Welcome to the AblePlay Website ("AblePlay Site"). Please review the following rules that govern your use of the Lekotek Site (the "Agreement").
BY ACCESSING THE ABLE PLAY RATING SYSTEM ON THE ABLEPLAY SITE, YOU ARE INDICATING YOUR AGREEMENT TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS AS SUCH TERMS
MAY BE MODIFIED FROM TIME TO TIME.
Now my daughter can enjoy my favorite pastime with me! I showed her what are weeds and what are flowers and she is helping me with the daunting task of weeding! -- Mother, Chicago, IL
Children can see and touch the colors and textures of the cart, canopy, and tools.
Senses can be stimulated when children use this set for gardening.
All the textures of the cart and accessories are similar – hard, smooth plastic - with slight variations.
The cart and accessories have a simple, solid color palette.
The two included garden tools are easily distinguished from one another by touch.
The included garden tools can help children play in the dirt without having to feel the dirt on their skin.
Skills
Manual exploration of the cart and accessories enable children to gain a mental picture of what it is and how it is used.
Sensory stimulation can be experienced and heightened with the addition of water and dirt in garden play.
Children gain knowledge of cause and effect relationships when they squirt water from the reservoir.
Color recognition and identification can be a part of play using the colors on the cart and accessories.
Learning through modeling and imitation can take place as children mimic caregivers’ actions in the garden.
Pretend play and imagination flourish using this wheelbarrow cart. This phase of development assists children in learning how to communicate, think creatively and problem solve effectively.
Gross motor skills are used to lift, push and walk behind the wheelbarrow.
Hand, arm and upper body muscles are strengthened as children dig with the garden tools.
Eye-hand coordination is enhanced as children hold and use the garden tools.
Play Ideas
Dig in dirt with the included garden tools.
Add different scents in play such as peppermint extract or crushed fresh basil.
Have children taste the fruits and vegetables they help grow in the garden.
Children can smell the dirt, as well as the flowers and plants they helped grow.
Children can feel and explore the dirt on their hands as they dig and plant.
Hide small toys in the dirt and have the children use the garden tools to dig them up.
Adaptation Ideas
Have children, who may be tactilely defensive to dirt on their hands, wear gloves when playing and digging in the dirt.
The tray is removable to accommodate table top play.
The cart includes two flower pots with flowers, rake, shovel and pan. There are enough accessories to sustain play without too many to overwhelm children.
The canopy is removable to allow for easy access.
The water reservoir can be removed and used independently.
Play can take place while kneeling.
Play is open ended.
Play duration can be altered to accommodate individual needs.
The cart has two legs to allow for stationary play.
The well of the wheelbarrow is approximately 5” deep.
The included garden tools have chunky handles to hold.
Skills
Gross motor skills are used to lift, push and walk behind the wheelbarrow.
Hand, arm and upper body muscles are strengthened as children dig with the garden tools.
Children gain knowledge of cause and effect relationships when they squirt water from the reservoir.
Whole hand grasp is used to maintain a hold of the garden tools and cart handles.
Balance and weight shifting are practiced as children move the wheelbarrow from one location to another.
Eye-hand coordination is enhanced as children hold and use the garden tools.
Play Ideas
Have children help plant the garden or flowerbed.
Create an obstacle course for the child to push the wheelbarrow through.
Water the plants in the garden using the included water sprayer.
Use cart to sell lemonade or flowers.
Place dirt in the shallow tray for children to play at a tabletop.
Use the two plastic flowers as targets and try to hit them with a stream of water from the water sprayer. To increase interest, get the flowers dirty by rubbing them in dirt. Now when the water hits the flowers, the child’s success can readily be seen.
Increase the opportunity to work on refined fine motor skills by introducing seeds into play. Start with larger seeds such as pumpkin and green bean seeds.
Hide small toys in the dirt and have the children use the garden tools to dig them up.
Adaptation Ideas
Add Velcro or elastic bands to hold more easily.
Fill the wheelbarrow with heavy items, such as rocks, to make a greater challenge, increase proprioceptive input or provide more resistance to slow the movement.
Add rug tape to the handles of the tools and wheelbarrow to assist in gripping.
The cart includes two flower pots with flowers, rake, shovel and pan. There are enough accessories to sustain play without too many to overwhelm children.
The canopy is removable to allow for easy access.
Play is open ended.
Play duration can be altered to accommodate individual needs.
Two children can play comfortably; one on each side of the wheelbarrow.
Gardening can be an individual activity; no communication is necessary to play.
Messy play, like that found in the garden, can encourage vocal sounds.
The water reservoir can be removed if it distracts from play.
Skills
A wide range of vocabulary can be incorporated including nouns, adjectives and verbs.
Children gain knowledge of cause and effect relationships when they squirt water from the reservoir.
Children can gain practice in expressing their thoughts through play with this garden set.
Learning through modeling and imitation can take place as children mimic caregivers’ actions in the garden.
Pretend play and imagination flourish using this wheelbarrow cart. This phase of development assists children in learning how to communicate, think creatively and problem solve effectively.
Children can learn to play with others by sharing and taking turns with the tools in this play set.
Children gain confidence in conversation by having a common activity such as gardening. This set can help facilitate this.
Play Ideas
Have children sing or talk to the plants to help them grow. Kids can sing the ABCs or nursery rhymes.
Introduce new vocabulary words by using new terms related to outside work and gardening.
Encourage children to say words, phrases or full sentences about what they are playing with and doing.
Ask children open ended questions about the tools and gardening they are doing.
Work and play in the garden alongside friends and family.
Help children harvest the garden and place the vegetables in their wheelbarrow. Have them rinse the vegetables with the water sprayer. Then use those vegetables for the family meal. This can boost the confidence and self esteem of the child.
Fill the wheelbarrow with different textured materials for exploration.
Adaptation Ideas
Add labels on the individual tools and wheelbarrow for identification.
Push the wheelbarrow up against a solid structure such as a fence or house so it does not roll out of reach when a child is playing with it.
Take off the canopy for easier access to the wheelbarrow.
The cart includes two flower pots with flowers, rake, shovel and pan. There are enough accessories to sustain play without too many to overwhelm children.
The canopy is removable to allow for easy access.
Play can take place while kneeling.
Play is open ended.
Play duration can be altered to accommodate individual needs.
Play with this cart is easy to understand.
The water reservoir can be removed if it distracts from play.
Skills
Children gain knowledge of cause and effect relationships when they squirt water from the reservoir.
Color recognition and identification can be a part of play using the colors on the cart and accessories.
Gross motor skills are put into action as children wheel around the cart. Children who have intellectual delays often times also have delays in motor development.
Learning through modeling and imitation can take place as children mimic caregivers’ actions in the garden.
Pretend play and imagination flourish using this wheelbarrow cart. This phase of development assists children in learning how to communicate, think creatively and problem solve effectively.
In/out and go/stop can be learned using this garden set.
Sequential processing and order are practiced as children do steps in order to plant seeds in the garden.
Play Ideas
Work and play in the garden alongside friends and family.
Use the cart to help children learn about gardening—seeds, planting, watering, weeding, plant life cycle.
Have the children use this wheelbarrow to place weeds they have picked. Help them identify what is a weed and what is a plant.
Use the water reservoir to water flowers in the garden.
Help children harvest the garden and place the vegetables in their wheelbarrow. Have them rinse the vegetables with the water sprayer. Then use those vegetables for the family meal. This can boost the confidence and self esteem of the child.
Have children carve out individual letters using the garden tools in dirt.
Hide small toys in the dirt and have the children use the garden tools to dig them up.
Adaptation Ideas
Add Velcro or elastic bands to the wheelbarrow handles to assist in gripping.
Push the wheelbarrow up against a solid structure such as a fence or house so it does not roll out of reach when a child is playing with it.
Take off the canopy for easier access to the wheelbarrow.
