We love our travel but we also love our crafting. I’ve often found that a home-made gift is more appropriate and used far more by BJ than a store bought one. Recently I saw a game in the shops and while I liked the concept, the size of the items which needed to be found was too visually challenging for BJ. AJ and I decided to make these Find It Shaker games for some special little people in our lives and we are told they are quite the hit.
THE AIM OF THE GAME
The aim of the game is to turn the container so the rice shifts revealing hidden trinkets. Turning the container in different ways is good for hand co-ordination and spotting the small trinkets is good for visual stimulation and tracking.
HOW TO MAKE THE FIND IT SHAKERS
Colouring the rice.
We bought no-name rice from the supermarket and measured out how much we would need for the containers.
AJ then halved the rice and in keeping with our current Christmas theme, she coloured half red and half green.
We then put the coloured rice on a baking tray and popped them in the over for 10 minutes until just heated through and dry.
AJ then mixed the colours together and filled the jars.
TRINKETS FOR THE JARS
Finding small trinkets that are appealing seemed my biggest challenge. Although we wanted bright items that would appeal to the kids we didn’t want them to be too big and easy to spot.
We found small erasers at the dollar stores were great, some other party favours were also found at the dollar stores and we topped it up with odd bits and pieces from around home. You know all those bits you find around the house that are no longer are useful in a game? They are perfect.
A larger version of the Find It game.
If you take a photo of the trinkets you put in the container kids can mark off, or at least more easily identify what they are looking for in the container.
AJ and I are off on a trip early next week to visit some young cousins and we’ve made a larger version for them. The containers need to be a good size for little hands and once filled I recommend taping or super gluing the lid. The small items pose a choking risk if not sealed in the container and the rice could possibly tip parents over the edge if emptied around the house.
We think this would make a great Christmas gift for a child with special needs. It is fun and has some therapy goals tied in. These can also be made to be easier or more difficult by adding or taking rice out and by varying the size of the trinkets. You can also theme it to a child’s interests.
Larni has suggested that macaroni could be used instead of rice to provide a sound and she also thought it would be good to put in an item that lights up when bumped. Maybe a small light up ball.
We’d love to know what you think of it? Do you have any suggestions on trinkets that could be included?
What a fabulous idea..might need to give this a go too!
Thanks Penny. Lots of fun even for adults actually!