Learning Resources - Math Rods - Math Activity Sets - Kindergarten - ler8537

Cognitive: 

• Each activity card has one short, simple task helping children to complete a task and gain confidence.

• Very versatile and can be individualized for a particular child’s learning style and pace.   Children with disabilities often need a longer period of time on each task, or may learn better tactilely, visually or auditorily which this set provides.

• Pictures on the activity cards are simple, large, on a plain white background (easy to see and comprehend), which helps a child remain focused. 

• Children with cognitive disabilities are most successful when a large task is broken down into smaller parts.  This set intrinsically provides that broken down approach.

• Provides opportunity to use several different senses so children with disabilities are better able to learn, retain and recall that information.

• Carry/storage case provides a structured play space to stay focused and attend.

• Rods are color-coded, giving children a hint as to correct responses particularly beneficial to children with learning disabilities because their self-esteem and confidence can be positively affected.

• Laminated cards allow for easy clean up.

• Illustrations on the cards are identical to the rods themselves that helps children match exact items. This is very straightforward and concrete helping children with learning disabilities.

• Easel-like tray enables children to have visual guidelines to place objects.  This organization assists in visually and cognitively processing and responding.

Communicative: 

• Children with autism or pervasive developmental disorder often have perseverative hand movements.  This repetitive motion can be incorporated into functional play with these rods.  A child may want to connect and take apart incessantly, but before he is able to do that, he must look at a card and match two rods in order to get the rods to connect and take apart.

• Several game/activity options that incorporate other children inviting cooperative play and encouraging turn taking, patience and conduct.

• Set is very well organized and presents new material that helps children with communication difficulties readily comprehend.

• Rods only connect left to right, naturally incorporating reading and writing skills into play.

• Carry/storage case provides a focused play space for children with autism and pervasive developmental disorder to better attend and comprehend.

Physical: 

• Rods snap together securely, allowing a child with physical limitations to hold the connected rods without the risk of inadvertently knocking them apart.  Some children with physical limitations may need another person to connect the rods, but then they will be able to study them without risk of falling apart.

• Connecting the rods enables children to work on eye-hand coordination as well as hand control and strength.  Some children with physical limitations may find these rods more interesting and cognitively challenging than other therapeutic items – which will hold their attention and allow further physical progress.

• Laminated cards, plastic rods and vinyl case are easily cleaned.

Sensory:

• Pictures on the activity cards are simple, large and on a plain white background helping the children with mild visual impairments see the task at hand.

• Rods are very tactilely stimulating in a child’s hands that gives children with sensory integration issues more stimulation from their environment and better equip them to focus and attend.