Fish & Splish

Product Description

Sensory 4

Skills

• Objects can be identified by touch.
• Manual exploration can be encouraged using the boat and accessories. Place them in a plastic storage bin to help contain play and allow for continuous enjoyment.
• Action concepts in/out and on/off are learned as children open the boat hatch and drop fish into the boat. Children who have visual impairments may learn these words through active, tangible play.

Play Ideas

• Expand sensory play by using boat in sand or dry rice tables. 
• Add scented bubbles to the bathwater to increase the sensory experiences.
• When NOT playing in water, place a light sensitive musical disk (available at many craft and hobby stores) inside the boat. Then place the top on. The music will play each time the top hinged door is opened.

Adaptation Ideas

• Place the boat and accessories in a large plastic storage bin with a little water. This helps contain the play and provide a focal point for play.
• For children who startle easily, place a wash cloth in the bottom of the boat to help muffle the sound of objects being tossed inside.

Cognitive 4

Skills

• Cause and effect is practiced a children explore how to make the boat’s propeller spins.
• Object permanence is learned as children place all the pieces inside the boat and then remove the top of the boat to find all the pieces inside.
• Counting skills can be incorporated into play by counting the three stacking cups or counting all the accessories as a child places them in or takes them out of the boat one by one.

Play Ideas

• Have the child guess what piece is inside either by looking at what pieces are left and using memory skills or by asking yes/no questions to figure out what piece is inside.
• Use one of the cups and scoop and dump water to fill the boat. Count each cup to find out how many cups of water are needed to fill the boat.
• This set can be used to help ease anxiety of taking a bath. The comb, nailbrush and cups are fun playthings and can also be used to bathe.

Adaptation Ideas

• The accessories can be used without the boat.
• The boat and accessories can fit on a wheelchair tray.
• Place the boat and accessories in a large plastic storage bin with a little water. This helps contain the play and provide a focal point for play.

Physical 3

Skills

• Children can practice grasping, wrist rotation, and hand transferring as they fill and scoop using the stacking cups.
• Eye-hand coordination is practiced as children try to catch the floating fish with the fishing pole or their hand.
• Reaching, holding, and purposeful release are practiced as children pick up and drop the fish into the boat.

Play Ideas

• To incorporate more gross motor play, use the boat in a swimming pool.  The accessories would then float beyond the child’s reach and they would have to use more gross motor skills to retrieve the pieces. Note: Direct adult supervision is required during all water play.
• Stack the three cups and place the sailor on the top to encourage reaching and arm extension during play.
• Use your own fish net (sold separately at aquarium stores) to go fishing in your bathtub. The larger the fish net, the easier it may be to be successful catching the fish.

Adaptation Ideas

• For children that are unable to maintain an upright position in the bathtub, the toy could be used outside of the bathtub on a flat, dry surface.  The accessories would then be stationary and the child may have more success in reaching for and grasping them.
• Dyna-Form-It or another permanent molding rubber can be used to build up the handle of the fishing rod to make it easier for children with delayed fine motor skills to grasp and hold. 
• Have the child use his hands to “catch” the fish rather than the fishing pole. The pole is thin and the hook is attached with a cord. These qualities may make it more difficult to use for a child who has physical limitations.