Description and Learning Objectives
This activity requires the child to pick up the cube and place it through the hole at the top of the box. It encourages the child to use a pincer or palmer grasp as well as refines hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills. This activity also develops a child’s understanding of object permanence.
Materials
Imbucare box and its coordinating shape
Observations and Findings
Working on the imbucare activity provides children with the opportunity to practice their fine motor skills, hand eye coordination and cognitive skills. They practice holding the cube in their hands using the palmer grasp and dropping it into the hole at the top of the box. Through this activity, children also begin to understand that the only way the cube would fit into the hole is by aligning the shape accordingly. Thus encouraging them to problem solve and possibly turn the cube a certain way in order for it to fit into the hole.
This activity also promotes children’s understanding of object permanence. When children pick up the cube and fit it through the slot on the box lid, they must then make use of their knowledge of object permanence – knowing that just because they can no longer see the cube, does not mean that it has disappeared. Rather, they will know to open the Imbucare Box to find the cube hiding inside. This allows them to gain a better understanding of how things may appear throughout their daily lives.
