RESOURCES
The helper of self-care skills - Weplay Bean Pods
2020.07.29
 
 
As children mature, they are eager to start taking care of themselves. Self-care is an import step to independence. They start self-feed around their first birthday and learn how to put on/take off their shirt around the second birthday. This series of educational experiences are as important as the first steps. Self-care helps to build confidence and a positive outlook. How can parents help children with such an important stage in their lives?
 
Today, we would like to share the Weplay Bean Pods!
 
The Weplay Bean Pods were specifically designed to enhance children’s hand control and stability through play. We have included interesting and fun activities for parents and teachers to help children advance these important developmental skills.
 
 
WEPLAY BEAN PODS
  • Pods are designed to be used for storage of the Beans, combining life experiences and role play.
  • Children can use the Pods as a tool to move Beans by one or both hands.
  • Different patterns on the Beans create greater challenges when stacking.
  • Pods and Beans have 3 different colors, selected from nature. Hollow design adds vividness to the Pods.
  • Translucent green Pods bring different visual experience, allowing for more color games.
 
PLAY ACTIVITIES
 
Hand Control
 
A.   Press and open 
  • Activity: Gently press the sides of the Pods in the middle. Remove Beans and organize Beans by color.
  • Benefit: Strengthen finger muscles and improve color recognition.
 
B.   Pick up
  • Activity: Hold the Pods with both hands. Use the Pods to pick up the specified color Beans.
  • Benefit: Improve hands stability and enhance concentration.
 
 
C.   Hold
  • Activity: Create a walking path that challenges the children while not discouraging.
  • Benefit: Practice hand control.
D.   Scooping
  • Activity: Place the Beans on the table and let children scoop up all the Beans within 2 minutes. (Time is adjustable.) 
  • Benefit: Helps to improve wrist dexterity and self-care skills.
At mealtime, children are often hungry and do not slow down to learn how to use a spoon. However, playing a game is different, games can provide more opportunities to have fun while exploring.
 
 
E.   Stacking
  • Activity: Stack the Beans and Pods as higher as you can. 
  • Benefit: Enhance hand stability and strategic thinking.
 
 
 
Tactile Game
 
Weplay Bean Pods have 3 different resistance and patterns. These variations bring different tactile experience to children. Mystery Bag is an interesting game! Put all the Beans into the mystery bag and ask children to take out the one based on the direction you give.
 
 
Logical Activity
Both Pods and Beans have 3 different colors. Make a rule with these arrangements, let children guess what's the next. This activity enhances children’s color recognition, observation skill and logical thinking.
 
 
Group Activity
A.   Passing Beans
Let child scoop the Beans and pass them to another child. Through the game, children can improve their hand control and interaction skills. 
 
 
B.   Memory Game (With free download material)
  • Activity: 
    • Step 1- Randomly choose a card.
    • Step 2- Let children take a look for 10 seconds. 
    • Step 3- Flip the card and ask children to put the Beans and Pods on the right position according to his/her memory. 
  • Benefit: Children can increase their short-term memory and improve visual memory while playing.
 
Download educational card here ► https://bit.ly/3fd6W7s
 
C.   Spatial Concept / Preposition-Learning Game
  • Activity: 
    • Step 1 – Define all the position between the Beans and Pods and use one Pod as the anchor.​
    • Step 2 – Child A, randomly chooses a card and hands it to Child B without seeing the card.
    • Step 3 – Child B reads the card, describing the position of the Beans and Pod. Child A then places the Beans into the right positions as instructed by Child B’s directions. (reference instruction is behind the card, also can describe on their own way.)
  • Benefit: Help children learn spatial relation concept and improve their expression and communication skills.
Download educational card here ► https://bit.ly/3fd6W7s
 
  • Level up: (Adjusting the game slightly will increase the challenge.) 
    • Instead of naming a color, define the Bean by the resistance. For example, select the hardest Beans or the softest Beans.
    • Do not provide the cards. Let Child A make his/her own picture and describe the position between the Beans and Pod. Ask Child B to place the Bean and Pod in the correct position.
    • Change the anchor to two Pods. Look at the following example: Place the orange Beans behind the horizontal Pods and on the right of vertical Pods.
 
Creative Activity
Weplay Bean Pods can be used in various ways, which include role play, displaying multiple emotions and creative images. Do you have other ideas? We welcome you to share your creative ideas with us!