” that connect to each other easily, leading to greater success.
Play can take place on a tabletop, floor or wheelchair tray.
The bright colors of the blocks are visually stimulating and help to capture a child’s attention.
Several blocks have painted patterns and/or faces to increase visual appeal
Play with these blocks is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Building with blocks is an easy activity to understand.
Children of differing developmental levels can play successfully together with these blocks.
Skills
Visual spatial skills are used when building with blocks.
Tactile exploration can take place with these blocks.
Identify shapes by touch.
Precision skills can be enhanced as children build a structure and add pieces to that structure.
Play Ideas
Play “hot potato” with one of the blocks. This may help children who are tactilely defensive touch a block briefly. For children who have difficulty with the texture of the blocks, have them wear a glove or mitten.
The blocks float in water. Use them as rafts or boats for small play figures.
Have the child close his eyes and then give him a block to explore by touch. Then by feel alone, have him find a block that is the same shape as the one presented.
Adaptation Ideas
Use a light or dark solid color surface to build upon. This will help heighten the visual contrast of the blocks.
Several blocks have painted patterns to increase visual appeal
The blocks are made of a flexible plastic. They do not make loud, startling sounds when banged together, dropped on the floor or when a structure is knocked down. This helps children who startle easily or are auditorily defensive.
Blocks all have plastic “bristles” that connect to each other easily, leading to greater success. This particularly helps children who have involuntary movements. If a structure is inadvertently knocked down, it can be righted without needing to be rebuilt.
Set includes a storage bin. Note: The container does not have a lid.
The Bristle Blocks are tactilely unique and encourage exploration.
Play can take place on a tabletop, floor or wheelchair tray.
The bright colors of the blocks are visually stimulating and help to capture a child’s attention.
Several blocks have painted patterns and/or faces to increase visual appeal
Play with these blocks is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Building with blocks is an easy activity to understand.
Children of differing developmental levels can play successfully together with these blocks.
Skills
Eye-hand coordination is used to pick up each block and connect it to others.
Bi-lateral coordination is used to hold a block in each hand and connect them or pull them apart. It is also used to stabilize a structure with one hand and add to it with the other.
Visual spatial skills are used when building with blocks.
Finger and hand control is exercised when putting the blocks together and pulling them apart.
Core strength is increased as children use both hands to pull the blocks apart.
Reaching can be included in play when children build a tall tower and extend their arms to add pieces.
The blocks can be used to encourage two handed play and transferring objects from one hand to the other.
The blocks are a good size for whole hand grasping.
Play Ideas
Hide several blocks around the room. Give the child a basket or small plastic container to go find them. Place them close together or farther apart to accommodate a child’s individual abilities. Place the blocks on different levels, such as on a table or under a chair to incorporate reaching high and squatting down low.
Have the child help build a wall using the Bristle Blocks. Then using a small car, count to three and knock the wall down. To repeat, a child must rebuild the wall, increasing manual skills in the process.
Place three tall blocks standing on end on the large base plate. Have the child reach out and knock them down. This works on reaching and eye-hand coordination.
Connect several pieces together and hand them to the child to pull apart. This can be made easier by connecting only a small segment of the bristles on the blocks or made more difficult by connecting all the bristles on each of the blocks. This activity helps children use and strengthen the muscles in their hands, arms and upper body.
Adaptation Ideas
Place the blocks in a shallow box lid or cookie sheet with a lip to make sure blocks remain within reach of a child during play.
Place the blocks on non-slip material such as shelf liner to prevent them from sliding away from a child during play.
The set has enough blocks for several children to play simultaneously, supporting parallel, cooperative and interactive play experiences.
Set includes a storage bin. Note: The container does not have a lid.
The Bristle Blocks are tactilely unique and encourage exploration.
Blocks all have plastic “bristles” that connect to each other easily, leading to greater success.
Play can take place on a tabletop, floor or wheelchair tray.
The bright colors of the blocks are visually stimulating and help to capture a child’s attention.
Several blocks have painted patterns and/or faces to increase visual appeal
Play with these blocks is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Building with blocks is an easy activity to understand.
Children of differing developmental levels can play successfully together with these blocks.
Skills
Visual spatial skills are used when building with blocks.
Social skills such as sharing and turn taking are learned when using the blocks with other children.
These blocks can help children experience and progress in parallel, cooperative and interactive play.
Children can hone manual skills needed for writing by manipulating and building with these blocks.
Size differentiation and order can be a targeted skill using the blocks.
There are many different colors to help children learn color recognition and identification.
Counting skills can be a part of play using all or some of the blocks in the set.
AB patterning can be practiced by placing different colors or sizes in reoccurring patterns such as, pink, orange, pink, orange. This helps children gain the fundamentals of order, sequencing and prediction.
Grouping and sorting by colors or size help children with early analysis and comparison skills.
Imagination can be used when building and playing. This helps children learn how to think creatively and problem solve uniquely.
Constructing with blocks helps advance problem solving skills.
Play Ideas
Divvy up the blocks evenly to each child. Have them each build a structure independently. When complete, compare and discuss the similarities and differences of the structures.
Divvy up the blocks evenly to each child. Then place the large square base plate in the middle of the children. Have the children one by one add a piece to the structure. The person who makes the tower tumble is out. Play continues until there is one player left.
Using the blocks, have children create different letters in the alphabet.
Using the blocks, create a shape and have the child identify that shape. Take turns, so the child has an opportunity to create a shape for you.
Talk about what the child is doing with the blocks, such as putting blocks in and out of the plastic bin or naming the colors of the blocks as they are stacked.
To encourage socialization, have the child build a structure with a friend.
Construct a small puppet theater with the blocks. Then use or make your own finger puppets to put on a show. This can help incorporate expressive language skills during play.
Place all the blocks in a bag (or use the included storage bin). Without looking, take one piece out of the bag. Begin your structure with that piece. Continue to reach in, grab a piece and add it to the structure until all pieces have been used.
Adaptation Ideas
Limit the number of blocks presented to a child. Gradually increase that number as a child’s abilities and frustration levels permit.
Children who have autism spectrum disorders may need concrete examples. Make photos of sample items or structures they can build.
The set has enough blocks for several children to play simultaneously, supporting parallel, cooperative and interactive play experiences.
Set includes a storage bin. Note: The container does not have a lid.
The Bristle Blocks are tactilely unique and encourage exploration.
Blocks all have plastic “bristles” that connect to each other easily, leading to greater success.
Play can take place on a tabletop, floor or wheelchair tray.
The bright colors of the blocks are visually stimulating and help to capture a child’s attention.
Several blocks have painted patterns and/or faces to increase visual appeal
Play with these blocks is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Building with blocks is an easy activity to understand.
Children of differing developmental levels can play successfully together with these blocks.
Skills
Size differentiation and order can be a targeted skill using the blocks.
There are many different colors to help children learn color recognition and identification.
Counting skills can be a part of play using all or some of the blocks in the set.
AB patterning can be practiced by placing different colors or sizes in reoccurring patterns such as, pink, orange, pink, orange. This helps children gain the fundamentals of order, sequencing and prediction.
Children can hone manual skills needed for writing by manipulating and building with these blocks.
Grouping and sorting by colors or size help children with early analysis and comparison skills.
Imagination is used when building and playing. This helps children learn how to think creatively and problem solve uniquely.
Constructing with blocks helps advance problem solving skills.
Visual spatial skills are used when building with blocks.
Play Ideas
Hide several blocks around the room. Give the child a basket or small plastic container to go find them. For more assistance, hide one of each color so the child can remember or refer to the other “unhidden” blocks for what colors are remaining to be found.
Divvy up the blocks evenly to each child. Have them each build a structure independently. When complete, compare and discuss the similarities and differences of the structures.
Using the blocks, have children create different letters in the alphabet.
Using the blocks, create a shape and have the child identify that shape. Take turns, so the child has an opportunity to create a shape for you.
Embellish play with small play figures and cars. Children can then build a playpen, house or playground for the figures and a garage or road for the cars.
Give the child blocks one by one to drop into the plastic storage bin. Count as each block is placed inside. Move the storage bin closer or farther away to accommodate a child’s individual abilities.
Ask a child to sort or line up the blocks by color, shape or size.
Adaptation Ideas
Limit the number of blocks presented to a child. Gradually increase that number as a child’s abilities and frustration levels permit.
