This charity shop find, has been one of the best toys for surviving the transition from baby to toddler. Ioan and Finny played with it constantly, as soon as they could sit securely, at 7 months. I used to try and encourage Cian to sit up at the same age. At 20 months old, he will still play with it. Look at the giggles it evokes.
Resources
- Ikea ‘Mula’ bead roller coaster
Method
Cian often gets frustrated with manoeuvring the beads, so it is a good toy for developing perseverance and problem solving skills.
These rollercoasters also develop hand-eye coordination, this is the ability to do activities that require the simultaneous use of our hands and eyes. To move the beads along the rollercoaster, we have to use the information our eyes perceive (visual spatial perception) to guide our hands to carry out a movement.
DfES Outcomes for EYFS (2013)
Physical development
Moving and handling (8 to 20 months)
- Sits unsupported.
- When sitting, can lean forward to pick up small toys.
- Passes toys from one hand to the other.
- Holds an object in each hand and brings them together in the middle, e.g. holds two blocks and bangs them together.
- Picks up small objects between thumb and fingers.
