LEGO Sensory Bin and Hide and Seek!
There’s been a steady chorus of “Everything is Awesome” at my house ever since I took my boys to see the Lego Movie. Seriously. My kids are obsessed. And, if I’m really being honest – I’m kind of obsessed too! I know most moms dread the thought of hours spent building Lego houses and vehicles, but for some reason I love it. Maybe it’s because Lego time is the one time of day where everyone isn’t running and jumping and tackling each other. Legos mean peace and quiet! Plus, as an OT, I can’t think of many fine motor activities that measure up to picking up those miniature tires or pulling those tiny blocks apart! This activity is the perfect for our Transportation theme while targeting fine motor skills and the tactile system!
WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Legos; large tupperware bin; enough dried beans, corn or rice to fill your bin at least halfway
WHAT TO DO:
Build a simple Lego vehicle (a truck, car, train, or boat) for your child. Take a picture of the completed vehicle. Then, take the vehicle apart and lay the pieces out on the floor or table. Take a picture of the set of Legos you used to build your vehicle. Now, for the fun part! Have your child help you bury each of these pieces in your bin of beans, corn, or rice. Then, show him the picture of the set of Legos and point to one specific piece (or if the picture is on your phone, zoom in on one piece). See if he can dig through the bin to identify that piece by touch – if he finds the wrong one, simply have him bury it back in the bin and keep feeling for the one he’s searching for. Continue until he’s found all of the pieces hidden in the bin. Then, help him put the vehicle together exactly as it’s shown in the picture!
HOW TO CHANGE IT UP:
-Before your child starts digging for a specific Lego, have him look at the picture and describe it to you. Is it big? Is it tiny? Is it round? Is it flat? Knowing what he’s feeling for will help him identify the correct piece without even looking!
-If building a vehicle is too difficult for your child, make things easier. Choose a set of Legos of different shapes and sizes and take a picture of the set. See if your child can feel for each specific piece by looking at the picture. Then, simply put a tower together using all of the Legos he found!
SKILL AREAS ADDRESSED: Sensory integration, fine motor skills, grasp, strength, visual perceptual skills, visual motor integration, cognitive skills
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[…] beginner engineering lego sensory bin with coloring/drawing/matching and building components! The Inspired Treehouse also has a cool similar idea to check […]