Rocking is a great sensory activity for small children and that’s why the Little Bean Rocker is so fun! At Wiwiurka we have designed several types of rockers so that children of different ages and in different types of spaces can rock away, you can take a look at some of them in this article.
So today we are going to talk about our Bean Rocker, a piece we designed especially for toddlers and that is ideal for daycares and play areas; in this post, I’ll go through all the details about its design specifications, age recommendation, developmental benefits and more. Let’s jump into it!
This is the Bean Rocker set on it’s rocking side. As you can see, it has seats for children (or dolls) to sit and rock away! Courtesy of @the.montessori.millenial
About sensory discovery
Movement throughout early childhood is a basic necessity for the healthy development of children. Our Little Bean Rocker is a very versatile structure designed for crawling babies and preschoolers to develop their gross motor skills and their sensory information brain-management, all while playing and having fun. As with other of our rockers, the Little Bean can be used by more than one child at a time, so it’s a great way for toddlers to socialize.
The benefits of rocking
Rocking is a fantastic activity for kids because it stimulates several senses at once, therefore it’s helping the brain refine its sensory information sorting paths, for example, rocking movement promotes the creation of sight-movement neural connections. Furthermore, as kids have fun rocking away, they are also having a workout strengthening their core and enhancing their limb-core coordination, as well as refining grip skills.
Rocking is particularly beneficial for the development of the vestibular system, in other words, to develop and refine balance, in particular, while in motion. And for all the enthusiastic energy-burning fun that a session of rocking brings for kids, it also has very soothing qualities: as the little ones begin to tire, they rock slower, this relaxes them and it even prepares them for a nap. This shouldn’t be much of a surprise, because after all, we do rock babies to sleep!
About the design
We designed the Little Bean Rocker as an open-ended structure that offers children many ways of playing with it and developing several cognitive and physical aspects. Besides rocking, this piece allows children to go up, down, climb, slide, enter or exit. Being well familiarized with these experiences enhances their development of spatial perception, which will allow them as they grow, to comprehend with greater ease abstract and mathematical concepts when they reach that stage. As we’ve often said: early gross motor development is the foundation of abstract thinking, problem-solving skills, and fine motor skills.
Use and age recommendations.
The Little Bean Rocker was designed to be used mainly at daycare centers or playgroups, but it’s also a great option for families with twins or triplets during the children’s first years. Why?
Well, this piece is great for young toddlers and preschoolers, but as well know, children grow really fast! They will outgrow this rocker in a couple of years and will be too big to use it. That is why we recommend it for childcare services and spaces that offer playgroups, the children that are there are in the Little Bean’s age scope; as well as for families that have several children of the same age.
Versatile happiness
The Little Bean rocker can be used by children as young as 9 months old and up to the age of 4 years old. It can hold 4 little ones at once, but always within that age range. As you can see, if you have only one child or your children have a wider age-gap, perhaps one of our larger rockers would be a better option for your family, but for a playgroup or a daycare, where usually little children in this age range abound, the Little Bean Rocker is ideal.
This rocker can also be used as a climber for young children, all you need to do is turn it upside down! As is the case with our Climbing Pikler Arch, the Little Bean rocker has sturdy steps that allow kids to climb it crawling or standing, while the “top” has wooden slates that allow them to sit and play there with toys.
Making it better
A great way to enhance the Little Bean’s climbing features is by using our ad-ons with it, like the reversible ramp. You can read all about our ramps and their uses right here. So, a ramp can be used as a slide, or on its climbing side to offer more playing options to the kids. Furthermore, it can be used to connect the Little Bean rocker to another Wiwiurka piece, like a Climbing Pikler Triangle, creating a playset.
Another playful way to use it is to place it on one of its sides and allow the children to set some of their toys on it. They will be open to imaginative play such as playing shop, or exercising their sorting skills while admiring the features they like of their toys. So in a nutshell: the Little Bean has playful uses, flipped on any of its sides!
The specs
- Wide: 34″ long, 26″ wide and 19″ high.
- Footprint: is of 34.5″ x 26″ (87.6 cm x 66cm).
- Max Weight: 132 lbs
- Recommended ages: 18 months – 4 years old.
- It is a very practical piece for families with twins or triplets in a small home.
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