Children will love the tactile nature and varied play potential of our Pattern Balls - Rainbow. These cosy, large felt balls in warming rainbow tones will make a wonderful addition to your open-ended classroom resources and are a great enhancement to sensory play, fine motor play and STEM play - just add ramps to explore cause and effect! Each soft felt ball provides a wonderful way to engage in sensory play. Learners will love exploring the tactile nature of each ball, making them a valuable resource for calming, regulating play. With their cosy rainbow tones, each ball is visually interesting but not overstimulating, inviting children to focus and relax as they roll, squeeze and transfer them. With their sturdy design, these balls are made to last, standing up to many cohorts of busy learners. As with all versatile, open-ended resources, there's plenty of learning potential here. Children can practise their fine and gross motor skills transferring the balls, squishing and rolling them in different directions and at different speeds. STEM play abounds - add ramps, chutes and tunnels and encourage learners to roll the balls and see how quickly they're affected by gravity and the angle of the ramp. They'll even be at home in your role play area, acting as balls for a friendly dog, play food and more. The play potential and learning potential are exponential, making Pattern Balls - Rainbow a beautiful, hard-working addition to any early childhood or primary learning environment.Educational Benefits Supports sensory regulation and self-calming as children explore the soft, tactile felt surface. Develops fine and gross motor skills through grasping, transferring, rolling and catching the balls. Encourages early STEM thinking as children experiment with ramps, gravity, speed and simple cause and effect. Promotes creativity and symbolic play as the balls become props in role play, small world scenes and imaginative games. Classroom Ideas Set up a sensory tray or basket with the Pattern Balls - Rainbow for calming, regulating play during transition times. Create a STEM investigation station with ramps, tubes and tunnels so children can explore how the balls roll at different heights and angles. Use in movement games, obstacle courses or gross motor circuits where children balance, roll or carry the balls. Incorporate into role play and dramatic play as pretend food, pet toys or magic stones to enrich storytelling and language. Safety & Information 3+ years, to be used under adult supervision. Set of 6 large felt balls. Each ball approximately 9cm in diameter. Designed for sensory and loose parts play. Inspect regularly for wear or loose fibres and spot clean as needed. Discontinue use if any ball becomes damaged.
