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"I work with a young boy who has gravitational insecurity. With this ball he felt very safe and was willing to experiment more with movement than he had in the past and let his feet leave the ground briefly without the sense of panic. He surprised himself and was very proud!"
Occupational Therapist, Skokie, IL
This lightweight, air-filled ball encourages active play in children. The attached ribs on the ball aid in grasping and throwing and can be used to help slow down the ball’s rolling, enabling a child to easily retrieve it for continued play. Crinkle sounds and high contrast colors are used to exemplify the sensory appeal of this ball.
Approx. Price: 21.00-40.00 Box Age Range: 3+ yrs # of Pieces: 1 Washability: Surface Wipe Storability: Bulky Directions: Play Locations: Indoor Adjustability: Levels of Play: One Level Batteries: None needed
The ribs enable a child who is non-ambulatory, to play with the balls without the risk of the balls rolling far out of reach. The ribs work as stoppers and slow down the rolling.
The balls are large and enable a child to use eye-hand coordination to throw and catch successfully.
Skills
Lifting, grabbing, twisting, spinning the ball moves a child’s body and encourages muscle flexion and extension, control and balance.
When a child sits on the balls, he is practicing joint and hip stability, balance and head control.
Equilibrium reaction or balance reaction can be practiced when a child sits on the ball and shifts weight from one side to the other.
The balls can be used to incorporate bilateral movement – both symmetrically and asymmetrically. Meaning, children can hold and throw and grasp the ball with two hands in the same position at the same time, as well as one hand at a time, reciprocally.
Play Ideas
Children with physical limitations often work on core strengthening to increase control and stability. Children can lie prone (on their stomachs) on the ball, in between two ribs, and straighten their arms and legs, lift up their heads and trunks to “fly”. This encourages trunk extension. The ribs act as guardrails for the children’s bodies.
“Wrestle” with this ball to increase strength, cross midline and incorporate trunk rotation. Any activity that involves pushing and pulling with the arms against resistance will strengthen arm muscles. The caregiver can increase the resistance as the child’s ability increases and frustration level decreases.
Adaptation Ideas
Motor planning – the integration of visual stimuli and motor output – the colors of the material, the sound of the fabric, and the size of the ball provide clues to the child that the ball is getting closer and he needs to ready his body to catch it.
The crinkle sounds form the ribs as well as the cover material itself amplifies movement and provides intense auditory response to a child who has visual limitations or who are less responsive and need additional stimulation for attention and play.
The high contrast of the colors and the intense crinkle sounds enable a child with visual impairments to successfully play with this ball. Children with some vision can see the bold colors on the ball approaching as it is rolled to them and can hear the ball to better prepare their body (motor planning) to receive the ball.
The high contrast and the crinkle sound of the ball can help a child with visual impairments perceive distance and direction between the ball and his own body. This exercise can lead to assisting in movement through space and identifying potential barriers in a child’s path.
Skills
When a child rolls on the ball, perpendicular to the ribs, he can feel the ribs sliding under his body. Because of this, children gain an increased sense of body awareness.
The 14” and 18” balls can be used for a child to sit and bounce, with his feet firmly planted on the floor for stability and balance control. This provides deep proprioceptive feedback (internal body awareness and feedback from hips and knees) to a child.
The ribs on the ball can help a child who has gravitational insecurities. Meaning, when a child lifts his feet off the ground, he feels an overwhelming sense of fear of falling. The ribs can provide a child with guardrails to hold to help work through that fear and gain control.
Play Ideas
Roll the ball back and forth with a child who has a visual impairment. The high contrast of the colors and the large size will help a child ready his body to receive the ball.
The ribs and sizes of the balls increase successful play. The balls are large and provide a large target area for a child to successfully kick, catch and throw.
The simple design gives children a clear understanding of what it is and how to play.
The balls are versatile and can be played with in a number of different ways – throw, catch, roll, bounce.
The ball play is open-ended. There is no right or wrong way to play.
Play does not have a specific duration, enabling children to play as their attention spans permit.
Play can change as a child’s needs and abilities change.
Skills
Rib-It-Ball encourages the discovery of body awareness – where a child’s hands and arms are in relation to the rest of his body as well as to other objects. This is a prerequisite for handwriting and self help.
The balls are large and enable a child to practice eye-hand coordination to throw and catch successfully.
Play Ideas
Play a “pass it” game by having children stand in a row or circle and use the ribs to pass the ball to the next person while music is playing. When the music stops, the person holding the ball is out and play continues until only one person remains.
Play catch with a friend.
Roll on it, using the ribs as guides.
Kick the ball into a goal.
Throw the ball high in the sky – see how high you can get.
Place it in the middle of a play parachute and toss it up in the air.
Adaptation Ideas
Children may be better able to attend to a play partner when the children not only hear a verbal cue, but also hear the crinkling sounds prior to the caregiver throwing or rolling the ball. The action will catch and maintain a child’s attention.
The large size of the ball, distinctive look and unique sound can help attract the attention of several children and encourage cooperative play.
Play Ideas
The balls are easy to grasp, which facilitates success of interactive games (e.g. catch, hot potato, tug of war).
Children can stand in a large circle. The person holding the ball will verbally state the name of the person he will throw the ball to. Once that person has the ball, he will state who he will throw it to and so on to help encourage verbal communication, eye contact and person to person connection.
