Friday, June 26, 2009

Favorite Product: Bubbles

This week's favorite product is Miracle Bubbles!

Bubbles are such a great, inexpensive toy that pretty much any kid will enjoy. There are a ton of choices out there but at the end of the day - any set of bubbles will do. Here are some ways to use bubbles to encourage your preemie's development.

1) Blow some bubbles - encourage your preemie to watch the bubbles fly away. Once they get the idea of tracking the bubbles, show them how to pop the bubbles. If your preemie isn't yet mobile than I would first try bubbles in the house or in the bathtub. That way he/she has more of a chance to actually pop one. You can also blow some and then use the blower to hold one of the bubbles so your preemie can see it and you can help him/her pop it.

2) Asking for more - bubbles are a great activity to do when you are trying to teach your preemie to tell you that he/she wants more of something. Whether you are using sign or words, blow some bubbles and then wait. Then ask "Do you want more?" Show me/Tell me. And then blow more after he/she indicates more.

3) Gross Motor encouragement - bubbles can help encourage your preemie to crawl/cruise/walk/run. Blow some bubbles in one direction and then encourage your preemie to go get them. This is another time when blowing bubbles inside might help because they don't go as far away.

1 comment:

Joy said...

Thought I'd add that our OT used bubbles for oral stim. She just blows some bubbles and catches a good one on the wand, then pops it on his lips. The idea is that he's supposed to make a bit of a kissing motion to it (which hasn't happened, but whatever.) and get his mouth moving and working.