JACOB’S
RIB IT BALL
By Bill & Bud, Inc.
Approximate
retail price: $ 30.00
Overall Rating:
Diagnosis, specific
limitations and age of the child (children) testing the toy:
This toy was tested with several children. Child #1 is 22 months old with Prader Willie
Syndrome. This child has very low muscle
tone and limited strength. Child #2 is
26 months old with Trisomy 21. This
child has low muscle tone and limited strength.
Child #3 is 20 months old with a history of cardiac issues who now has a
tracheostomy tube and requires ventalator support when sleeping. This child has low muscle tone and limited
strength. All of the above mentioned
children are just now able to sit without support and are not yet able to
crawl.
Skills being promoted/developed by this toy:
This toy was used to
encourage the children to maintain an up right posture in sitting while reaching out of their base of support to grasp the toy.
This toy was also used by the
therapist as a substitute for a therapy ball and the children were placed in
sitting on this ball in the therapists lap to work on dynamic sitting skills
and trunk control. The children felt
more secure on this ball than a normal therapy ball because they were able to
hold onto the “ribs” to help them maintain their balance as the ball was
shifted to challenge their sitting skills.
Other toys used by
child/therapist for similar purpose (Do they work better, differently?):
This ball worked better than
a regular beach ball for these children because it has the “ribs” and it is
still very lightweight. They appeared to
be very excited when they were able to pick up such a large ball and throw it
with ease! This ball worked better than
a typical therapy ball for working on dynamic sitting skills as stated above.
Multisensory
characteristics (Please describe as many of the characteristics of
the toy that you can that you feel have skill-building or play value for the
child. Does the toy respond with lights,
sounds or movement? Are there contrasting colors? Does it have scent? Is there texture?):
This toy has great
contrasting colors as the panels are red, white and black in an alternating
color pattern. It also has a “crinkle”
sound that the smooth nylon fabric creates when it is touched.
Method of Activation (Will the toy provide a challenge
without frustration? What is the force
required to activate? What is the number
and complexity of steps required?):
This is a great ball for kids
of all ages as it is very easy to see, grasp and move because it is filled with
a large balloon.
Grading, individuality
and opportunities for success (Can the toy be graded for different levels of
difficulty and ability? Is it adaptable
to different children’s styles and pace?
Would the toy appeal to children of varied developmental, chronological
ages, interests, gender, ethnic and cultural backgrounds? What limitations do you see?):
This
toy can be made easier to grasp by putting less air in the balloon. It would be fun for many different children
with a variety of skills and abilities.
This toy would NOT be appropriate for a child with a LATEX ALLERGY due to the
balloon.
How and where can this
toy be played with? (Describe any unique insights you, the child or the
parent provided on ways to use this toy in play or in acquiring developmental
skills. Can the toy be used in a variety
of positions such as side-lying or in a wheelchair? How much space does the toy require? How can it be stored? Can it be used indoor, outdoors, for travel,
in the car or other places?):
This ball can be used with
children in all developmental positions.
It is the size of a small beach ball when fully inflated. When deflated it compacts down to a very easy
size to store and carry. It can be used
inside or outside. Great to travel with
as it is easy to deflate and then inflate.
Probably not safe to throw around in the car while you
are traveling.
Self Expression,
Interaction and Communication (Is the child actively engaged with this toy? How can the toy facilitate interaction and
communication between the child and siblings, other children, parents and
caregivers):
The children who tried this
toy had a great time with it. They
attended to it well and it was great for playing with siblings and parents as
it encouraged turn taking and a lot of laughter!
Safety and Durability (How are the parts sized? Can it be washed and cleaned? Are parts likely to get lost? Does the toy have moisture resistance? Are there any known potential allergy issues
related to the toy? Are there limitations and precautions you would suggest for
the use of this toy?):
CONTAINS LATEX! The plastic tab for closing the balloon is a
possible choking hazard.
Parental Acceptance (Does the toy have noise, materials or other
characteristics that might limit parental acceptance?):
Parents liked this toy
because their children were very successful in interacting with it and it is
indoor friendly as it is very light weight and not likely to damage items in
their homes.
The WOW factor and Emotional
Impact (Is it a toy most any child would like? What were the emotions of the child when they
played with this toy):
Children enjoyed this toy and
were very joyful and happy while playing with this ball. One older child chose not to play with the
toy because of his auditory sensitivity he did not like the crinkle sound of
the fabric.
Longevity (How long does this toy engage the child?
Is the toy appealing over time as the child ages and develops? Does it
hold up?):
These small children played
with this toy for 15-20 minutes, which is a long time for them! The toy has been used for several weeks
without having to replace the balloon and the fabric is sewn well so this toy
should stand the test of time.
Amount of Supervision
Required:
Most children could play with
this toy with limited supervision once a few ground rules were established
about home safety.
Suggested adaptations
and improvements (Can this toy be made to be more universally
accepted through adaptation?):
This toy is well made and
very universally acceptable.
Main advantages and
disadvantages (Emphasize
any unique characteristics and whether you think the perceived value would be
there for parents, therapists or others to purchase this toy):
This is a great toy for
therapists and parents to have and children really think that it’s fun!
Technical
notes (Things you might
mention to another therapist):
This is a great ball to have for use as a
therapy ball for little people and to work on reach, grasp,
ball skills for all children.
YOUR RECOMMENDATION (Would you recommend this toy? To whom, if there are specific limitations to
your recommendation):
I would highly
recommend this toy to therapists, parents, PE and
NOT TO BE USED WITH CHILDREN WITH LATEX ALLERGIES.