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Lycra Tunnels. We love them.
With these fantastic sensory tools being the featured product of the month, we figured what better time to share some ideas with you on the best ways to make use of these stretchy tubes of fun!
When you're looking for ways to use your Lycra Tunnel from a therapeutic point of view, try and think of activities that will have your children pushing/pulling against the Lycra. The push back that Lycra gives is where the "action" is, the push back gives pressure, that vital Proprioceptive Input.
Whether these are new to you or not, the idea of combining deep tissue stimulation with play is something we find really exciting.
So here goes, our 20 favourite ways that will get you started or continue exploring the world of Lycra tunnels!
Play a favourite board game; in order to take your turn, you must first crawl through the tunnel!
Any games that involve turn taking and are quick and easy would work well.
Games that are well suited to this activity would be Connect 4 or Story Cubes.
Complete a puzzle by taking one piece at a time through the tunnel. The level of difficulty can be easily adjusted according to each individual.
We quite like using the wooden peg puzzles as they are easy to handle and can cop a fair punishment being carted along through the tunnel.
Collect letters to make a word at the other end of the Lycra Tunnel. We used the wonderful Educational bricks in Lower case with the small base plates.
Alternatively you could collect words to make a sentence. We used the Build a Sentence game. These are levelled, ready made and a handy resource to have anyway.
Many would know that blowing through a straw is a good activity for respiration, breath control and self regulation.
We used the Blow a Football game as it appeals to all ages. Plus its ready made and good to go.
Set the goal post up at one end, then take the straw and blow the ball through the tunnel (starting at the other end).
Grab yourself a piggy bank and carry one coin at a time through the tunnel and pop it through the slot of the money box at the other end. Some might use this as a reward at the end of other activities.
A great activity that doubles as a "teaching about money activity".
Stretch the Lycra Tunnel out, with one person at each end.
Place teddy bears, plush toys or dolls on the tunnel and give them a bounce on the "trampoline".
Great to encourage group play as you will need at least two people to make this work.
Place little toys or counters through the tunnel. Take a torch and go on a hunt. See if you can find them all.
If you are looking for some pretty cute counters, try our jars of Sea Life ones!
This is such a fun activity to do! It also builds vocabulary as well.
Start the Bomb ticking then race to see how many times you can get through the tunnel before the bomb goes off!
Grab yourself a Pass The Bomb Junior here!
It is our best selling game at Starfish and we love playing it too!
Join the two ends of your tunnel together. You can attach them by ribbons through the handles, or just tie them in a knot.
Have one person at each end and play games or sing songs that have you pushing and pulling against the lycra. For example "Row Row Row Your Boat".
You could also play classic circle games like hot potato or pass the parcel.
Push a weighted medicine ball or weighted plush toy through the tunnel.
We have plenty to choose from, the one in the image below is a 2kg Weighted Lap Cat
Doing animal movements is a well known and much loved Occupational Therapy strategy.
We love the Heads Talk Tails Walk Game , so why not use the cute and sturdy cards from this as a stimulus for which animal walks you do?!
Set counters or blocks up in a particular pattern. Have duplicate pieces at the other end.
Crawl through the Lycra Tunnel and try and arrange the pieces into position to look exactly the same (as they are at the other end).
Carry a bean bag through the Lycra Tunnel.
Once at the other end, stand up and try to toss the bean bag into a bucket, at a target or into a hula hoop. See how many points you can get in total.
We have a few Bean Bag choices here at Starfish if you need to purchase some!
This one is probably better for indoors, on slippery tiles or floorboards.
Set up an obstacle course with objects like the Squigz. Tie a knot in the end of the lycra tunnel and have your child climb in (feet first).
Drag the tunnel (and your passenger) through the obstacle track!
Have a Logiclock at one end. Crawl through the Lycra Tunnel and set the clock to 1 o'clock.
Each time you crawl through the tunnel you move the clock on one hour until you make it to 12 o'clock.
You can check out our full range of sturdy clocks here!
Being in a Lycra Tunnel and rolling on a slope (e.g a hill or wedge crash mat) provides vestibular input as well as proprioceptive input.
Plus, with a little care, it is a LOT of fun.
Climb through the Lycra Tunnel with one piece of the Touch and Match Game.
Close your eyes and find the match for your piece by touch. This would be a really fun activity to do blindfolded.
Haven't got a Touch and Match game yet? Get one here at Starfish!
Fold the tunnel over and turn your tunnel into a body sock.
Have your feet out so you can walk and play or tie a knot in one end.
Use the Lycra Tunnel to transport pieces of Connetix to build your structure.
Place all of your tiles at one end of the tunnel, then use the other end for putting them altogether!
You could also try this with Mobilo Connectors.
Last but most certainly not least, the old classic Tug-o-war!
Tie a ribbon in the middle of the lycra tunnel and set teams of 1 or more players ate each end.
Play a game of tug-o-war, just chose your challenger carefully!
So there you have it, our 20 best ways we love to use Lycra Tunnels! We reckon these will keep any tunnel fan busy for a while, although these versatile sensory tubes have endless uses.
These are just our ideas, go ahead and spend some time exploring the countless ways you can use them yourself.
Get creative, get silly and most importantly have fun!
Love team Starfish x
Reckon we've missed any awesome ways that everyone else would love too? Let us know! We'd love to hear your ideas :)
40 Proprioceptive activities for the classroom. Simple and practical activities to incorporate Proprioceptive into the classroom. 16 A4 sheets to print for your classroom, therapy space or home.
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Lycra Tunnels. We love them. With these fantastic sensory tools being the featured product of the month, we figured what better time to share some ideas with you on the best ways to make use of these stretchy tubes of fun!
