Busy Boxes
What is a Busy Box?
- A Busy Box is a basket or box that contains activities which have been specifically collated to develop identified skills.
Why might it be useful?
- Using a Busy Box can help children to develop a range of skills. Primarily the purpose of the box is to develop independent learning skills.
- It can encourage children who like to follow their own agenda to complete adult-initiated activities.
- It can provide an opportunity for children to understand both ‘start’ and ‘finish’ as a concept.
- It is also a useful way of providing additional opportunities for children to consolidate newly learnt skills by revisiting previously class-based activities.
- It can be an effective way of ensuring IEP targets are specifically addressed.
- It can be an effective method in promoting social skills if two or more of each activity is provided.
- It can encourage children to organise their work space and to complete a series of activities without seeking adult support.
- It can promote increased attention skills.
How do I introduce it?
- Encourage the child to help decorate a box/basket.
- Attach a photo of the child. Identify a ‘special’ place in the classroom to store the box. (This may need to be out of reach if you are developing communication skills to encourage the child to ask for it).
- Always start with something a child enjoys. Preferably a specific toy/activity from within the classroom. You may need to be more creative and use a favourite character such as Thomas Tank Engine or Bob the Builder.
- Ensure that the tasks are short in duration in the first instance to promote success. Initially introduce one activity to the child. It should be seen as fun, not a chore.
- Negotiation can be crucial. You may need to ‘do a deal’. Use ‘first’ and ‘then’. Ensure the second activity is a motivator, i.e. something the child likes.
- An adult will need to support the child in the first instance. Once established, the adult can withdraw as appropriate.
How do I extend it?
- Once established as part of the daily routine, a Busy Box can facilitate a range of skills. For instance, a child may need to practice fine motor activities, so you might include threading and lacing activities. You might want to develop basic skills such as colour recognition; activities would include matching and sorting. In fact the list is endless, and will very much depend on the child’s own needs.
- Put two of each activity in the box and ask a second child to work alongside to promote social interactions.
- Place individual activities within their own zipper wallets so that part of the exercise involves retrieving and organising the different tasks.
- Sequence tasks using a visual menu or list. Attach matching pictures to the zipper wallets to develop pre-reading skills.
- Increase the number of individual tasks, or increase the complexity of each activity. For instance, once a child is independently completing 4-piece interlocking puzzles, increase to 12-piece etc.
- Encourage the child to get involved with choosing tasks to put in the box.
What activities can I include?
- Puzzles (form boards, inset and interlocking
- Books
- Picture Matching
- Letter/Word Matching
- Picture/Initial Sound
- Cutting (simple outlines, snips in thin card)
- Colouring
- Dot-to-dot
- Tracing
- Mazes/Tracking
- Continuing Patterns
- Sorting
- Matching
- Shape Activities
- Counting
- Threading
- Pattern matching
- Sequencing
- Peg Boards
- Compare Bears
- Name Card
- Motivators (Bubbles, character Toys or worksheets)
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SEN EIT Aug 2014