The Skinny: This is a fun Rube Goldberg type game that really works on your motor planning.  It’s a cross between a marble run game and the board game Mousetrap.  There are 7 obstacles to move your ball through.  Each one has its own joystick or button to maneuver the ball with.  The goal is to move the ball through the course.

What it is: Screwball Scramble

What it’s used for: Motor Planning and Language

Ways to use it:

• Motor Planning:
  • I would start with just successfully doing one task, then move up from there, one at a time.
  • I would progress to setting up sequences to solve, to encourage their constant accomplishments
  • Lastly, once they have solved the entire board.  I would pull out the timer.  For some kids, competing against their own time or that of a friend, is a great motivator.  The goal with having your child do this task faster and faster is that they are working from muscle memory, versus thinking through every step.  Similar to breathing, you don’t realize that you are doing it, but you are.  You don’t think about it, you just do it.  Like walking.  We want the fingers and the brain to work simultaneously.
• Language:
  • For language, I would be constantly describing all the different segments with unique descriptive words: Lever boards, rails, tubes, ringing bell, etc.  There are several different areas to describe that you can build multiple new words into your child’s vocabulary.
  • Then, if your child is ready for it, and the game motivates them, you can have them name pieces of the game with the new words you have just taught them.  “Label 3 items to the get the next ball to play with” It’s a bit ABA, but it does get the repetitive practice in.

Where to find it: With 4+ stars on Amazon here!

The Source: Found it at a toy store in South Bend

Screwball Scramble for Motor Planning and Language was originally published on KidConnectionZ