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I love that my daughter, who uses a wheelchair, can easily fit in this house – and there is still room to play once she’s in it! -- I love that my daughter, who uses a wheelchair, can easily fit in this house – and there is still room to play once she’s in it!
Mother, Chicago, IL
Large activity house with two movable walls that open for easy access. Each side of the wall highlights a different location in a town such as gas station, café, and sports gym.
Approx. Price: $399.99 Box Age Range: 2+ yrs # of Pieces: Washability: Surface Wipe Storability: Bulky Directions: Simple Play Locations: Indoor and Outdoor Adjustability: Position Levels of Play: Five or More Levels Batteries: Yes – Not Included
Provides Pretend Play Opportunities
Promotes Active Play
Can Be Used Independently or w/Others
Open-ended
Large Openings
Wide Age Range
Tactilely Stimulating
Durable
One-Piece Unit
Versatile
Fosters Imagination/Promotes Creativity
Developmental processes promoted
Two-Handed Play – Midline Focus and Transferring
Physical Range of Motion
Problem Solving
Imagination/Pretend Play
Coordinated Movement
Core Strengthening, Trunk Strength, Stability
Social Interaction
Eye-Hand Coordination
Hand and Finger Grasp
Action Concepts e.g. In/Out, Push/Pull, On/Off, Go/Stop
Two of the walls are hinged and open completely. This provides ample room to easily accommodate a wheelchair or special positioning equipment, such as a feeder chair.
The shelves are deep for easy and secure placement of items. And children can use the shelves to hold on to and stabilize their bodies for play.
There is no right or wrong way to play with this house. It is open ended but includes many story starter sections such as the kitchen, sports wall and gas station.
Children who require slight support can use the many window openings and shelves to hold on to and cruise around. Note: For children who require more significant support, the doors swing out and the hinged walls open out. Children may feel more secure when cruising around the outside of the house where the walls and doors remain closed and stationary if pushed.
Physical activity helps combat obesity. This house incorporates physical sports play.
Skills
There are three doors along with many activities, such as soccer, basketball, and gas station attending, that all help children work on motor planning skills.
Children can work on different hand positions to grasp door handles, phone and gas pump hose.
Coordination skills get a workout when children use their hands and eyes together to throw the ball into the basketball net and they use their legs and eyes together to aim and kick a ball into the soccer net.
Weight shifting, balance and coordination are used to walk over the raised thresholds of the three doors. Note: when the hinged walls are closed, the doors on those sides have double thresholds. They are uneven and may be difficult for children who have gravitational insecurities or physical limitations.
Two-handed play can be incorporated into play when children grasp and release basketball. One-handed grasp is used when holding the phone to talk or the gas nozzle to pump gas.
Wrist rotation is practiced to shoot baskets, fill a car with gas, turn the knob on the stove, etc.
Action concepts of in/out and open/close can be taught and reinforced using the house, its several doors, and refrigerator along with opening the side walls.
Problem solving skills are practiced as children figure out how to put gas into their own car, how to make a basket or kick a goal into the net, how to hang up the phone, etc.
Reaching and arm extension are encouraged when children play basketball, reach to open the half-door or grab the pretend play phone.
Through play, children are developing core muscles in their bodies that help with balance, control, and gait in addition to promoting better breathing and digestion.
Play Ideas
Play “Follow the Leader” around and through the house.
Play “Simon Says” using features of the house. This is fun for children and incorporates listening and receptive language skills. Make the actions that a child needs to perform physically motivated to encourage motor development.
Plan a birthday party for a child’s stuffed animal or doll. Decorate the house with streamers. Hanging streamers can encourage children to use arm extension, reaching, eye-hand coordination and strength. Note: As with the use of all accessories, direct supervision is highly recommended.
Adaptation Ideas
Keep the two hinged walls open and accessible at all times to promote independent play.
There is no right or wrong way to play with this house. It is open ended but includes many story starter sections such as the kitchen, sports wall and gas station.
The large size of the playhouse provides ample space for children to play together.
There are plenty of openings on the different sides of this activity house for unobtrusive supervision.
This house can provide a private space for children who need time to be alone to calm and center themselves. This can also promote independence as children use the house when they need this alone time or for quiet time play/reading.
Skills
The set includes many features that can support social play skills – turn taking, waiting, negotiation and verbal conversation.
Children can progress from parallel play to social interaction and cooperative play using the house and its accessories as the tools.
The play house provides many possibilities for language enriched storytelling.
Language and communication emerge as pretend play is explored in this house.
This Town Center Playhouse provides many opportunities for pretend play. Acting out imaginative storylines helps children learn and understand the world around them and how they can play a central role in that world.
The sports side has four target areas, each with a different number (from one to four). Number recognition and identification can be taught.
Problem solving skills are practiced as children figure out how to put gas into their own car, how to make a basket or kick a goal into the net, how to hang up the phone, etc.
Children can build self esteem as they role play in the house. Being the grown-up in the story can help empower a child.
Children learn important life skills as they practice answering the door when the doorbell rings. Children learn to ask who it is before opening a door and learn appropriate greetings.
Play Ideas
Play “Simon Says” using features of the house. This is fun for children and incorporates listening and receptive language skills.
Use the half doors for a puppet theater featuring your own puppets and dolls.
Use walkie talkies with someone outside of the house.
Play peek-a-boo through the doors and windows of the house.
Talk on the pretend phone to encourage language and conversational turn taking.
Give the child a situation to act out in the house. This helps practice receptive and expressive language. To add to the fun, take turns and have the child give you a situation to act out!
There are four shelves on one side of the house. Place a different item on each shelf. Have the child look at all items and then close his eyes. Take one item away and have the child determine which item is missing. As an alternative game, switch location of two items and have the child determine which items were moved.
Make a sign that says “open” on one side and “closed” on the other. Children can hang this on the door to encourage interaction with others who would shop at their store, come to fill up their car with gas or need a repair done at the fix it shop.
Adaptation Ideas
Use masking tape to label each section of the house (refrigerator, door, window, sink, etc.) to encourage word recognition and support literacy.
There is no right or wrong way to play with this house. It is open ended but includes many story starter sections such as the café, sports wall and gas station.
This house can provide a private space for children who need time to be alone to calm and center themselves. This can also promote independence as children use the house when they need this alone time or for quiet time play/reading.
There are plenty of openings on the different sides of this activity house for unobtrusive supervision.
The house is large enough for adults to go inside with a child.
The house has many concrete features like the refrigerator, doors, window and phone for a child to easily understand and play with.
Skills
This Town Center Playhouse provides many opportunities for pretend play. Acting out imaginative storylines helps children learn and understand the world around them and how they can play a central role in that world.
Action concepts of in/out and open/close can be taught and reinforced using the house, its several doors, and refrigerator along with opening the side walls.
The sports side has four target areas, each with a different number (from one to four). Number recognition and identification can be taught.
Problem solving skills are practiced as children figure out how to put gas into their own car, how to make a basket or kick a goal into the net, how to hang up the phone, etc.
Fine and gross motor skills are enhanced during play. Children who have cognitive disabilities often have delays in motor development.
Play Ideas
Pretend the house is a zoo building. Place stuffed animals inside that can be seen through the sports netting. This can serve as the cage. Or take turns being an animal in the cage and act out specific animal mannerisms.
Search around the house to find different shapes such as rectangles in the doors or circles on the stove.
Encourage counting by playing basketball and counting how many baskets are made.
Use the half doors for a puppet theater featuring your own puppets and dolls.
Embellish play in this house with pretend play food or dolls. This can enhance pretend play, verbal communication and motor skills.
Make a sign that says “open” on one side and “closed” on the other. Children can hang this on the door to encourage interaction with others who would shop at their store, come to fill up their car with gas or need a repair done at the fix it shop.
Adaptation Ideas
Supplying tangible items, such as real food and dishes allows for a clearer understanding of pretend play.
Encourage a child to come inside the house by placing a favorite toy inside or by going inside yourself to help welcome the child in.
There is no right or wrong way to play with this house. It is open ended but includes many story starter sections such as the kitchen, sports wall and gas station.
The house is made of molded plastic and is embossed on each side with tactilely diverse designs and items. The cloth awning and mesh soccer net provide additional texture.
Children can use the moldings to differentiate each side of the house and play accordingly.
The knob on the stove provides a ratcheting sound when turned. The doorbell is battery-operated and rings when pressed.
Skills
Children who are blind or visually impaired often have delays in motor development. This house may help children practice gross motor skills, crawling, balance, weight shifting and movement.
The development of pretend play can be assisted when children are helped with a topic of play (such as the market in his play house) and items that can help represent real foods (your own play food, cups, plates, etc.).
Play Ideas
Use the included hammer to bang on different sections of the house. They each make a unique sound. To make this a fun activity, have the child pretend he is building the house or is Mr. Fix-It for you and ask him to repair parts of the house.
Place a carpet of bubble wrap or a flokati rug in the house for added appeal.
Add tactilely diverse objects (e.g. small toys, different textured balls, play food) in the house. By periodically changing them, you are adding renewed interest and excitement into play.
Adaptation Ideas
Verbally and physically walk the child around and through the house so they are familiar with the different aspects and are aware of potential difficulties, such as the raised thresholds.
