Teach Reading and Math to Kids with This Fun Multisensory Toy

I am extremely passionate about multisensory/hands-on learning for kids because research and my own experience show how it helps children learn about so many concepts while also keeping them engaged.

I have utilized a lot of multisensory products with kids over the years; so naturally when the maker of Alphafun, Gabriel Ausch, reached out, asking if I could check out his product, I was excited.

I have a seven-year-old son and a three-year-old daughter. I showed them a video of Alphafun and they said they would love to try it. I asked Gabriel to send it to us, and he kindly did.

Alphafun is an amazing multisensory toy that is easy for children to love.

Kids Playing with Alphafun

Alphafun comes with the following supplies:

• a tiny inflatable sensory bin
• sensory waterbeedz that expand overnight in water (science)
• thick plastic alphabet letters that children can pull out of the bin
• yellow string to lace the letters for a necklace, bracelet, etc. (each letter has a hole to lace it)
• kid-friendly tweezers to pull the letters out of the water
• a little spoon to measure the beads as directed by the booklet that comes with Alphafun (you can also use the spoon to scoop the waterbeedz once they are in the bin)
• game ideas in the instructional booklet

The waterbeedz feel so relaxing in your hands…great for those seeking touch/sensory stimulation. They are non-toxic but your child should not eat them. Supervise if your child could eat this product.

The tweezers and letter lacing are both great for children to use their fine motor skills.

The bin itself has handles and is lightweight and easy to move.

A lot of games can be played with Alphafun that help build letter recognition, letter-sound correspondence, and reading/spelling.

Some examples include:

• close your eyes (or wear a blindfold) and pull a letter from the bin – try to guess what it is, open your eyes and see if you are correct
• pull out a letter and name the sound and/or say a word that begins or ends with that sound
• pull out letters to make a (three-letter word, four-letter word, etc.)
• pull out a letter and lace it on a string (lace five for a bracelet, spell your name)
• pull a letter out, then act something out or draw a picture of something that starts with that letter (e.g., a – alligator, b – basketball, c – car)

Alphafun can also be used for math:

For example, count the waterbeedz, count how many letters you pull out or put on your necklace – take one away, now how many, etc.

What about writing?

Pull out a letter and trace it or copy it. Close your eyes, pull a letter, and write a word with that letter in it. A for Avengers!

How about history or science? Pull a letter to cover a topic? You pulled an A and today we are going to learn about a topic of your choice that begins with A. You can choose alligators, Alabama, or Alaskan Eskimos.

Alphafun also allows children to practice sharing, turn-taking, cleaning up, and general socialization.

This fun multisensory learning tool could be used with children by

• parents
• educators
• occupational and speech therapists
• really anyone who wants to do multisensory learning with a child

Have you tried Alphafun? Let us know what you think.

Remind your kids to keep the waterbeedz in the bin!

Education and Behavior – Keeping Us On the Same Page!