Learning Resources - Gears! Gears! Gears!® Super Set, Set of 150 - ler9164

Special Needs Applications - Key Features and Benefits

Cognitive: 

• Versatile so children can begin small and simple (one base) and advance as a child’s confidence and skills build.

• Constant movement and action of the gears helps capture and maintain a child’s attention. 

• Gives children with learning disabilities an avenue to explore colors, matching and sorting in a non-threatening, positive manner.

• Helps children gain an exploration of control in their environment.

• Gears are all the same size, which allows children to build successfully without the risk of jamming which promotes empowerment and lessens frustration.

Communicative: 

• Helps extend the purseverative actions of a child with autism to include functional skills.  In order to spin (the perseverative action they desire), they must first sequence the steps to build the gears on the base and problem solve to fit the gears together.

• The base provides a focused play space important for children who need to maintain attention.

• Size conducive to parallel play as well as cooperative play which helps children begin to transition to social interaction.

Physical: 

• Highly motivating because a small movement from a child with a physical disability, such as cerebral palsy, creates lots of action.

•  Can be created to fit on a wheelchair tray because the base has eight pieces.

• The ability to build the gears up promotes arm extension and reaching for children with limited motor skills.

• The ability to build the gears up enables the play to happen at eye level of a child and helps to maintain posture and head control.

• For children who may not be able to reach, the base can be placed in a linear form to position it close to the child.

Sensory:

• The constant movement and bold colors stimulate attention and focused play.

• The different building pieces provide added tactile stimulation, pleasure and intrigue.