Toy: The
Plastic Accordion Tube aka "Pop Toob"
Description: This toy is as simple as they come! It is a plastic tube that makes different sounds when you spin it. It folds up small or you can extend it and make it long. The activities you can create with this toy are endless!
Good for: Kids motivated by
movement and sound, imitating sounds, targeting expressive language, pretend
play, and social skills
Targets:
Expressive requests
First words
“go” and/or “spin”
This toy is great for
targeting these simple words. You can twirl the tube over your head, and as you
do so, it makes a whistling sound. The tone of the sound changes by spinning it
faster or slower. This creates a great opportunity to hold out for, or model,
the word “spin.” You can also use the tube like a slide and have small toys
slide down and prompt for “go.” This can be especially good for kids who do not
yet have object permanence.
Two word combinations:
"Go fast",
"go slow", "spin fast", "spin slow”, "long
tube", "short tube”, etc. " Remember, the different speeds
produce different tones which gives lots of opportunities for varied language!
Longer/ varied requests:
"Make a
Light-Saber": turn off the lights and hold the short tube over a
flashlight. After the child makes the request you can turn the flashlight
on and pull the tube long.
"Make a square.",
"make an oval", etc.: you can many different shapes by
connecting the tube together and bending it.
"Spin the tube fast",
"spin the tube slow", and “spin the tube super fast!"
Imitating Sounds
A fully extended tube
makes a great elephant trunk! You can hold it at the end of your nose, lift the
other end high in the air, and make an elephant sound. Have your child do the
same!
Use the tube as a
telephone. Hold one end of the fully extended tube and have the child put near
his/her ear. Use a whisper voice and talk into the tube. It’s like tickling
them with your voice!
Spin the tube over
your head and make helicopter sounds (kind of like “chicka-chicka-chicka” or
whatever other sound you can come up with) and then give your child a turn!
Pretend Play
It's a telescope and
you're a pirate: "Land Ho!"
It's a microscope and
you're a scientist: "I've discovered the tickle bug."
It's a stethoscope and
you're a doctor: "Let's listen to your heart... bump, bump..."
It's a snake and,
"It's Going to Bite You!"
Then Reverse the roles!
Other Activities
Take the tube into the tub
and fill up a bucket with some water. Dip the tube in and fill it with
some water. Hold both ends of the tube up so that it makes a
"U" shape with the water at the bottom of the "U".
Put one end of the tube up to your mouth and blow hard so that the water shoots
up and back into the tub. Pretty Fun, right? Think of all the language
you can prompt!
"on",
"off", "water", "stop", "blow"..."under",
"in", "pour"..."blow high", "be an elephant”
"make a huge fountain." Get creative with it!
