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Plastic paddle boat with a full removable top that includes 12 accessory pieces: captain, life preserver, fishing rod with hook, four fish, three nesting cups, an octopus comb and a whale nailbrush. The paddle on the back can be wound up for self propulsion in water. Phthalate-free, BPA-free and lead-free.
Approx. Price: $29.99 Box Age Range: 0+ yr # of Pieces: 11-50 Washability: Surface Wipe Storability: Self Storing Directions: None Play Locations: Indoor and Outdoor Adjustability: None Levels of Play: Three Levels Batteries: None needed
Many Accessories
Hands-on Approach to Learning
Provides Pretend Play Opportunities
Easy to Grasp/Hold
Familiar Objects/Pictures
Different Shapes and/or Colors
Large Target Area
Simple
Fosters Imagination/Promotes Creativity
Can Be Used Independently or w/Others
Open-ended
Large Openings
Visually Stimulating
Developmental processes promoted
Object Permanence
Action Concepts e.g. In/Out, Push/Pull, On/Off, Go/Stop
The toy is designed to be used in the bathtub or water table.
The set includes a comb and a fingernail brush.
The three stacking ups all have different textured rims.
Bold, solid colors are used on the toy and its accessories.
The size of the accessories makes them easy for little hands to hold with a whole hand grasp or more refined pincer grasp.
The accessories are lightweight.
The entire top of the boat is removable allowing easy access to the inside of the boat.
The boat has plenty of space to easily play with and store the accessory pieces.
The boat can be played successfully without water.
The paddle boat wheel has two positions: free spinning that can be use to wind it up for sustained action or locked for a ratcheting sound when spun.
With the exception of the stacking cup rims and the molded detail of the fish, this toy is made of smooth, hard plastic.
Skills
Visual tracking is practiced as children reach for the fish floating by and put them in the boat.
Objects can be identified by touch.
Manual exploration can be encouraged using the boat and accessories. Place them in a plastic storage bin to help contain play and allow for continuous enjoyment.
Action concepts in/out and on/off are learned as children open the boat hatch and drop fish into the boat. Children who have visual impairments may learn these words through active, tangible play.
Play Ideas
Expand sensory play by using boat in sand or dry rice tables.
Add scented bubbles to the bathwater to increase the sensory experiences.
Embellish play with your own highly tactile objects.
When NOT playing in water, place a light sensitive musical disk (available at many craft and hobby stores) inside the boat. Then place the top on. The music will play each time the top hinged door is opened.
Experiment with different temperatures of water during play.
Add ice cubes to represent ice burgs during play.
Adaptation Ideas
Place the boat and accessories in a large plastic storage bin with a little water. This helps contain the play and provide a focal point for play.
For children who startle easily, place a wash cloth in the bottom of the boat to help muffle the sound of objects being tossed inside.
The boat, fish and person are familiar and easily recognizable by young children.
The set contains a boat, 5 fish, 3 nesting cups, a fishing pole, a comb, a life preserver and a captain.
All the accessories fit easily in the boat for storage. This can help children learn how to clean up when they are done with an activity. This can also help ease transition times.
This is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Play duration can be as altered to accommodate a child’s individual needs.
Water is not necessary to play with this boat.
Verbal communication is not required for successful play with this boat set.
Skills
Color identification and labeling can be practiced as children play with the different colored fish.
Children can practice counting skills as they count the number of fish they catch with the fishing pole.
Expressive language can be encouraged as children tell stories using the boat and accessories as the subject.
Practice receptive language skills by asking children for specific objects such as, “Can I have the blue fish?”
Use this set with several children to encourage social play, turn taking and sharing.
There are enough accessories for children to parallel play, and progress to interactive and cooperative play.
Play Ideas
Parents can teach children to recite the “This Little Piggy” story while learning to use the included fingernail brush to clean their fingernails.
Children and parents can make up “fish tail” stories (pretend stories using the boat and accessories as props).
Caregivers can use play with the boat as an opportunity to discuss water safety with children (what a life preserver is used for, why it is important for an adult to always be present, what to do if someone falls into the water, etc.).
Take all the pieces out of the boat and place the top on the boat. Then take one piece and place it inside. Have the child guess what piece is inside either by looking at what pieces are left and using memory skills or by asking yes/no questions to figure out what piece is inside.
Sing, “Row, Row, Row You Boat” while pushing this boat through water.
Place the fish in a row in front of the child. Have him look at the fish and then close his eyes. Then take one away and have the child open his eyes and verbalize which one is missing. This helps incorporate memory and recall skills as well as simple receptive and expressive language.
This set can be used to help ease anxiety of taking a bath. The comb, nailbrush and cups are fun playthings and can also be used to bathe.
Adaptation Ideas
Place the accessories out of reach of a child so he much verbally ask for a specific object.
Place the boat and accessories in a large plastic storage bin with a little water. This helps contain the play and provide a focal point for play.
Reduce the number of accessories presented to a child.
The set contains a boat, 4 fish, 3 nesting cups, a fishing pole, a comb, nailbrush, a life preserver and a captain.
All the accessories fit easily in the boat for storage. This can help children learn how to clean up when they are done with an activity. This can also help ease transition times.
This is an open-ended activity. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Play duration can be altered to accommodate a child’s individual needs.
The size and open top provide for easy access.
Precision in placement of the accessories is not needed so that children with limited eye-hand coordination are successful.
Water is not necessary to play with this boat.
Skills
Cause and effect is practiced a children explore how to make the boat’s propeller spins
Action concepts in/out and on/off are learned as children open the boat hatch and drop fish into the boat.
Object permanence is learned as children place all the pieces inside the boat and then remove the top of the boat to find all the pieces inside.
Manual skills are used to scoop and pour with the three stacking cups.
Eye-hand coordination is used to pick up and play with the various accessories and when stacking the cups.
Counting skills can be incorporated into play by counting the three stacking cups or counting all the accessories as a child places them in or takes them out of the boat one by one.
As symbolic play emerges, children can use the boat and accessories in pretend play themes.
Create a story around the boat and accessories to give children the opportunity to practice sequential thinking skills.
Color identification can be targeted using the four differently-colored fish.
Play Ideas
Caregivers can use play with the boat as an opportunity to discuss water safety with children (what a life preserver is used for, why it is important for an adult to always be present, what to do if someone falls into the water, etc.).
Use Fish & Splish in a small outdoor pool. Note: Direct adult supervision is required during all water play.
Stack the three cups and place the sailor on the top. This can be the lighthouse and he is watching for the boat.
Take all the pieces out of the boat and place the top on the boat. Then take one piece and place it inside. Have the child guess what piece is inside either by looking at what pieces are left and using memory skills or by asking yes/no questions to figure out what piece is inside.
Use your own fish net (sold separately at aquarium stores) to go fishing in your bathtub.
Use one of the cups and scoop and dump water to fill the boat. Count each cup to find out how many cups of water are needed to fill the boat.
This set can be used to help ease anxiety of taking a bath. The comb, nailbrush and cups are fun playthings and can also be used to bathe.
Adaptation Ideas
The accessories can be used without the boat.
The boat and accessories can fit on a wheelchair tray.
Place the boat and accessories in a large plastic storage bin with a little water. This helps contain the play and provide a focal point for play.
The size of the accessories makes them easy for little hands to hold with a whole hand grasp or more refined pincer grasp.
The accessories are lightweight.
The three stacking cups all have different textured rims.
The tails on the fish are angled up to help hook them on the fish hook and can be helpful when picking them up with hands.
The entire top of the boat is removable allowing easy access to the inside of the boat.
The boat has plenty of space to easily play with and store the accessory pieces.
The paddle boat wheel in back can be wound for self propulsion and sustained action play.
The boat can be played successfully without water.
Skills
Children can practice grasping and wrist rotation as they fill and scoop using the stacking cups.
Eye-hand coordination is practiced as children try to catch the floating fish with the fishing pole or their hand.
Reaching, holding and purposeful release are practiced as children pick up and drop the fish into the boat.
Playing with an open hand can be encouraged by spinning the paddle wheel.
Midline play can be encouraged by holding a stacking cup in each hand and banging them together.
Hand transferring can be encouraged by having a child hold a fish with one hand and transfer it to the other.
Play Ideas
To incorporate more gross motor play, use the boat in a swimming pool. The accessories would then float beyond the child’s reach and they would have to use more gross motor skills to retrieve the pieces. Note: Direct adult supervision is required during all water play.
Sing, “Row, Row, Row You Boat” while pushing this boat through water.
This set can be used to help ease anxiety of taking a bath. The comb, nailbrush and cups are fun playthings and can also be used to bathe.
Stack the three cups and place the sailor on the top to encourage reaching and arm extension during play.
Use your own fish net (sold separately at aquarium stores) to go fishing in your bathtub. The larger the fish net, the easier it may be to be successful catching the fish.
Use one of the cups and scoop and dump water to fill the boat. Count each cup to find out how many cups of water are needed to fill the boat. The exercise also helps incorporate manual dexterity and wrist rotation into play.
Adaptation Ideas
For children that are unable to maintain an upright position in the bathtub, the toy could be used outside of the bathtub on a flat, dry surface. The accessories would then be stationary and the child may have more success in reaching for and grasping them.
Dyna-Form-It or another permanent molding rubber can be used to build up the handle of the fishing rod to make it easier for children with delayed fine motor skills to grasp and hold.
Have the child use his hands to “catch” the fish rather than the fishing pole. The pole is thin and the hook is attached with a cord. These qualities may make it more difficult to use for a child who has physical limitations.
